wheel alignmemt with string and pencils

this shows how I do the wheel alignment on the Escort using a long string ,5 pencils and home made tram bar

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• wheel
• alignment
• tires
• adjust
• auto

[rnarks]

the job to just check the alignment of the front and rear wheels only takes a few minutes . on this occasion I had to stop and make the trammel bar to check the toe in / out. so it took me a few hrs. what also takes time is lifting the tires so you can make a line around the tire.you can use tape as i did here or you can mark up the tire with chalk and them scratch a line in the chalk mark.

[rnarks]

This procedure checks the alignment of the front and back wheels. for the toe in or out I use a tram bar that gives you the measure with in a 32nd", if you did a good job of marking the tape on the tire....Another thing that I do some times is place some aluminum plates under the front and rear tires on one side. these plates are separated by several welding rods that provide a roller effect and it allows the suspension to find it natural point. You can also put weight in the drives seat.

[rnarks]

That is a fact that you want to check by spinning the wheel.

[roydonde]

Interesting. I just replaced the strut assy.'s on my 94 Plymouth. The toe is way out now (despite my careful marking of everything) so I may adjust it this way to get me to the shop without wearing my tires badly. Good info, thanks.

[rnarks]

Hello Roydonde, To get a good check of the toe in and toe out you need to have a tram bar to do the job. The string shows the relation of the front wheels to the back wheels. for a short trip as you describe it will work.

[dberg76]

How do you compensate for wheel runout? How do you check the thrust angle?

[rnarks]

hello dberg76, when you are putting the masking tape on the wheel for the toe in check , you look at the tire while you spin it . If your wheel is bent you need to replace it before you continue . This process does not check your caster or camber. In my other driveway it is very flat and I use a square to check to see how the tires are in relation to the cement driveway which is level from side to side and sloped 1/8 th in per 8 feet front to back.

[TheYTCable]

for back wheels the default convergence is usually .2 degrees on a car like that.. 4 meters long

front wheels wel.... you can align them by feeling the steering... specially if the tires are low profile ones,

[jjenson2006]

How long does it take you to do the job?

[leogabyflorida]

GOOD very good, I should learn that technique long time ago , a guy was doing it for me with tape measure string and special hand metal made bar !

[plokloon83]

Camber?..caster?,,Thrust angle?...Steering axis inclination?....So do you like wearing out tires or do you prefer steering instability...

[SalernoAutoRepair]

That's all you need! Ingenious!

[mrkhristoff]

hey,(rookie here) this check is for toe, right? and did you check the tire pressure making sure they are relative to each other, and what about the weight of the engine causing a slight camber wont that interfere with your pencil gaps?

[dberg76]

Every wheel has some runout that must be compensated or the alignment will not be accurate.