SolObsession

OK so I have a 93 Del Sol Si lowered about 3" all the way around and I need an alignment. I go to ExpertTire (Firestone Dealer) and they try it once with the bumper on and they say the bumper is in the way. I made an appointment to come back without the bumper and then when they try that, they can't do it because the camber is off too much for the machine to get an accurate reading, so they do it by eye WTF! now my steering wheel is crooked and the car still pulls and the tires still wear bad.

So it seems like no one in western Massachusetts knows how to align a lowered car or is too ignorant to figure it out...I say this because no one else around wants to touch it.

Then I see today in my JC Whitney catalog the following...


ALIGN-A-MATIC WHEEL ALIGNMENT GAUGE
For standard, radial and wide-belted tires
Easy one-man operation
Patented drive-over design lets you check toe-in/toe-out on all trucks, buses and cars up to 32,000 lbs., regardless of tire size. Cancels out all defective and distorted camber indications to ensure accurate readings. Perfect alignment check regardless of defective caster and/or camber conditions. Self-compensating?no adjustments. Heat-treated aircraft aluminum. 1-1/2" x 5-1/2" x 14" L.

For $139.99 I am thinking that maybe with this I could set the toe and align it myself? Please help if anyone can....I hate buying tires. I hope that rambling made sense.

I also posted this in the GDD but I know some people don't veture that far. Thank you.

SolObsession

BUMP all I need to know is that if it is possible to set my own toe with this equipment.

PnX-R

You can set your Toe with just a couple of wrenches. Just straighten the wheel then get underneath and wrench the Tie Rods a little and tighten it up and go for a drive. It's just a trial and error thing. But it works fine for me and my buddies..

fireant

I dont know anything about that product you posted, but lots of people do thier own toe settings and get them "close enough".

I get my alignments done, but when I make adjustments, I use a DIY toe-board to get by. Here's a diagram:


I make my marks on the ground, then measure the distance from the right-wheel marks to the left-wheel marks to see if the toe is in or out.

If your tires are wide enough, you can attach string to fenders that stretch from the front bumper, across the tires to the back bumper. It will be evident if the toe is out.

Both of these methods require a very careful aligning of the steering wheel.

Good luck!

tpr

I know its going to sound to simple, but I use string. Start by driving the car onto a flat surface and point the steering wheel straight ahead as you drive onto the flat surface. Tie the end of the string to something at the rear center of the car. Pull it around the rear tire at up to the front. If the front of the front tire touches first (on both sides) then it is toed out. If it touches both the front and rear of the front tire at the same time then it has 0 toe. If it (the string) toches the back of the front tire first then its toed in. If one side is toed in and the other is toed out turn the tie rod adjustments in the same direction till both sides are equal.

john ramsey

i'm looking to buy a align-a-matic toe gauge.
does any know where i can buy one??

john ramsey

if you know where i can buy a align-a-mtic toe in gauge?
e-maial me at
alignment.1@juno.com