Caster/camber guage.

[Firebrick43]

So I have never had great luck with alignment shops, yea they will set toe but camber, rarely.

I have done toe and 4 wheel alignments for years using the string method and it works great for that. I borrowed a friends old style magnetic camber gauge but I never liked using them on a brake rotor and many newer cars you can't use them on the wheel.

So does any one have a non electronic camber gauge that gauges off of the perimeter of the rim. Most I have seen are electronic and are north of 200$+

If so do you like it or recommend something else

 

[eschoendorff]

So I have never had great luck with alignment shops, yea they will set toe but camber, rarely.

I have done toe and 4 wheel alignments for years using the struggle method and it works great for that. I borrowed a friends old style magnetic camber gauge but I never liked using them on a brake rotor and many newer cars you can't use them on the wheel.

So does any one have a non electronic camber gauge that gauges off of the perimeter of the rim. Most I have seen are electronic and are north of 200$+

If so do you like it or recommend something else

I can’t help you but would like to know how you set toe. I have to deal with that on my wife’s Escape

 

[TTMotorsports]

String method for toe. Or adjustable stick that touches inside of tires. String works good and easy.

 

[Partsguy57]

Check out spc....I use their fastrax stuff works great. I used to set up my last car I built. Full on protouring car not once piece of suspension close to stock. A few pics of mock up as I was building.. local alignment shops wanted nothing to do with it once they saw the finished car....did not want to be responsible for a slip of a wrench etc...

https://www.spcalignment.com/component/content/article?id=327

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[jimindm]

The easiest way is to paint a line down the center of the tires, then scribe a mark in the paint to measure to. We always used a jackstand and a screwdriver tip.

Many times you need the suspension to settle. If you do not have turntables you need to do something to make that happen. Then just tape measure with a friend.

looks like speedway has one that magnetically attaches to the brake rotors. Less than $50

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Spee...Bp3E6aiW-2N8e0cTLDdcP-RaLw9fkq6kaAihBEALw_wcB

 

[Two Door]

I ... would like to know how you set toe. I have to deal with that on my wife’s Escape

Toe plates. Fit outside each wheel, with slots in front and behind for tape measures.

 

[Firebrick43]

I can’t help you but would like to know how you set toe. I have to deal with that on my wife’s Escape

I use two methods .. For RWD solid rear axle vehicles I park on a flat level spot and get the wheel straight. I then push two sewing pins into the tread. One in each tire at realitively same place in the front. Put a chock in front of the tire. Measure from pin to pin with a helper. Roll the car backwards so so the pin is now 180 degrees(don't go forwards or roll to far!) and place a chock there. Now you can roll from chock to chock and take measurements to see toe in.

For cars with independent front and rear suspensions I just set up two strings along the sides of the cars several inches away from the tires and the height of the wheel center. Do everything off the wheel/hub center with caps removed. Check string distance to center line of vehicle. Once you get one string set the other side from the other string. Now carefully measure from string to wheel rim edge front and rear to see how much toe. With this method you can do all four wheels and see thrust angle issues as well.

 

[stioc]

Haven't needed to do my own alignment since my track day years (some 10+yrs ago) but I used to use toe plates, I think back then they were made by Longacre. There was also a company called Smart Strings or some such but they were pricey. Not sure if either are still around.

I think for toe you have several options as previously mentioned by others and yourself. The issue with the string method can be with cars/trucks that may have a wider rear track than the front but that's not very common.

For camber I used to use relative camber method by way of adjusting the camber plates with graduation marks where the shock/strut mounted at the top.

However you could mount this gauge to a straight edge (and hold it against the tire/wheel) and get the angle.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WQLHG2G/?tag=atomicindus08-20

As for turn plates you can use newspaper or anything that will help reduce the friction between the tires and the ground.

 

[joe_padavano]

Longacre sells an adapter for aluminum wheels that you hold against the bead area of the rim and attach the magnetic gauge. The downside is that you have to hold it against the rim. There are also versions that actually clamp to the rim, but they are somewhat more expensive. Speedway Motors has several versions.

 

[stioc]

Yep, looks like Longacre still has all kinds of products for alignment and chassis setup.

http://www.longacreracing.com

Though most are not in the sub $200 range.

Edit: Just looked at Speedway too and remembered I might still have this somewhere in the garage...

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Economy-Caster-Camber-Suspension-Gauge-Tool,2699.html

I still have the Longacre tape measures that came with the toe plates, I use them for general around the house work.

 

[lilredex]

On my RWD vehicles I have always used an adjustable rod/pipe to gauge at 9 and 3 O'clock positions. Like the DIY model shown.

 

[APEowner]

I use this -> link to set caster and camber.

 

[engineer2]

You might be able to find used Bear Automotive rim clamps. The later ones had tiny fingers for aluminum rims. If you can find an old Bear model 27 or 29 caster camber gauge, you'd be in business. To do caster, you'll need turntables and some kind of a brake pedal depressor.

I see Amazon as a fair assortment of inexpensive bubble-type camber gauges.

 

[gungatim]

I have one that does what you want, adjustable for rim width and different length standoff's. mine is branded Moroso, but is identical to the Maximum Motorsports MMT-3. I paid around $39 for mine but they are still available for around $79 currently.

lots of guys make their own, see the attached pic. lots of plans on the web, I think "The Samba" website had a really good DIY write up once upon a time.

for toe, I have a Manco guage, they ran around $100 IIRC, not sure if they are still available new.

carpet squares or tiles make a good swivel plate under the tire.

http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/Mu...ty-Tools/Maximum-Motorsports-Camber-Gauge.axd

 

[Firebrick43]

Well I chose to go with the SPC fastrax due to 2 recommendations, not digital, and good reviews else where. Will post when I receive it.

Thanks gentlemen

 

[Greeny]

Plastic shopping bags under the front tires work well for swivel plates.

 

[Hawke]

For camber, I use the free app Clinometer. My mag wheels have enough flat area to put my Ipad across. It is remarkably accurate.