Doing Track car / track day wheel alignment

[David Stuart]

I’ve been doing this for over a year now. Starting on my own car for hillclimbs to learn and practice on.

I thought I would share some photos and experience.

Starting with some online reading some copper pipe and a ball of string.

Done Dave Joyce’s clio using the same method.

I then eventually got some proper kit. It took a while to be delivered with covid last year. Along with the turntables it was a complete game changer.

I done a mobile job for a mate. He built a mini with a D series Honda engine. The alignment was everywhere.

I then decided i was going to do this part time and see if I could get some business in for cash. I really enjoy the technical side of doing this. I think it’s the maths geek / geometry side of things that I like.

First thing though. I needed to revamp the unit a bit to make it nicer to come to.

Posing shot of my own car.

My mini getting the same treatment.

Dave Joyce back with this cousin.

My van.

A mates mini. This one took forever. The castor was way too much. Like +11 degrees. It was so much it was hard to turn the steering. I actually offer a tracking only service. You would be surprised how hard it is to find somewhere that can align a car with 13” wheels or less!

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[JamesBryan]

Nice mate!

Ideal when you have somewhere flat/level to do it, plus a lift 😅

 

[David Stuart]

Nice mate!

Ideal when you have somewhere flat/level to do it, plus a lift [emoji28]

Makes a huge difference.


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[David Stuart]

Some paying customers.

Meg 250. Forged engine with over 300bhp. Now running with 2.5 deg camber. 6 deg castor and 1.5mm toe out.

Clio 182. Basic setup with equal max on the camber bolts all you can really do. 1.5mm toe out as well. This car is now for sale I believe.

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[JamesBryan]

Some paying customers.

Meg 250. Forged engine with over 300bhp. Now running with 2.5 deg camber. 6 deg castor and 1.5mm toe out.

View attachment 1558587

Clio 182. Basic setup with equal max on the camber bolts all you can really do. 1.5mm toe out as well. This car is now for sale I believe.

View attachment 1558588


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Is that 1.5mm total or per side?

 

[David Stuart]

Is that 1.5mm total or per side?

Per side. Makes it very direct on slow speed corners.


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[JamesBryan]

Per side. Makes it very direct on slow speed corners.


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Yeah i'd imagine so.

I'm at 1mm total i think (possibly 1mm per side )

 

[David Stuart]

Yeah i'd imagine so.

I'm at 1mm total i think (possibly 1mm per side )

Toe adjustments are really great for altering a cars performance. It’s the last thing you adjust and doesn’t impact on castor or camber. So if you wanted to adjust for a bit more toe out and see how it behaves you can do that. And it’s fairly easy to put it back as well.

Just for reference. 1.5mm out each side is about 0.25 degrees. So only very slight. 1mm total would be almost dead ahead.


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[JamesBryan]

Toe adjustments are really great for altering a cars performance. It’s the last thing you adjust and doesn’t impact on castor or camber. So if you wanted to adjust for a bit more toe out and see how it behaves you can do that. And it’s fairly easy to put it back as well.

Just for reference. 1.5mm out each side is about 0.25 degrees. So only very slight. 1mm total would be almost dead ahead.


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Yeah it's a bit more than factory i think.

I have Grinspeed do mine, who use a string setup like you.

Can use this for converting mm to deg http://www.trackace.co.uk/Manual/Conversion Chart.pdf

 

[David Stuart]

Yeah it's a bit more than factory i think.

I have Grinspeed do mine, who use a string setup like you.

Can use this for converting mm to deg http://www.trackace.co.uk/Manual/Conversion Chart.pdf

And here was me sitting with my SOHCAHTOA this morning trying to translate the 1.5mm to degrees. [emoji23]


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[JamesBryan]

And here was me sitting with my SOHCAHTOA this morning trying to translate the 1.5mm to degrees. [emoji23]


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😂

So going off that sheet, 1mm is about 9' on a 15" wheel. Factory is 12'.

So mine must be 2mm total as it's definitely more than factory.

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

@David Stuart, where are you?

 

[David Stuart]

@David Stuart, where are you?

Central Scotland. EH470LQ


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[Bankrupt_drunk]

That's a shame. I'm about 6 hours away from you.

 

[VenomUK]

Lovely work...shame you are a bit far away

 

[MarkCup]

If I had a lift and could do this, and fit/balance my own tyres, I'd be a very happy chappy.

Very envious!

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

If I had a lift and could do this, and fit/balance my own tyres, I'd be a very happy chappy.

Very envious!

If i had an equipped unit with a lift I'm not sure my family would see very much of me!

 

[MarkCup]

If i had an equipped unit with a lift I'm not sure my family would see very much of me!

Yup, me either.

My dream which will hopefully become a reality sometime within the next decade, is a place with a detached high roof double garage, with a lift in the middle, and a ton of other stuff just like this alignment kit. Close enough to keep the wife happy, but separate enough to just lose myself in whenever I want.

 

[JamesBryan]

If I had a lift and could do this, and fit/balance my own tyres, I'd be a very happy chappy.

Very envious!

The simple things in life 😂

I want a unit too

 

[David Stuart]

If i had an equipped unit with a lift I'm not sure my family would see very much of me!

I would happily live up there.

Toilet, kettle, microwave, broadband and a TV.

As well as all the car stuff. It’s been a proper sanctuary during the last 18 months.

And it’s 5 minutes walk / drive round the corner from my house.


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[imprezaworks]

That's ace.

 

[Jamie86]

Nice setup!

Which string kit is that? I have the B&G so much easier then axle stands and lengths of bar!
What turntables are they as well?

 

[David Stuart]

Nice setup!

Which string kit is that? I have the B&G so much easier then axle stands and lengths of bar!
What turntables are they as well?

These are the turntables I bought.

Pardon our interruption...

The string kit is a Ti Motorsport one.


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[David Stuart]

Another megane RS in. This one just to check what the setup was and make a toe adjustment.

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[Djw John]

Henry's car is always so clean!

 

[JezzaMac]

Looks good David. We made some wee stands to sit the car on which gives you plenty space to slide under and adjust the track rods with the car still weighted and strings setup.

What are you using to measure camber? I need to get me a camber gauge!

 

[JackJack]

Nice set up. Always been fascinated with suspension geo and how adjusting one thing can have a knock on effect on everything else.

 

[David Stuart]

Looks good David. We made some wee stands to sit the car on which gives you plenty space to slide under and adjust the track rods with the car still weighted and strings setup.

What are you using to measure camber? I need to get me a camber gauge!

View attachment 1559063

Yeah I want to get some setup stands.

I’m using this for a camber gauge with a digital incline gauge and it works really well.

Pardon our interruption...

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[David Stuart]

Henry's car is always so clean!

It’s very nice. He wants to lose a load of weight to make him more competitive in class D in SLS but still keeping it suitable for road class in the hillclimbs.

Should be interesting


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[David Stuart]

Nice set up. Always been fascinated with suspension geo and how adjusting one thing can have a knock on effect on everything else.

I was always interested in it as well. Then it gets even better when you start making setup changes and testing the handling differences.


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[Brigsy]

Nice setup.

Ive done successful camber setup using a bit of maths and a level on a few of my cars but not stepped up and done the toe properly yet, ive only done quick and dirty toe set to get it down to the garage for a minor adjustment. Tempted to invest in half decent string setup now i have access to a lift.

 

[youngarthur]

A very nice setup you have there.Many thanks for the part you sent, will be fitted sometime in October. Stay well both of you.

 

[T3gav]

These are the turntables I bought.

Pardon our interruption...

The string kit is a Ti Motorsport one.


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What are you using to hold the steering wheel?