Hi could anyone recommend a cheap but decent wheel alignment tool, don’t care how it works so long as it works within reasonable allowances.
Ideally would work with the wheels on and for cars and old landrovers.
Fed up spending money getting garages to do this and then something else needing done (sometimes the following week) that knocks the settings out
again.
Thanks
[Edited on 29/3/17 by Mr Whippy]
have you seen the 'string method' commonly mentioned on here?
if you're after cheap, you won't get any cheaper!
2 bricks, 2 bits of straight wood or steel, I use them 1m long. Tape measure and an assistant......
Gets within a mm of toe.
I have also done 4 wheel alignement wit string and 4 axle stands. Rather more faff and took a while to set up, but again very accurate.
If you want something really simple, the gunsons trakrite works.
Google Trackace
If you have a flat floor a set of old Dunlop style floor mounted gauges would work if you can find some .there not that cheap but reliable some on e
bay £60 to £250
[Edited on 29/3/17 by ian locostzx9rc2]
I use one of the cheap Gunson ones that you put on the floor and drive over, doesn't work sideways on a hill but if you are on a level floor seems to work well enough. I checked my sons car before he had some tyres fitted and the garage checked with their expensive 4 wheel thing and both results matched. Don't know what they cost now but mine was £30 off Gumtree
Fishing line (not string) axle stands to suspend it between and if you are really posh like me, iPad with level app.
Set my car up, had it checked on a very expensive hunter lazer thing and I was within minutes of where I wanted to be 
much closer than the garage
mechanic would have been.
My garage foor has a 1/2 drop so used thin plywood square to create. Level surface under the low wheels.
[Edited on 29/3/17 by mark chandler]
quote:
Originally posted by ianhurley20
I use one of the cheap Gunson ones that you put on the floor and drive over, doesn't work sideways on a hill but if you are on a level floor seems to work well enough. I checked my sons car before he had some tyres fitted and the garage checked with their expensive 4 wheel thing and both results matched. Don't know what they cost now but mine was £30 off Gumtree
I used a couple of straight bits of wood laid on bricks to set the tracking on my Luego when I fitted a quick rack, just take careful measurements . When I checked it using four wheel laser alignment kit it was spot on . Cost nothing as I already had everything to hand but even if I had to buy the stuff less than a tenner.
Another vote for Gunsons trakrite. Cheap, easy to use and accurate.
Sorry for dragging the topic slightly sideways but anyone got a link to a good guide to doing a 4 wheel alignment? I need to get my Westfield alignment somewhere near enough for iva.
Couple straight edges, strip of mdf some string and a tape measure....
Clamp the mdf to the wheels, stretch the string front to back and measure....
4 heavy axle stands and string are all you need!
Make one from box section.
T____________________T this shape.
On one end (top of T) a bolt with lock nuts, and at the other end I made bracket to hold a vernier gauge.
For castor I use a Wixey angle gauge.
Paul G
Edit to add pics.
Description
Description
[Edited on 30/3/17 by 907]
OK I'll re-phrase, any good comprehensive guides for a numpty who's always paid someone else to do it?
quote:
Originally posted by sdh2903
OK I'll re-phrase, any good comprehensive guides for a numpty who's always paid someone else to do it?
thanks for all the reply's
I've used the string or even angle iron on setting up the landy's before but the Volvo and other normal cars are more difficult due to the
low height and recessed wheels.
I've just ordered the Gunsons trakrite as that seemed very easy and I can use that in the garage after working on the cars
thanks for the help