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best tools for an alignment tech

makgreens

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ooltewah,tn
Suggestions?

I'm starting to do alignment at work and most guys use an adjustable wrench and some vise grips.wondering what everyone else uses or prefers since I hate borrowing tools so gonna get some new goods
 
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Seanbev24

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Lynnwood, Wa
I do alignments on a daily basis and have never used a crescent wrench or vise grips. Here is what I use the most...

-Combination wrenches up to 27mm. Usually the longer the better.
-Channel locks. Large and regular.
-Pry bars
-Breaker bar and long 1/2 ratchet and sockets
-Universal tie rod adjusting tool
-Propane torch

There are some specialty tools you'll want to pick up eventually, like the knockout tool for GM camber/caster adjustment.
 

lynam

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Jan 19, 2010
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CANADA
First we will need to know what type of vehicles you will be working on. Euro, domestic(American), Asian. Heavy truck mid size or small cars.

Btw the blue wrench is your best friend on older vehicles, make sure to let the parts cool before you lock them down. Heat can make a alignment out over 30degreesish.
 

Cryts

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May 25, 2011
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Wisconsin
Get a small (8"?) pipe wrench for stubborn inner tie rod ends, especially those that don't have flats for a wrench or in some cases nothing at all (eg Jeep Liberties). A good vise grip comes in handy too but if you have to release them and clamp down multiple times, as tight as you can, it's just easier to use the pipe wrench. You might also want to get a huge one for adjusting Cherokees.

Like Seanbev said, wrench sizes should go up to 27mm to cover everything. I can't think of a 23mm off the top of my head but I know I use them. 25mm should actually be a 1", and is needed for a variety of full-size GM sedans with the turnbuckle-styled toe adjusters in the rear. 26mm is for front toe on Envoys/Trailblazers, and 27mm you'll see on some Toyota trucks for both tie rod jam nuts and cam bolts without the room for even a shallow socket. If you can borrow tools here and there, you probably don't need to go past 22mm.

I'd actually disagree with longer=better with wrenches, but in most cases you won't have much of a choice anyway. You've got the vehicle on a drive-on lift so there'll be plenty of times when that 14" long 22mm can't turn much before hitting the rack or the wheel well. In a perfect world I'd actually swap out my large wrenches with large 1/2" drive crowsfeet, a 6" extension, and a long-handled ratchet or breaker bar.

Probably the most popular "specialty" tool you'll need would be toe hooks, for turning adjusting sleeves without using a pipe wrench which can damage the sleeve. http://www.harborfreight.com/automo...-tie-rod-pitman-arm-adjustment-set-66796.html

I dunno how rust is in your neck of the woods, but around here if the car's more than 10 years old I'm probably going to need a torch and/or an air hammer to get parts loose. A little vibration with a flat bit on a jam nut or the edge of the outer tie rod end can sometimes free up an inner that seemed impossible to move 10 seconds earlier. If vibration won't do it, then heat's needed. Acetylene's the best, but if your shop doesn't have it I'd strongly suggest a propylene gas torch over straight propane. Propylene takes forever to heat stuff up as it is. Keep in mind that heat will change the readings before you even turn anything, so you'll need a water bottle to spritz the parts, and even after a thorough drenching they'll still be warmer and longer than normal. (Read: heat is a last resort)

A carbide grinding bit in a (preferably right-angle) die grinder can be very useful in slotting lower strut mounts to adjust camber. Along those lines, a decent 1/2" drive impact swivel is a must, as well as impact sockets up to 27mm in both deep and shallow for taking out lower strut mount bolts.

Pry-bars are a necessity for checking lower ball joints pre-alignment, as well as doing those wonderful slotted control arm adjustments, like front camber/caster on Envoys/Trailblazers or rear toe on Saturns.

Last, I'd suggest getting a hat. Your head's going to brush up against a lot of oil pans. :)
 
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Hammer1963

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Jan 2, 2011
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Location
Kentucky
My Snap-on dealer says this set is quite popular for suspension work. I have used the bigger sizes on IRS and front end work. I like them a lot and you can purchase them separately or in sets

Set, Wrench, Metric, Ratcheting Box, Locking Flex Head, Cushion Grip, 12 pt., 12 pcs.
BOERMFLCG712
 

Fedwrench

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Dec 9, 2007
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Valley of the sun
When I was a front end tech, one of my favorite tools were Snap on Flank Drive Plus wrenches. The teeth on the open end worked well loosening jam nuts without rounding them.:thumbup:
I also developed an affection for PB Blaster for loosening rusted components.
 

Seanbev24

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When I was a front end tech, one of my favorite tools were Snap on Flank Drive Plus wrenches. The teeth on the open end worked well loosening jam nuts without rounding them.:thumbup:
I also developed an affection for PB Blaster for loosening rusted components.

X2. I love my FDP wrenches for jam nuts, and my 0 degree xl double box wrenches for eccentrics.
 

SUPERAnimal

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Oct 20, 2010
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Location
anchorage
For camber and caster you'll need an assortment of sockets and maybe some specialty tools. For toe i only use two tools; i use http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=12959&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
for the lock nut and a generic pair of channel locks for the tie rod. The great thing about that snapon adjustable pliers is that they have teeth so the harder
you squeeze the harder they bite. If the lock nut and tie rod are seized together then i'll use an open ended wrench to hold the lock nut and use those snapon pliers for the tie rod. Even if the tie rod is completely rounded off, those pliers will still work great.
 

shampoop

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Jul 12, 2009
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SW Washington
For camber and caster you'll need an assortment of sockets and maybe some specialty tools. For toe i only use two tools; i use http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=12959&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
for the lock nut and a generic pair of channel locks for the tie rod. The great thing about that snapon adjustable pliers is that they have teeth so the harder
you squeeze the harder they bite. If the lock nut and tie rod are seized together then i'll use an open ended wrench to hold the lock nut and use those snapon pliers for the tie rod. Even if the tie rod is completely rounded off, those pliers will still work great.

link not working
 

SUPERAnimal

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anchorage
Hmm, its working for me. Weird. If you go to snapon and type pwz3 into the keyword or item number search, you'll get the pliers.
 
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makgreens

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ooltewah,tn
do people really use those tie rod adjusting tools?

so far with doing toe all i need is a good adjustable and some vise grips...havent had to do caster/camber yet
 

Cryts

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May 25, 2011
Messages
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Location
Wisconsin
do people really use those tie rod adjusting tools?

If you're referring to the toe hooks I linked to, they're widely used for vehicles that have adjusting sleeves instead of the inner/jamnut/outer configuration. They're very common on trucks, and you'll see them periodically on older RWD cars. They look like this:

C2AA-3310-AR.jpg


You can just use a pipe wrench or vise grips on those, but if you have to apply a lot of torque for a frozen adjuster you can easily damage it since you're clamping down as much as you're twisting, and there's no tie rod in the center of that adjuster to support it from the inside.
 

Frank The Plumber

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Chicago.
Here's an opportunity for you:

If you browse the hot rod street rod sections of many a magazine you will see quite a few Mustang 2 front suspensions. Not many are set up right, not many even sprung correctly.

If you are an alignment tech you could see that it is fairly difficult to align a hot rod or street rod.

You could set yourself up as a mobile alignment unit that goes on site and does an old school alignment method. you could even have a set of scales to help guys dial in their weights and proper spring rates.

There is a need for it, I can't find a guy whom I trust to adjust mine so I am using the old school method.

Just a thought.
 
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makgreens

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ooltewah,tn
ive been running into different sized stuff lately

some 20mm,24mm, 7/8, and bigger

are the balljoint and tie rod end pullers/installers worth the money?

most of the guys just knock em out and unscrew em so i figured they werent needed and i rarely see someone use a bj press

i need to get my own heat source too...the one at the shop floats around so much and i spend o much time looking for it it pisses me off
 

scott37300

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are the balljoint and tie rod end pullers/installers worth the money?

most of the guys just knock em out and unscrew em so i figured they werent needed and i rarely see someone use a bj press

i need to get my own heat source too...the one at the shop floats around so much and i spend o much time looking for it it pisses me off

I have a few different pullers for tie rod ends that I like. This kit has some nice pullers in it, I have most of them that I've bought individually. http://www.tooltopia.com/otc-tools-6295.aspx

As for ball joints a press is deffinately needed. How do they install the new ones without a BJ press?

I'm a believer in having the right tools to do the job. I'm not a big fan of pounding the **** out of the knuckle to pop the tie rod out. If there is a puller out there for a job I need to do then I buy it, pullers are one tool that make a job easier and safer and are worth the money so you don't have to get mid-evil on the car swinging hammers at it!
 
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makgreens

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ooltewah,tn
we have a shop press....i assume they use it in some manor...i know a few guys have a bj install kit but im never around when they use it

and ive noticed a lot of cars have to have a whole piece replaced instead of just a balljoint...say an 01 toyota tacoma for instance
 

kosmo tools

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Aug 23, 2011
Messages
6
If it is Toe in adjustment you may try out with a Flare Nut wrench of 21mm or
22mm whatever be the case along with a reaction lever to hold the the nut on
the other side of the rod.
The Flarenut should be so designed that it should have a guide bush on one side which will work as a stopper & not allow the bolt to pass through it and protect
the casting part to get damaged if the wrench slips off and touches the casting accidently.
Moreover the Flarenut nut must have an adaptor to adapt it to the torque wrench to transmit a torque of 50 Nm.
 

Techniker

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Jan 18, 2011
Messages
551
Here's an opportunity for you:

If you browse the hot rod street rod sections of many a magazine you will see quite a few Mustang 2 front suspensions. Not many are set up right, not many even sprung correctly.

If you are an alignment tech you could see that it is fairly difficult to align a hot rod or street rod.

You could set yourself up as a mobile alignment unit that goes on site and does an old school alignment method. you could even have a set of scales to help guys dial in their weights and proper spring rates.

There is a need for it, I can't find a guy whom I trust to adjust mine so I am using the old school method.

Just a thought.

That sounds like a darn good idea. Unfortunately, I don't think you could pay me enough to do it.
 

Milton Shaw

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Feb 11, 2011
Messages
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I still have some of the Alignment tools I used 25 years ago, unless you were working on 30 or more year old cars most of what I have would not work for you. I have the ford tool to adjust upper control arms, probably have a set of mustang II caster camber tools. Special ratchet wrenches for GMC pickups. From what I have seen of most recent cars, just common wrenches and sockets will get most of them. I worked at a place that had a set of claws for bending/aligning 40-50 model cars. I never saw them used and never could find what they did, they weighed about 25 or 30 lbs apiece. The shop even had the tool for adjusting Fairlane/Comets that had spring on upper control arm that you had to slide aframe to adjust, they were a *****. Older F100-250 had to have a portapower and frame assembly to bend Ibeam front suspension. All these old tools for alignment aren't needed any more and most techs would not know how to use them if they found the tools anyway. This post brought back memories of old cars and old tools required to adjust them, I know most shops now would not have the tools for these. I don't know where people who restore these car would get them aligned.
 

RKSpeed

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May 3, 2011
Messages
343
Location
Augusta, ME
1/2" impact universal and a back up one.

14mmx1.5 die (to clean up rusted inner tie rods)


DSP600 is a great machine. Just got the new Hawkeye Elite in the shop, the new quick mount heads are awesome.
 
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