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DIY Alignment Procedure

3K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  chevymaher 
#1 ·
After paying a half-witted tire shop for a $hitty alignment when I got new Michelin LTX's mounted 2 months ago, it started pulling to the left slightly after about 2 weeks. I decided to perform my own toe alignment.

Procedure;

1) Put van on flat surface and open driver window

2) Set up dry line on driver side. Square up dry line to rear wheel measuring from front and rear rim edge of rear tire. NOT tire. This is going to take some finesse, precision and accuracy so take your time and get this perfect. This establishes your line to square the front wheel to.

3) Now square up front wheel to dry line(the opposite of what you did in the rear). Adjust position of wheel using steering wheel (engine not running). Now the driver side should be perfectly square against dry line.

4) At this point you want everything as a fixed point on the drivers side. Don't touch anything and move to passenger side. Set up second dry line there and perform the same procedure starting at rear wheel. Once you're done there you're ready to see how far off your toe is.

5) Move to front passenger wheel and pull a tape on front and rear of rim edge. The dimensional difference between those two measurements is your toe. Perform your adjustment if necessary and go back and measure those two points again.

Tire shop alignments suck. Once I figure out how to post photos here I'll put up a couple.
 
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#2 ·
Keep in mind that the alignment is only as good as the wear on your front end. It is possible they did an ok job but you have some worn component that threw things off afterwards. But yeah I'd have to say that these alignment shops with their sophisticated tools are kinda bullshit. After going to 4wheelparts for an alignment and one destroyed set of tires a few months after I will NEVER go to a shop for another. I bought my own tools and nail it dead nuts after every mod I make to my suspension now.

Good work! :thumbup:

These tools are well worth the money if you buy lots of wheels and constantly mod you van :





 
#3 ·
97cargocrawler said:
Keep in mind that the alignment is only as good as the wear on your front end. It is possible they did an ok job but you have some worn component that threw things off afterwards. But yeah I'd have to say that these alignment shops with their sophisticated tools are kinda ****. After going to 4wheelparts for an alignment and one destroyed set of tires a few months after I will NEVER go to a shop for another. I bought my own tools and nail it dead nuts after every mod I make to my suspension now.

Good work! :thumbup:

These tools are well worth the money if you buy lots of wheels and constantly mod you van :





Well needless to say, I still have the slight pull to the left. I have no idea what it could be.
 
#4 ·
if you havent already try switching front tires from sides , sometimes a tire will make the vehicle pull to one side ,dont rely on the fact that the tires are new either ,sometime a bump,running over a rock ,sidewalk or any hard peice may screw up a tire carcasse .
 
#7 ·
Lingus said:
2) Set up dry line on driver side. Square up dry line to rear wheel measuring from front and rear rim edge of rear tire..
Keep in mind that the rear wheels are closer (narrower) to each other than the fronts... but I don't think that had any affect on your measurement system.

I've been doing my own van alignments for the last 20-30 years.. and I got it down pretty well. Although for camber I just use a simple square on flat pavement against the wheels, and it's always been good enough. Toe is just a measurement between front and rear of front rim.

Caster is a little more complicated.

As far as pulling to one side or the other... it's often times brake issues... assuming alignment and suspension are good.
 
#9 ·
Lumpy said:
Mmusicman said:
Keep in mind that the rear wheels are closer (narrower) to each other than the fronts...
Hey! I'm only allowed to learn one new thing per day.

Really?

Lump
Mine is the same I just measured. Chevs are square. The rear with being different is a chrysler thing. Durango is over a inch narrower in the rear.
I got a elaborate set up with straight edges I use on that.
 
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