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Posted by: BK911 May 19 2010, 08:11 AM

I read some recent threads about home alignment and though I would share me method.

Looking at some $300 smart strings, I came up with something very similar for less than $40 and a six pack worth of time making.

Here are some pics:








Sorry about the crappy cell phone pics, but I left my camera at work. This is all I had.

Basically what I did was make sure each corner was same height off ground as center of rim. The front and rear pole are notched at same distance. I slide the front and rear pole in tube until distance from string to front hugs are the same distance, and the string to the rear hubs are same distance. This gives a pretty good parallel string set up to start from.

THen measure from string to front of rim, string to back of rim. The difference is the toe.

I made these for my 911 DE car and get repeatable results. I fitted on the 914 and it worked very well.

Posted by: jaxdream May 19 2010, 08:27 AM

Dang, I llike that . I did something similar to reset the front toe on my BMW 525i, worked out very well , had a heck of a time finding center on vehicle, but eventually got it.I used jackstands at front and rear with 2X4 string tacked at the same distance apart to get a baseline. I will be looking into the conduit setup you show here, adjustable , light, easy , repeatable. dang I like that.

Thanks for sharing....

Jack / Jaxdream

Posted by: bandjoey May 19 2010, 08:39 AM

I vote this to be the tech event at MUSR. I also volunteer my car to be the alignee

Posted by: charliew May 19 2010, 09:07 AM

I'm old and always tried this with different boards I had laying around but this is great. I gotta have one. This made my day. Thanks

Posted by: zonedoubt May 19 2010, 11:49 AM

Clever set up.

I'm now inspired to do this now that I've reassembled my front end after new tie-rods, front sway bar, and fresh tires.

How do you fix these to the body? Looks like some sort of clamp.

Posted by: ClayPerrine May 19 2010, 02:40 PM

Talk to me one day and you can bring it over to my house and align it.

With these.....




Dunlop optical alignment gauges.


(Not actually my set, mine don't have the legs painted red)

Posted by: SirAndy May 19 2010, 02:53 PM

Correct me if i'm wrong but these only square the 4 tires to each other and not the tires to the body.


With the string setup, you set the strings parallel to the body center-line and then square the tires to the body.
Andy

Posted by: ClayPerrine May 19 2010, 04:03 PM

If used properly, the Dunlop gauges will square the wheels to the body. It is all in the setup. Most people don't know how to use them.

The gauges pictured only measure total toe on one axle. But with a properly located mark on the mirror, they can then measure the toe on one side. If you only measure total toe, you can end up with a car that dog tracks (tires not square with the body). By determining the toe on one side you do the same thing as the strings.


Granted, the strings are far less expensive than the Dunlop gauges, but the Dunlop gauges are far more accurate than a tape measure and a string. These are the same gauges that Porsche used to align their race cars in the 70s.

Compared with modern electronic alignment methods, they are antique.
But they still work. And they are totally portable, unlike the modern electronic alignment racks.

And I am happy to share with anyone who wants to bring their 914 to my house.