alignment tool camber, caster

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I don't know whether those are good or bad. I found an old school Ammco, and also bought a "level cube" and checked them both for level.

The thing is, you don't NEED a "caster" gauge, all you really need is a way to indicate CAMBER (degrees off level at the wheel) You "figure" caster mathematically, which is what the gauge is actually doing, when you turn the wheels in / out and read the gauge.

To put this another way, I would not have bought my Ammco, after learning a bit.........I'd have built one

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1969910897

All in the world that you need to do to figure caster from a simple camber gauges is this:

You need a protractor at the wheels. Turn the wheel "out" 20 degrees from straight. "zero" (or note the reading) of the camber gauge

Turn the wheel "in" 20 degrees from straight and note that reading, and subtract the two readings

Take this angle and multiply X 1.5, and that will be your caster angle.

(All the old Ammco gauge does is to compute this by acting as a circular slide rule)
 
For camber I use a level drilled for threaded stock for the measurement, from there I calc with MS excel. It's something like 2mm difference on a 17 inch wheel.
All i know is that the 245/45/17's in the front track all over the road when set to anything more than about -.25°
Toe is pretty simple in concept but hard to measure accurately since 1/16th is a really small measurement when trying to use a tape measure and string. Thus I use calipers, measure 10 times then set, measure another 10 times to check.
I've used toe plates and boards and rods but personally I think the string method is something I've been able to repeat with some success.
Biggest problem I have is that no one around here will give me a lifetime alignment and only 2 shops have even agreed to align it.
 
Those type tools are really nice. I worked for a KMart auto center years ago and we had something very similar. Not as fast as a computerized alignment machine, but very accurate, as long as you are careful and do not bump the magnetic gauge once it is in place. It is slower because with only one tool you can only read one side at the time. They work well though. You will need to make sure you get whatever wheel adapters you need too. That will not attach all by itself with just the gauge.
 
that thingy goes straight on the Hub with a magnet, the round part. USD 200 for a digital device is not that much. Shops here sell them for over USD 300. Or 250 for the bubble one... :(
I hoped someone here used it already because for trash 250 are a lot again... :)
 
Buschi340 said:
that thingy goes straight on the Hub with a magnet, the round part. USD 200 for a digital device is not that much. Shops here sell them for over USD 300. Or 250 for the bubble one... :(
I hoped someone here used it already because for trash 250 are a lot again... :)
Click to expand...

One problem is your wheels. When / if I get the poontang front wheels on, that magnet deal won't work. The center hole in the wheel is too small. I do have adapters which clamp to the wheel and allow mounting of my gauge

Buschi340 said:
the only good thing on the bubble one is that it gives you the 20° angle by its design. This one not....
Click to expand...

? Explain?
 
If that is designed to align without the wheels on, I would let them keep it.
 
I use a 1x4 with a notch in, laid it against the rim, and an angle finder. Cost me $5. Hows that for cheap?
 
I thought on our cars we want to set as much caster as possible (for radial tires), which is why I used Moog offset bushings on the UCA. You want the aft side of the UCA inward as much as possible and the fwd side out. You then must back off to get the desired camber. Most people want slight negative camber, which means the tops of the tires lean in slightly. Opposite from the factory setting which was slight positive caster (tops lean out, looks dorky). Since a judgement thing, I don't think the exact angle is critical, just balance them left & right. I adjust one side to "looks good", hold a carpenter's level vertical against the bottom of the tire and measure the lean-in at the top, then match the other side.

Final adjustment is toe-in, which is the main thing that affects tire wear and tendancy to wander (if any toe-out). Fairly easy to set that with a tape measure fwd & aft on the front tires (youtube).
 
i have adjustable uppers. And I want to make it right and correct on both sides this time. Redneck alignments I had the last 10 years. with 140mph on the autobahn I wanna trust my car.. :D
So, for this time an alignment shop moves into my barn and is bringing the tools.

http://kochachsmessanlagen.de/de/produkte/hd-10-easytouch.html

But for later and quick changes I need to decide myself....
 
I just did my alignment on my duster after I put on some adjustable uppers ........ Go on longacer's website directly pay the extra 50 bucks and get the rim clamp because you are going to be moving the tool on and off- from side to side and between adjustments and messing with the magnet mount won't be very precise and throw off your angles
.. Also after you get it PUT NEW BATTERIES IN IT the cheepo batteries start dieing before your done..... Good luck if you have any issues hit me up
 
I thought about buying an actual camber/caster gauge until I too learned that it's just a set of bubble-gauges and caster is a 'calculated' measurement.
I'll be changing the UCA bushings to Moog offset ones on my Dart (hopefully today) and will be realigning the car with my iPhone and a $3 app called iAlign to make life easier.
http://18000rpm.com/ialign_for_iphone_and_itouch/ialign.html
 
Iphone.... let me know how and if it works.

A colleague of mine has a training in the states. Will ask him to bring this over to germany. Including the rim clamps then.. Is the digital better than the bubble piece? By experience maybe... ?
 
I swapped to MOOG offset bushings this sunday and did an alignment with my iPhone.
Managed to get following settings:
- CAMBER - Left 1.4° - Right 1.6°
- CASTER - Left 4.6° - Right 4.3°

It's a bit of work but rewarding when done.
I'm thinking of actually confirming the correctness of these settings by going to an alignment-shop, but they charge about €60 usually.

I did screw up the Toe-setting by using strings from the rear wheels, so I'll have to set the toe-in again.
 
I'd be interested to know "how you know" what the resolution and accuracy of an Iphone is. Now it MIGHT be just fine. Juz 'sain'
 
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