r3v'd my tires

[E30Nova]

Where the hell are you guys going to get alignments? The only time a shop said they couldn't align my car was when my lower ball joint was fubarred. Time to find a new shop?

Matt

[nrubenstein]

I don't understand mrsleeves way of doing camber... but the string way and tape measure work. I have that done on my e30 right now.

Camber is super easy. I use a level, a tape measure, and this trig calculator: http://www.1728.com/trig4.htm

It's more accurate and only slightly more difficult to use. I've had enough issues with my smartcamber gauge that I've actually stopped using it.

[M5wanaB]

I did the old garage alignment and my car has been rolling nice ever since. tracks well, doesnt wear tires and has no tire noise even at speed. I did mine slightly different though. I used a long piece of MDF cut into a 3" strip that was about 3.5 feet long. I made one mark on the board about 8"from the edge. I ran the board along the wheel with the mark right on the center of the wheel and marked the ground where the other end of the board touched the floor. I did this forward and backward on both front wheels and measured the distance between each mark. With a little math equation this gave me the exact measurement of my Toe in degrees. I set to factory settings and have been very happy with the outcome.

[Ryann]

mrsleeve's way is identical to the way we adjust toe on Freightliners at the shop. the only difference being we use rattle-can primer and a blade screwdriver to mark the centerline of the tire (while spinning) from which to measure.

[Wh33lhop]

Camber is super easy. I use a level, a tape measure, and this trig calculator: http://www.1728.com/trig4.htm

You really shouldn't have to use that calculator, it's a very simple trig problem. :p Hell, you can even use google.

I also saw this and thought it might be worth trying: http://www.tomhoppe.com/index.php/20...-camber-gauge/ Pretty cool for 40 bucks.

[LivingLegend06]

You really shouldn't have to use that calculator, it's a very simple trig problem. :p Hell, you can even use google.

I also saw this and thought it might be worth trying: http://www.tomhoppe.com/index.php/20...-camber-gauge/ Pretty cool for 40 bucks.

You don't even need to do any trig because camber is a small enough angle that you can just use small angle approximations. Camber is just difference between how much the top of the wheel and bottom of the wheel stick out from the car (a horizontal distance measured from some datum) divided by the the wheel diameter or vertical distance between the points your measuring.

This of course gives you an angle in radians, but thats what everyone uses to measure camber, right?

[FredK]

I did the old garage alignment and my car has been rolling nice ever since. tracks well, doesnt wear tires and has no tire noise even at speed. I did this forward and backward on both front wheels and measured the distance between each mark.

This is nearly the same method I use, except I use pins and string. I set the car up for zero toe. My tire wear is great. If I add toe and camber adjusters on my rear subframe, I'd probably just get it done at a good alignment shop.

[Pinepig]

Mrsleeve didn't post a method for camber, only for toe.



I want to try this but I'm skeptical regarding accuracy. I also tried to find F/R track width of an E30 to no avail. I also need to do caster though, which is beyond the scope of home alignments.

It's as accurate as you want to be.

[mrsleeve]

mrsleeve's way is identical to the way we adjust toe on Freightliners at the shop. the only difference being we use rattle-can primer and a blade screwdriver to mark the centerline of the tire (while spinning) from which to measure.

Where and how do you think I learned this stuff ;) lots of Peats and MAC's though


I worked in the shop in the winter time for years keeping the plow rigs on the road (think state dump tucks with a belly blade) and fixing all the fucked up equipment from the construction season. Getting it ready for spring to go back out and put more pipe in the ground and build more roads.

[619E30]

Bring it in with the valence removed :up:

[Mossman]

Go to alignment specialties in Brookline they have a nice long ramp and will align damn near anything