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DIY Camber Gauge & Toe Alignment

32K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  moss99 
#1 ·
For some reason I can't post in the "How To" section, so can a mod/admin move this there.

Anyway was just browsing around and came across this, might help someone??

Camber Gauge

Shortly after buying an Apple iPhone, I found an application called Clinometer - it's a level and slope finder available from the iTunes Store for a reasonable 99 cents. It uses the phone's built-in accelerometers to measure angle with amazing accuracy. Useful for hanging pictures on your wall, making sure your new plasma TV isn't crooked, and most importantly, making sure you are getting the most out of your tires while autocrossing and on the track.

Step 1 was to find a straight block of wood that is cut to touch the top and bottom lip of the wheel:



Step 2 is to put this block of wood on the garage floor and go through the simple calibration procedure in the application. I could calibrate it from multiple directions in order to measure my camber relative to gravity.. but since the car in on the ground, I want to measure it relative to the garage floor only.



Finally, I can place it against the block of wood pressed against my wheel:



Obviously, only of any use if you have an iPhone or some other digital angle read out, and not perfect, but as I said might help those folk who are constantly playing with their suspension set-ups. :)

Link.... http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=325556

Toe Adjustment



Ok here it comes.

Red:are the strings attached to 2 blocks or any thing that will hold them solid

Green distances are important, 100mm is what i used, can be any thing you choose once they are all the same.

To align:
All on the same Wheel (e.g Front left)
@ 0.00 toe
pink and blue lines ( distance from line to rim) will be the same as each other (e.g. for me dist from center = 100mm, dist to front of rim " blue" = 80mm, dist to rear of rim "pink" = 80mm ). after adjusting.

Rear Left:
@ toe in 2mm:
Pink line is shorter than blue line by a set distance.

Steps!
1.Have car on level ground.
2.Lock Steering wheel straight! i used vice grips in foot well where steering rod enters car.
3. Set up as in diagram.
4.Adjust track rods to get front toe to 0.00, roll car back froward after adjustment and before measuring , to allow wheel settle.

Lengthen track rod to - toe (in), or shorten to + toe (out)

TO TRACK CORRECTLY CAR MUST BE full weight on ground, Tracking jacked wont work as angles change as suspension moves.
Pain in the ass to adjust rods as mine is 10mm drop!!

SOME POINTERS AND THINGS TO REMMEBER.

1) fishling line will work very well.

2) consider the track of your car for each axle. if it is not the same ie front 1500mm and rear 1475, then this will have to be accounted for in your measurements.

3)you want level ground here as this will make you measure mesurements more accurate.

4) this is for toe only. you will need a camber gauge to adjust your camber here. and likewise for castor.

5) this method is only as accurate as you are carefull with your setup and measurements.

6) this does not take acount of potentialy buckled or warped wheels, which will also throw measurements.

7) enjoy

I'll admit I stole both these guides from various places, but hope they help someone one here. :)
 
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#4 ·
#16 ·
The only suggestions I can give here is to use fishing line. Its thinner and pulls out straighter.

Also to use a metal rule. It will be more accurate than a tape measure as its solid.

One of the best explanations of the string line method i have seen. Did you write it H3rmaN? If so i would happily host it on my site with credit passed onto yourself :)
I tend to work off a vehicle centre line. The main reason stringing is generally better than most laser systems around is that it isn't just meant to work off the centre of the hubs. By checking back to a centre line you can ensure that the wheels are sitting parallel to the body and not just each other.

Nitron have a nice system that squares itself up but even that doesnt check back to chassis reference points.
 
#14 ·
Nice way of using an Iphone app with some real old school technology.

The "string computer" has been about since the 60's, if not before, being used for suspension set up.

It's still a cheap and easy way to help set up suspension.

Check out High speed, low cost or the race and rally car source book.

PFC.
 
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