How many do your own alignments?

[stlrj]

Is it just me or are there others out there who tweek with their alignment themselves in a trial and error fashion to come up with the best settings to deal with reducing understeer in front and oversteer in the rear?

Personally, I have come up with some settings that work for me but am curious what others have done on their cars that work for them.

Cheers,

Joe

[TimT]

I do my own alignments. Ive used the procedure in "How to make you Car Handle" or one of the other books. I use Jackstands to set up stringlines, linoleum tile and a laser level to assure the car is on level ground. I have a smart camber gauge, and access to the smart toe set up.

I did the caster using a freinds turn plates, then I put punch marks on the shock tower, and on the top shock mount so I could adjust camber,and get the caster back where it should be..

[jluetjen]

I've always aligned my own race cars and Porsches now that I've got my own garage with a flat floor. I've outlined my procedure about a hear ago on the BBS, and the total material cost was less then $20. The process is nothing radical -- it sounds the same as what TimT does.

I do it myself because I'm cheap, I trust my own work and that way I can learn from what I see and how the car reacts.

[RoninLB]

I'm with Tim and John on this one.. and I use a temp probe across 3 sections of the tire to confirm my settings................Ron

[dean]

Gee alignments are the only thing that I don't do. But seeing as I am a cheep bastard also maybe I should look into it

[jluetjen]

I don't want to sound like a mutual admiration society, but Ditto RoninLB. Lot's of places would be happy to charge you $120-$160 for an alignment. For that price you can get the tire pyrometer from Pegasus or Racer Wholesale, the alignment stuff from Home Depot and do it yourself. It will easily pay for itself the second time that you align the car or the first time that you get it right (whichever comes first). If you are going to only use the car on the street, skip the pyrometer and just align the car the way that Porsche says that you should.

And trust me, there is no substitute for having a tire pyrometer when analysing the handling of a race car. I've tried guessing based on the feel of the tire and I've done it with tire temperatures. Tire Temps don't lie and are far more accurate.

[FrdzRed]

So what do you adjust to compensate for different temps on the tread of the tire. Camber or toe, or a combo of the two.

[jluetjen]

I use both the pyrometer and my butt as the tuning instruments. The pyrometer confirms or denys my butt as well as pointing the direction for the type of change(s) that may be required.

Depending on the situation I may change anything or everything. At the track I'll often start with just the tire pressures. I also make sure to keep good records of each change and the affect on both my butt and the tire temps. People will often say to change only one thing at a time - and to a degree they are right. But if you know something about DOE you can even break that rule.