Wheel-A-Matic caster/camber gauge opinions
OK you can easily check it for accuracy, and bear in mind that it (or any other caster/ camber gauge) does NOT measure caster. It simply CALCULATES caster from simple tilt readings, same as you can get from any tilt/ angle / off plumb gauge. So you can take an accurate level and create a "plumb" fixture, by clamping, tapping/ changing the angle in your vise, example, until it is "dead plumb"
HOW DO YOU KNOW a level is "level?" Easy. You turn it around. If a level when looking at it shows the bubble 1/16 off the right hand index mark, and you turn it around, the bubble should still go that direction, and read the same. If the bubble "leans right" and then you turn the level around, the bubble "leans left" then the LEVEL is off plumb, and not your test surface
So with that test surface plumb, now you can check your new gauge for plumb
CHECKING CASTER. You can double check caster readings, after you know the basic gauge is OK, by calculating caster yourself.
You rig turntables of some sort under your tires, and a way to measure straight ahead, as well as 20 degrees turned each way from that. You turn the wheels 20 one way, measure camber, turn them 20 the opposite way, and measure camber. Now take the difference and multiply that figure X1.5, and that is your caster. If the gauge is correct, it will agree
I have an old Ammco. The caster section one this type is nothing more than a circular slide rule
Mine, the blue circular scale tilts the bubble, so you zero the bubble (on this one) and then read the blue scale for "tilt" which is camber. The red scale is not connected to anything, it simply free-wheels. You adjust the two of them to obtain the caster, the red one is simply "doing math"
OK you can easily check it for accuracy, and bear in mind that it (or any other caster/ camber gauge) does NOT measure caster. It simply CALCULATES caster from simple tilt readings, same as you can get from any tilt/ angle / off plumb gauge. So you can take an accurate level and create a "plumb" fixture, by clamping, tapping/ changing the angle in your vise, example, until it is "dead plumb"
HOW DO YOU KNOW a level is "level?" Easy. You turn it around. If a level when looking at it shows the bubble 1/16 off the right hand index mark, and you turn it around, the bubble should still go that direction, and read the same. If the bubble "leans right" and then you turn the level around, the bubble "leans left" then the LEVEL is off plumb, and not your test surface
So with that test surface plumb, now you can check your new gauge for plumb
CHECKING CASTER. You can double check caster readings, after you know the basic gauge is OK, by calculating caster yourself.
You rig turntables of some sort under your tires, and a way to measure straight ahead, as well as 20 degrees turned each way from that. You turn the wheels 20 one way, measure camber, turn them 20 the opposite way, and measure camber. Now take the difference and multiply that figure X1.5, and that is your caster. If the gauge is correct, it will agree
I have an old Ammco. The caster section one this type is nothing more than a circular slide rule
Mine, the blue circular scale tilts the bubble, so you zero the bubble (on this one) and then read the blue scale for "tilt" which is camber. The red scale is not connected to anything, it simply free-wheels. You adjust the two of them to obtain the caster, the red one is simply "doing math"
