alignment tools - Focaljet

**TfnG** · 03-23-2008, 05:00 PM

hey, what is everyone using to set their alignments? ive seen the "smart strings" for toe and "smart camber" for camber and caster settings...seems like decent stuff. whats everyone's opinion?

**brads03zx3** · 03-23-2008, 09:46 PM

I use Long Acre aluminum toe plates and digital camber/caster gauge. I haven't messed with caster at the track as we use a performance alignment shop for serious alignments and corner weighting.

At home, I use a level, a square, 3/4" birch ply toe plates, and a bit of napkin math geometry. Works excellent.

**Silonius** · 04-02-2008, 10:19 AM

Doing my own alignments is my goal when I finally get a garage.

I've also heard of using a laser level to set camber.

**Ted7rns** · 04-02-2008, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brads03zx3

I use Long Acre aluminum toe plates and digital camber/caster gauge. I haven't messed with caster at the track as we use a performance alignment shop for serious alignments and corner weighting.

At home, I use a level, a square, 3/4" birch ply toe plates, and a bit of napkin math geometry. Works excellent.

String also works well with some geomerty math as well.

Since all of our spec cars are running full camber anyways, you really only need to set the toe.

**brads03zx3** · 04-02-2008, 02:20 PM

Ted, that's what I did with my car. I double checked with the digital camber gauge, and I was within any error and ground weirdness. I used a square placed at the bottom of the tire and measured the distance to the top of the tire, performed a bit of SOH CAH TOA magic, and voila, camber angle

**Jefe** · 04-03-2008, 03:27 PM

To quote myself from another thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jefe

I have been doing mine myself. I grabbed a nifty 24" Craftsman digital laser level from Sears. It reads down to a tenth of a degree for camber, and I use the laser for toe.

I also used it initially to mark four points on the garage floor and made sure they're all level with some plywood. There's no adjustment for caster so why bother to measure right?

**apotropaic** · 04-08-2008, 10:28 AM

Anyone used/bought the alignmnet kit from Harbor Freight?

I think it is only about 110$. Questionable.

**InFocusTraSTi** · 04-08-2008, 10:49 AM

link?

**apotropaic** · 04-08-2008, 12:00 PM

$120

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45742

**brads03zx3** · 04-08-2008, 03:00 PM

I have no idea how that would be able to tell you camber, caster or toe. I could see how it would tell you ackerman though

**Ted7rns** · 04-08-2008, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brads03zx3

I have no idea how that would be able to tell you camber, caster or toe. I could see how it would tell you ackerman though

They wouldn’t even work well for that, even though that what you use turn plates for. Turn Plates need be high quality rollers, if there’s any slippage at all; you’re not going to get a good reading.

**Matt Marks** · 04-08-2008, 03:56 PM

Or, you could buy the $119 "lifetime" alignment from the local tire chain (Merchants/Tire Kingdom). Before every event, I load it up and drop it off so thet can put it on the Hunter machine.

They are SO sick of me :-)

**Ted7rns** · 04-08-2008, 07:44 PM

That's a good idea as well....... A couple years ago I had setup a sponsorship with American Tire and they would Mount, Balance and/or flip tires for me at n/c.

**BUR_ZX3** · 04-09-2008, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted7rns

That's a good idea as well....... A couple years ago I had setup a sponsorship with American Tire and they would Mount, Balance and/or flip tires for me at n/c.

I had that as well with a local tire shop here in Burbank.

Till they screwed up one of my tires and tried to charge ME for a new tire....

03-23-2008, 05:00 PM	#1
TfnG Rookie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Brighton, IL Posts: 48	alignment tools hey, what is everyone using to set their alignments? ive seen the "smart strings" for toe and "smart camber" for camber and caster settings...seems like decent stuff. whats everyone's opinion? __________________ Thomas Gage #91 Spec Focus (Yellow SVT)

03-23-2008, 09:46 PM	#2
brads03zx3 [FJ] Specialist Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: California Posts: 9,064	Re: alignment tools I use Long Acre aluminum toe plates and digital camber/caster gauge. I haven't messed with caster at the track as we use a performance alignment shop for serious alignments and corner weighting. At home, I use a level, a square, 3/4" birch ply toe plates, and a bit of napkin math geometry. Works excellent. __________________ Mountain Tested----'03 zetec DuraMonster---'03 duratec ZX3 vs MNTN - 9/0 & ZX3 vs TRACK - 4/1 *JCM Racing #88* Bouncing Back---Bigger, Faster, Stronger Vacuum Vulture Racing - We put the ARG in 'CHARGED

04-02-2008, 10:19 AM	#3
Silonius TEAM Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Clemson, SC Posts: 705	Re: alignment tools Doing my own alignments is my goal when I finally get a garage. I've also heard of using a laser level to set camber. __________________ 2004 Black ZX3 Zetec Spax adjustable struts, BAT springs,Ford Racing short shifter, Falken RT 615 205/50/15 Underdrive pulley and shorty header, H&R 5mm spacers and hardened lugs, Hawk HP+ front pads, SPC camber plates Up next short term: Rally brake kit Up next long term: cage and Rally Spec Focus!

04-02-2008, 02:20 PM	#5
brads03zx3 [FJ] Specialist Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: California Posts: 9,064	Re: alignment tools Ted, that's what I did with my car. I double checked with the digital camber gauge, and I was within any error and ground weirdness. I used a square placed at the bottom of the tire and measured the distance to the top of the tire, performed a bit of SOH CAH TOA magic, and voila, camber angle __________________ Mountain Tested----'03 zetec DuraMonster---'03 duratec ZX3 vs MNTN - 9/0 & ZX3 vs TRACK - 4/1 *JCM Racing #88* Bouncing Back---Bigger, Faster, Stronger Vacuum Vulture Racing - We put the ARG in 'CHARGED

04-08-2008, 10:28 AM	#7
apotropaic TEAM Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: NH/Mass Posts: 217	Re: alignment tools Anyone used/bought the alignmnet kit from Harbor Freight? I think it is only about 110$. Questionable. __________________ Phase x

04-08-2008, 10:49 AM	#8
InFocusTraSTi TEAM Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 195	Re: alignment tools link?

04-08-2008, 12:00 PM	#9
apotropaic TEAM Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: NH/Mass Posts: 217	Re: alignment tools $120 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45742 __________________ Phase x

04-08-2008, 03:00 PM	#10
brads03zx3 [FJ] Specialist Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: California Posts: 9,064	Re: alignment tools I have no idea how that would be able to tell you camber, caster or toe. I could see how it would tell you ackerman though __________________ Mountain Tested----'03 zetec DuraMonster---'03 duratec ZX3 vs MNTN - 9/0 & ZX3 vs TRACK - 4/1 *JCM Racing #88* Bouncing Back---Bigger, Faster, Stronger Vacuum Vulture Racing - We put the ARG in 'CHARGED

04-08-2008, 03:56 PM	#12
Matt Marks TEAM Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 237	Re: alignment tools Or, you could buy the $119 "lifetime" alignment from the local tire chain (Merchants/Tire Kingdom). Before every event, I load it up and drop it off so thet can put it on the Hunter machine. They are SO sick of me :-) __________________ 2007 NASA Mid-Atlantic Spec Focus Champion (Undefeated in a class of 1) 2007 Spec Focus National Championship - 4th place 2006 NASA Mid-Atlantic 944 Supercup - Champion

04-08-2008, 07:44 PM	#13
Ted7rns Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Thousand Oaks, California Posts: 4,199	Re: alignment tools That's a good idea as well....... A couple years ago I had setup a sponsorship with American Tire and they would Mount, Balance and/or flip tires for me at n/c. __________________ NASA Spec Focus Series Director \| NASA HPDE Instructor 2002 Ford Focus ZX3 Malibu Blue <23> NASA is dedicated to aspiring or accomplished Focus racers and track enthusiast.

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