Guys,
I need a caster/camber gauge and I see the RWP one for 39.99, which is way cheaper than the smart parts one at ~110.00. Can anyone recommend this tool? Is it accurate and good for the price or should I go the extra mile and buy the "good" one?

BTW- I am using this to set up my car for DE's and autocross. Thanks!

 

No opinions?

 

I have the RWP one and I like it. I usually trust it for +/- 1/8 degree measurement.

 

The 39.99 camber gauge is great. Seriously. It's accurate enough for our purposes, and the results are repeatable.

Warren

 

Sounds Good... If its good enough for Warren than its good enough for me

 

If you are talking about the bubble level guage that adjusts with a thumb wheel and basically an aluminum triangle, I have used one for years with good luck and repeatability. It has measurements in increments of 1/8th degree which is plenty for me. Just make sure you check the level of the pavement you are sitting the car on and you''l be fine.

I use that and a toe guage that I designed on the back of a Jerry's napkin over late night coffee nearly 20 years ago. I costs about $15 in cheap hardware store parts and store nice and small. I had the entire suspension off a racecar once replacing all the suspension bushings then realigned the car with these two tools just to see how close I could get then took it for a computer wheel alignment to get it right and see how far off I was. After using my primitive instruments, the computer said everything was dead perfect except my rear thrust angle was off a very tiny bit, which was not bad because my method had had no way to reference one end to the other. What it did prove was that the instruments didn't need to be high tech, just consisitant and repeatable and the person doing it had to have a system and work to the level of their satisfaction.

If anyone is interested in making the toe guage, I could take some pics and make some instructions. It is too simple to try to sell made items and I thought about selling the instructions cheaply but even that seemed too obvious.

 

I'd be interested in seeing your alignment tools.

I took a 2 day chassis seminar in NH about a month ago, and we focused on some very simple, homegrown methods of checking alignments. The focus was on formula cars, and even though it's (Mostly) all transferable to a street car, I'd be interested in seeing your homegrown version.

 

I got this "wheel alignment" (AKA "toe") gauge for Christmas:



$39.99 from Eastwood. I checked its accuracy after I got my Lightning aligned a few months ago. I had the shop set it to zero toe, and the gauge read zero toe when I got the truck home.

I also used it last week when I changed the crusty tie rods on my Firebird. It's easy enough for a gimp like me to use by himself.

 

Yes, please show us your toe gauge design!

 

We know you're generous enough to share your homemade toe gauge with the HT community

 

Yeah, please, lets see some pix!

 

I was going to build this....
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=267237

 

CRX Lee do you care to share your secrets?

 

Sorry, was out of town last night and didn't see the posts 'til now.

I'll take some pics of it and figure a way to put it on-line. Basically it uses many lengths of all thread rod, a handfull of tube nuts, a bunch of jam nuts, two carriage bolts and about 5 minutes of welding and a little drilling. It is ultra adjustable so it can work with any diameter rim and super low cars. Really solid and repeatable. Plus it packs up nice and small. God, sounds like I'm trying to sell it when I'm giving it away.

It was one of the late night coffee house napkin designs that really worked out but you guys might find way to improve it as well.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Lee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I'll take some pics of it and figure a way to put it on-line.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I can host the pics for you, if you'd like. Email me if you'd like: tom@redpepperracing.com

 

How would you check the thrust angle by using strings for an alignment?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rpr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I can host the pics for you, if you'd like. Email me if you'd like: tom@redpepperracing.com
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Cool, many thanks. I took the toe guage to work today to take pics during my lunch break but spent the time running down parts for the racecar exhaust instead. I'll email you the pics then make and instruction sheet and put it on it's own new thread.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by electronspeeder &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How would you check the thrust angle by using strings for an alignment?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Your could match the thrust angle using string by setting the rear and front toe to zero and dead parallel front to rear (if your track width is the same F & R) and having the steering wheel straight. The once the car is zeroed, you can reset your front and rear toe as needed making sure that you set each side of the car to take half of the toe out or in number. If would be time consuming because you are basically doing it twice.

Generally my preference is to start then year or a completely new suspension with a proper computerized alignment to start you at the known point then use my own alignment tools to do upkeep or adjustments from that point.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Lee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Cool, many thanks. I took the toe guage to work today to take pics during my lunch break but spent the time running down parts for the racecar exhaust instead. I'll email you the pics then make and instruction sheet and put it on it's own new thread.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds like a plan. I also need to discuss an issue with my front KONI's, but I will wait for the pics.

 

With regard to the Eastwood toe gauge:

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...30167

Same thing, $12.99.

I LIKE the fishing reels from the other thread....

Jarrod

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Lee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'll email you the pics then make and instruction sheet and put it on it's own new thread.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks! I'm sure we're all eager to see what your design is!

 

Any update CRX LEE?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by VTECAcuraGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Guys,
I need a caster/camber gauge and I see the RWP one for 39.99, which is way cheaper than the smart parts one at ~110.00. Can anyone recommend this tool? Is it accurate and good for the price or should I go the extra mile and buy the "good" one?

BTW- I am using this to set up my car for DE's and autocross. Thanks!</TD></TR></TABLE>

Is this the one that your talking about:



If so, it only does up to a 15" wheel?

 

Todd,

If you scroll down further on the page they describe the same one as you listed above but any size wheel. Part No is

Part No. RPW9501 - $39.99

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rex_boy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Todd,

If you scroll down further on the page they describe the same one as you listed above but any size wheel. Part No is

Part No. RPW9501 - $39.99</TD></TR></TABLE>

what is the web address?