Alignment specs

[Bernie Benz]

Eugene,

Do you understand the basics of total toe measurement? If so, I am  
doing the same thing but referencing to the outside of the tires’  
sidewall plane 5” off the ground with the boards, instead of  
measuring to the inside of the tire or wheel. Just a simpler and more  
accurate way of accomplishing the same thing. You want a pic of a 2’  
board with saw slots on the ends?

Bernie

On May 22, 2007, at 10:00 AM, Eugene Kanter wrote:

> Bernie,
>
> Is there a picture of your fixture on the net? Would you mind posting
> one?
>
> Thanks,
> Eugene.
>
> On Tue, 2007-05-22 at 08:37 -0700, Bernie Benz wrote:
>> Ingo, Mike,
>>
>> My spec, (zero camber,  zero toe) is designed for max tire life under
>> hiway cruising and around town conditions, and is probably not the
>> best for the track where one may be willing to sacrifice tire life
>> for cornering performance at the extreme.
>>
>> My son and I have simplified our DIY toe measuring procedure. Rather
>> than transferring measuring points to the floor with a plumb bob and
>> measuring total toe on the floor, we now do it directly at the wheel
>> at an elevation of about 5” to clear the undercarriage. My fixture is
>> two straight 1” x 6” x 2’ pine boards with slots 1” deep cut in the
>> ends near the top edge to accept tape measure blades either side of
>> the tires. The tapes can be read to within 1/16” which, over the 2‘
>> separation, is as accurate as is the plumb bob razamataz over a 4‘ or
>> 5’ separation.
>>
>> Even with my strut brace I can not get camber more positive than
>> about 0.5deg. negative. So my next step is to see how much I can move
>> the lower control arm inward by slotting the mounting bolt holes in
>> the subframe. Should be able to pick up another 0.5deg. positive by
>> doing this.
>>
>> Bernie
>>
>>
>>
>> On May 22, 2007, at 7:07 AM, Ingo Rautenberg wrote:
>>
>>> Mike,
>>>
>>> I need to do an alignment myself soon and Mr. Cheapskate (and I mean
>>> that in the most admiring of ways right now) -- Bernie Benz -- uses
>>> this modus operandi (from a previous post on the 200q20v list) --
>>> same suspension pieces and track, as you know:
>>>
>>> "IMO, the factory nominals and tolerences are designed to  
>>> accommodate
>>> the
>>> minimum wage alignment jockey having no understanding of the basics
>>> nor of
>>> his maybe sophisticated optical alignment system and of course, to
>>> sell more
>>> rubber.
>>>
>>> Beyond that of a sound, tight steering and suspension system, my DIY
>>> specs
>>> for optimum tire wear are, for both Front and Rear:
>>>
>>> Camber: zero, +/- 0.1, both sides must be identical, no measurable
>>> tolerence.
>>> Toe:  -0.1, +/-0.1 (Will pull to zero optimum under average drive
>>> torque.)
>>> Both sides must be identical with a centered steering wheel/rack.
>>> Also,
>>> total toe must be centered on the chassis as measured at the B
>>> pillars, F
>>> and R. When C and T are dead on, if necessary I will adjust  
>>> Caster to
>>> eliminate any slight consistent pull to a side. This being an
>>> initial, first
>>> time adjustment, not necessary thereafter.
>>>
>>> This is easily (but initially time consumingly) accomplished with
>>> simple
>>> carpender¹s tools on a relatively flat garage floor and will hold
>>> without
>>> drift or changes for years. Been my modus operandi now for 10+  
>>> years.
>>>
>>> Bernie"
>>>
>>> I think that's a good place to start at the very least :-)
>>>
>>> Ingo
>>>