Hello all, I have a R811 Hunter alignment machine with the 506 wireless heads I bought a while back. I finally got around to messing with it last weekend, and again this weekend. For the life of me, I can't get it to measure caster at all. I have researched the procedure and watched videos until I am blue in the fact but it just wont work. Everything I can tell says it should direct you to steer to the left, then right, then center. When I start the process it just has me steer straight, bars turn green but nothing ever happens past that. I have tried all the different caster measurement modes and all are the same. Is this operator error? Something wrong with the software? Something wrong with the sensors? I have my rack centered. I have tried it with the sensors unlocked, locked and leveled etc. My machine is running Winalign 7.2.1 and the last update was in 2019. The shop I bought it from had it calibrated in 2022 and stopped using it right after that when they upgraded. Has been sitting in a corner since. Here is a link to a video of what I am seeing.
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Can't get Hunter alignment machine to measure caster
- Thread starter okiebenz
- Start date
engineer2
Well-known member
Not sure about yours, but in the old days we had to:
lock the heads to the wheel clamps (not all machines require this).
lock the brakes with a brake pedal depressor,
turn it 20 degrees left and 20 degrees right, then back to center. (# of degrees may vary)
You are actually measuring camber change as you turn the steering wheel. This gets converted to a caster reading.
YMMV depending on the brand of equipment.
lock the heads to the wheel clamps (not all machines require this).
lock the brakes with a brake pedal depressor,
turn it 20 degrees left and 20 degrees right, then back to center. (# of degrees may vary)
You are actually measuring camber change as you turn the steering wheel. This gets converted to a caster reading.
YMMV depending on the brand of equipment.
jsaw
Well-known member
Are the heads seeing each other? I have had them loose,sight of each other when turning the wheels. Sometimes it works to loosen the lock and ĺet them move up or down to where they see each other.
The machine has 3 different modes to measure caster. Caster only, caster/SAI, and Fastercaster. For caster only it says to remove brake depressor and unlock the front sensors. Other 2 modes say to install brake depressor and lock front sensors. I have tried it both ways and the software just starts out having you turn the wheels to the straight ahead position and never does anything else. From everything I’m seeing including the instructions in the help file on the computer it should be prompting you to turn wheels to the left, then right, then center. It’s as if mine is just going right to the last step. I’m thinking about cloning the current drive in the computer and try completely installing from fresh on a different drive all the software and windows XP and see what that does.
jsaw
Well-known member
Assume there is nothing blocking the line of sight between heads?
Nope, I’m standing out of the way when attempting to do it. Considering trying to find one with the camera tower. Does anyone know much room in front of the lift is required?Assume there is nothing blocking the line of sight between heads?
39CAMC
Well-known member
I can't find the doc right now, but I want to say the tower needs to be between 78-120" from the center of turnplates to the cameras. These won't work around a 2 post lift if that is what you have.
Your issue really seems software/something else. On every machine I have ever used/had, if the heads couldn't see each other while straight, it would not go past step one. And when they can't see each other during the turn cycle, it stops at that step.
I think it is only using the sensors on the front arms when sweeping caster. I am fairly certain it disables the ones from front to rear sides since you would be standing in the way (the camera ones do). Are the sensors in the arms tight and not blocked or anything? (I have never seen anything newer than a DSP300 head, so I have no idea what is in the newer ones) On the 300's there was a little plastic window that had to be modified for cars with extreme camber so it could "see" out. Obviously not your issue, but maybe the sensor is not tight and moving around in there? Or that window is loose or something?
The other thing that occurs to me while typing - in the software, does it have the correct sensors selected. I have not been on V7 forever, but in all the newer versions you have to tell it what sensors you have since the same computer can do different kinds.
Just rando ideas....
DaveW
Your issue really seems software/something else. On every machine I have ever used/had, if the heads couldn't see each other while straight, it would not go past step one. And when they can't see each other during the turn cycle, it stops at that step.
I think it is only using the sensors on the front arms when sweeping caster. I am fairly certain it disables the ones from front to rear sides since you would be standing in the way (the camera ones do). Are the sensors in the arms tight and not blocked or anything? (I have never seen anything newer than a DSP300 head, so I have no idea what is in the newer ones) On the 300's there was a little plastic window that had to be modified for cars with extreme camber so it could "see" out. Obviously not your issue, but maybe the sensor is not tight and moving around in there? Or that window is loose or something?
The other thing that occurs to me while typing - in the software, does it have the correct sensors selected. I have not been on V7 forever, but in all the newer versions you have to tell it what sensors you have since the same computer can do different kinds.
Just rando ideas....
DaveW
Would my head compensation procedure have anything to do with it? I am jacking and compensating 1 wheel at a time rather that lifting all 4 at the same time. I have thought about trying rolling compensation. All sensor heads are showing compensated and do not show any errors about losing connection to each other. Sensors appear to be tight and not blocked. After doing the compensation procedure should the software go right into measuring caster on its own? On mine it shows the readings them I have to click meaure caster to go into it. I was just glancing at the manual last night and it looks like it might be supposed to go right into caster sweep after compensation is completed. I did double check the settings last week and I did have the correct sensors selected.I can't find the doc right now, but I want to say the tower needs to be between 78-120" from the center of turnplates to the cameras. These won't work around a 2 post lift if that is what you have.
Your issue really seems software/something else. On every machine I have ever used/had, if the heads couldn't see each other while straight, it would not go past step one. And when they can't see each other during the turn cycle, it stops at that step.
I think it is only using the sensors on the front arms when sweeping caster. I am fairly certain it disables the ones from front to rear sides since you would be standing in the way (the camera ones do). Are the sensors in the arms tight and not blocked or anything? (I have never seen anything newer than a DSP300 head, so I have no idea what is in the newer ones) On the 300's there was a little plastic window that had to be modified for cars with extreme camber so it could "see" out. Obviously not your issue, but maybe the sensor is not tight and moving around in there? Or that window is loose or something?
The other thing that occurs to me while typing - in the software, does it have the correct sensors selected. I have not been on V7 forever, but in all the newer versions you have to tell it what sensors you have since the same computer can do different kinds.
Just rando ideas....
DaveW
I have thought about cloning the hard drive to a back up (which I need to do anyway), and reinstalling the software from scratch. Or perhaps installing Win XP on a different computer and then installing all the Hunter software from scratch.
I would like to have a more moderns camera system but not sure I want to dedicate the room needed in from of the lift ramps for the camera tower.
Now that I think about it, I have been mounting each sensor, jacking the car, then compensating, moving to the next wheel, mounting then compensating etc. I am now thinking I should be mounting all the sensors first, then going around and compensating. I am still not 100% clear if I can jack each wheel individually to compensate, or if all wheels need to be off the ground at the same time. I need to get the air jacks working on this thing to make my life easier. That will be the subject of a different post at some point!
39CAMC
Well-known member
I think you do want to put all heads on before compensation but if it is showing numbers it must be compensated.Now that I think about it, I have been mounting each sensor, jacking the car, then compensating, moving to the next wheel, mounting then compensating etc. I am now thinking I should be mounting all the sensors first, then going around and compensating. I am still not 100% clear if I can jack each wheel individually to compensate, or if all wheels need to be off the ground at the same time. I need to get the air jacks working on this thing to make my life easier. That will be the subject of a different post at some point!
My machines have always gone staight from compensation to caster sweep before showing numbers, but I think there is a setting for that somewhere in there.
Your caster sweep is also kind of weird looking...every machine I have used has the more familiar bar graph things but again probably a setting.
I wish I was more help, I just have never seen one jump through step one and two like that. (not that my knowledge is remotely comprehensive)
DaveW