Wheel Alignment.
07-21-2012, 09:46 AM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Wheel Alignment.
I have just found a clinometer app for my smartphone.
This measures angles to 0.1 degree accuracy.
Has anyone used this sort of feature as an aid to
camber adjustment and if so how did they set it up ?
This measures angles to 0.1 degree accuracy.
Has anyone used this sort of feature as an aid to
camber adjustment and if so how did they set it up ?
07-21-2012, 04:23 PM
#2
Under the Lift
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
This can work IF the floor is level (rare - garage floors are purposely not level) and your can adapt your phone with a straight edge to contact the rim at 2 points OR remove the center cap and use 2 sides of the centercap hole (not as accurate).
If the floor is not level, you need to establish the difference in level between the 2 sides of the car. So, that would be the inclination of a straightedge between the two wheels. Don't just check the inclination of the floor at each wheel individually as that could vary from point to point. Anyway, if the inclination of the floor between wheels is, say, 1/2 degree, you would add or subtract that from what the meter says for the wheel.
Some people use water levels at each wheel and will put a stack of of linoleum floor tiles under the low wheels until all are the same height. Also, if you spread some salt granules between two of the tiles under each wheel, they will work as slip plates. Then camber can be read directly with the inclinometer, and any adjustments you make will be reflected immediately EXCEPT if you jack the front end up at any point in the process. In that case the car must be driven quite a few miles before re-checking the adjustments OR somehow pulled back down to pre-jacking ride height.
If the floor is not level, you need to establish the difference in level between the 2 sides of the car. So, that would be the inclination of a straightedge between the two wheels. Don't just check the inclination of the floor at each wheel individually as that could vary from point to point. Anyway, if the inclination of the floor between wheels is, say, 1/2 degree, you would add or subtract that from what the meter says for the wheel.
Some people use water levels at each wheel and will put a stack of of linoleum floor tiles under the low wheels until all are the same height. Also, if you spread some salt granules between two of the tiles under each wheel, they will work as slip plates. Then camber can be read directly with the inclinometer, and any adjustments you make will be reflected immediately EXCEPT if you jack the front end up at any point in the process. In that case the car must be driven quite a few miles before re-checking the adjustments OR somehow pulled back down to pre-jacking ride height.
