Front End Alignment: Do It Yourself?

[zerfetzen]

Is it possible to do a front end alignment yourself?  I'd love to learn how to do caster, camber, toe-in, etc.  What do I need so that I'll never have to take it in for an alignment again?  I have the shop service manuals on it, and unless I missed it, they simply gloss over it for a page or so with no real information on what you need and how to do it.  Thanks.

[kudakidd]

With a jig and string I know you can do a BASIC alignment, but I wouldn't be doing 90mph!  It 'll get ya to a pro though.

[Super Blue 72]

  Yeah, low speed Ok that way.  I remember in auto shop in highschool, about 20 years ago, the shop teacher said it could be done, but I think he also used to churn his own butter too!  LOL!  We used to use the wheel balancer that used the bubble thingy too!

Only thing is that like kudakidd said, it's a basic one.  Not exactly sure how you would do the caster and camber unless you have a degree thingy.  The string would be fine for the toe angles if you have the inches measurements.  You'll have to get a string that doesn't stretch when pulled.

I don't know if you can do the thrust angle though.  That's the angle (if I remember!!!) that the rear axle makes relative to the front end to make sure the car doesn't "dog leg" down the road.  I guess you can take measurements.

[Chryco Psycho]

actually with a digital level & a measuring tape I can generally do a better alignment than most alignment shops can do, ........ Right 4C ?

[Super Blue 72]

That's 'cause you da man, Chryco!      

[zerfetzen]

Hey Chryco, any chance of you spoiling us and giving us a step by step of how to do it?

[Chryco Psycho]

1st max out the castor turn the front turn the essentric [sp] bolt so the arm is out as far as possible & turn the rear essentric all the way the opposite direction so the rear is in as far as possible
2nd adjust the camber depending how hard you generally corner this can vary from 1/2* in at the top to 3* in at the top using a digital level 
3rd then set the toe in to 1/8"

[zerfetzen]

Thanks a lot, much appreciated!

[Chryco Psycho]

 

 btw adjusting the camber will reduce the castor slightly