DIY Perform A Vehicle Front End Alignment Using String and a Ruler - Front End Replacement Part 3
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 พ.ย. 2015
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Here is a quick way to give your vehicle a front end wheel alignment at home, for FREE! Using this method you can align your vehicle's front end using a length of string and a ruler. After performing this front end alignment, you will more than likely want to get an actual front end alignment from a shop, as this alignment method does not address the camber adjustment.
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Due to factors beyond the control of Mark Jenkins, I cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. Mark Jenkins assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Mark Jenkins recommends safe practices when working on vehicles and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Mark Jenkins, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Mark Jenkins. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Blazer, Jimmy, & S10 Replacement tie rod ends on Amazon - amzn.to/2CeBhyV
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This technique saved me. 👍
Replaced some really old, trashed tie-rods. I did the method where you count the turns. Took it for a test drive out back and could barely keep it on the road, even at 20mph. Remembered seeing this from WAY back when. Busted out a string, got her dialed in. Now it drives better than it has in forever. Going to tide me over until my alignment next week.
👍👍👍
This is a very good point. Not enough people take matters into their own hands. This is the first channel I've found with the same format as mine(whatever needs to be done and sometimes music). You've reminded me that I need to do a video on the alignment method that I've been using Involving a cheap laser level. I haven't had to go to a shop in several years.
Dd this method after a professional wheel alignment and it was off on one wheel in the back also corrected a crooked steering wheel which the guys at the shop couldn't get right . took me about an hour because I wanted it perfect but now you can feel the car drives super straight. A year later and tires are wearing perfectly and evenly.
They should have lined the steering wheel and pulled the keys out to lock it smh .
If you don't have a $90,000 Alighnment rack... If you do have some common sense and some logic then this will help you get pretty close to your target ranges. Parallel streight lines... If you have those then the the only thing holding you back is the device's used to take the measurements... And the knowledge to know what to do with it... Nice video, it's not your fault most these people don't understand your logical methods.
I have access to a broken 90,000$ aliment rack that no one knows how to use
Just did this on my k1500 after tie rod replacement. This method worked for me truck drives straight no pulling at highway speed... straight steering wheel. Thank you
Thanks, great tutorial! I read somewhere that bigger vehicles like trucks should have a slight pitch inwards on the leading front end? Pretty new to all this mechanic work but I'm learning quick from helpful videos like yours.
Did this on my f150, turned out good. Now my 02 accord needs it. Can't believe how fast a tire can get chewed up from a bad toe in... freakin new tires damn it man.
Clear, concise and to the point. Thank you!
Loved it and did it last year on my 01 F350. It goes down the road at 87mph straight as an arrow for the last 9K miles with NO tire issues or abnormal wear. Of course all this depends on if the rest of the alignment is good, Caster & Camber is good, mine were. Thanks for sharing such a great video, this will definitely get you down the road until you get it on a rack. Best Wishes & Blessings. Keith Noneya
Good job. Very informative and helpful.
Did this on my gmc Sierra 1500 after lifting it . Worked like a charm. Alignment is pretty dead nuts and drives perfect
I liked your video on the Chevy Blazers hope you put out more it's helping me with with my vehicle which I have a 98 Chevy Blazer did needs minor things done to it your video on the Hub help me out a great deal preciate it keep making more videos especially on the Blazers
I did this on one of my jacked up trucks I run 37-inch tires on. I've been driving it for 15 years like this. Perfect wear pattern. I align all my vehicles like this. But it's best to have it done for 50 bucks.
Good Video, the only thing I did different is that I used fishing line for the string. Smaller the line the more acurite you're going to be, just my opinion.....
Hey, this is a good method to set toe if you follow a proper procedure.
First, center the steering wheel. Set up both strings to be parallel to the side of the vehicle AND EACH OTHER by using the same measurement, say 6 cm, from the center cap of the wheel to the string, same front and back. Depending on specs, adjust each individual front (and rear wheel toe like of BMWs) wheel so the front measurement is 2 mm or less more than the rear measurement of the same wheel. Do the same with the other wheels, one at a time. Your total front toe, left plus right should be about 1/4 degree. This translates to 1 mm on left plus 1 mm of the right as measured at the wheels. Modern radial wheels require far less total toe than bias ply tires.
So, this tight measurement requires careful setup of the parallel strings and individual wheel measurements. 1/4 turn of the toe rod adjustment brings 2-3 mm change in front to rear difference on the associated front wheel. Similar care is taken with the rear offset toe (and camber) bolts in the rear of a BMW. Those cars require a FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT. If you need four wheel alignment, this language should be used to sort out a good/ bad alignment shop.
All worn ball joints or suspension parts must be replaced first. Also, it is common to have to fix frozen tie rods using heat and/or liquid wrench.
A lot a know but I just sorted this out of a Chevy truck and BMW.
needed a quick reminder on this, thankyou
I just wrap my string around all four tires! Works pretty good 👍
thanks. it helps a lot
So you use the back rim as a straight reference for the front ? Because the back never goes off line left or right like the front ?
I used your video to do my tie rods, didnt get an alignment right away and it ate up the tires, oh well they were used ones and plan on replaceing them anyway cheers !!
Peace of cake.
Its just like plumbing a wall but sideways 👍
Great video!
Awesome! Thanx
meu amigo! eu sou do RJ e tenho uma blazer 98, que quando eu a comprei uma semana atrás, ela veio com a frente bem levantada e cambagem positiva nas 2 rodas, porém em desconfio que isso aconteceu porque a barra de torção está levantando muito a frente do carro, voce já viu casos assim? será que se eu abaixar a frente do carro pela barra de torção, a cambagem volta pro lugar?
great video
Best wheel alignment video ever
I used my dewalt laser instead of strings. Strings are good too. Better to pay $170.00 at tires plus for life time warranty.
can I use your method to center my steering wheel , the last front end shop left it almost 1/2 turn to the right LOL
Nice!
Most vehicles have different front and rear track measurements. My car's front measures 1562 mm (61.5 in.) between hubs and rear measures 1531 mm (60.3 in) between hubs. That's a 31 mm difference. So when I square up the string - I need to make sure my string is 15.5 mm further from the center of the rear wheel vs. the front. (31 mm / 2)
No they arent
I have a staggered setup on my dodge charger, 20inch wheels... dodge just did an alignment and now my car is pulling roughly on uneven roads.... they say they cant get it straight because my wheels sizes are different and that i should square my wheels..... this is nonsense right!?!? They were fine the first time i had them put on... what do you think?
good one
Can you make a walkthrough video of how to do an allying on a 98 Chevy Silverado 1500?
LOL yeah let him go buy one just to show you how to do it....
Measure the center of the rear wheels and go up to the front and measure. Toe-in according to specs. Get OTC steering wheel holder or have somebody hold the steering wheel centered. Turn the steering wheel completely to the left counting the the turns. Then turn it to the right counting turns. Turn it back to the middle of turns. If it's a 4 turn steering wheel, turn it back 2 turns. It should center. JEG has a toe-bar. Get a caster-camber gauge. Get the appropriate tools!
WHAT THE.... !?!?!
@@billiebobbienorton2556lol
Thanks mark
Thanks 🙏
Thanks for the vid. If the car pulls to left, but with the toe-in correct, how to correct that?
[tires ok, still pulls to left after swapping wheels].
In my case it was definitely alignment - in the end I paid a tire place and they aligned it and after that no more pulling to the left.
v8pilot it may have been a camber pull, possibly caster, or the rear was out of alignment. the rear always affects the front.
it all depends on the model of the car. not all cars have are completely adjustable.
Manny, thank you for the info. The car was a Volvo 940.
Did you make sure the rack was centred before having the alignment done?
No I did not. I imagine the tire place who seem to know their craft very well will have done that if it was needed. I think the caster may have been out but that is just a guess. Anyway I can now take my hands off the wheel at 60 mph and the car runs straight as an arrow for hundreds of yards.
if the front track width is narrower or wider than the rear, how do you get a nice parallel plane ?? can't use the center of the wheels if the front track width doesn't match the rear.
Mark Jenkins makes no sense. it's a super duper pain in the butt to get a perfect rectangle around a vehicle 'and' centered around your vehicle.
Very easy to run any old random line of string beside a vehicle.
good
Squirrely No Doubt, Did you notice your tires?
just changed my tie tods...but the bottom of the tire is sticking out more than the top when looking at it head on.....how do i make them plum?
This is stupid.... So I am just supposed the put the string ANYWHERE???
good video thats really pretty accurate wow thats some rusty control arms where is this?
i'm a auto tech in north louisiana--had 2 cars from down south in the shop last week---its a weird thing--the rust is i guess from being close to the gulf p b blaster wont even help had to get out the torch--no way i could work on cars up in your area --techs up there must have alot of patience
Hey Randy, I live near Cleveland Oh. and rust is a pain in the ass. I swear by PB Blaster, I let it soak overnight and it usually works great. Just found out about mixing ATF and acetone. I haven't tried it yet, but it's supposed to be the ticket. Post me back if you try this method and I'll let you know my end result. PEACE
I've used the acetone and a t f..works pretty fast..been meaning to try acetone and marvel mystery oil.. the thinner consist icy seems like it would penetrate faster. a t f is way thicker than any kind of spray penetrant
OK, as of 9:55 PM 5/29/2017 , THIS IS what I found. Using this on sway bar bolts, I came to the ultimate conclusion that this shit NEVER REACHED the goal ( inside the frame ). Drilled some 1/4 " holes above said fasteners and TOTALLY BLASTED the shit out of everything inside. If this doesn't work I'll have to resort to HEAT. Have to say, never met a bolt I couldn't contend with... but YUP, here lately these damn things are a true obstacle.
If I need a camber adjustment ill just get my dad to help me i appreciate your easy method of checking the alignment though thanks
That would work if rear wheels are perfectly straight?Otherwise taking the string equidistant from the centerline of the vehicle would be more accurate.
so the main thing is to make sure that the rear wheel is the guiding point? no one explains this we have to guess here.
use a straight 8 ft fluorescent tube to do a quick toe alignment. just rest it on side of tire halfway up at 3 and 9 o clock position.adjust as needed.
But you have no datum line to start at, just putting it on the wheel gains norhing
@@bonkeydollocks1879 It does if you have some common sense, 8 ft tube is not only decently straight it is long. Wearing out 2 Hunter alignment machines in 20 years, this is an easy method to show a customer before doing the alignment. And if they are interested show them how to read toe by feeling the tire.
@@BM-zk3to you need some common sense, you mean to tell me you just put a fluorescent tube against the tyre and then what? What are you comparing it to, the other wheel? What's on the other wheel to guage the wheel with the tube on? If you put a straight edge straight up against a wheel how in gods name do you know its out or in?
Please explain step by step how you do it and please don't tell me you work at an alignment centre
@@bonkeydollocks1879 Well spelling tyre is your first mistake, and gods name has nothing to do with it. . If your looking for step by step instructions, go out and buy a machine for yourself. Nothing is free.
Hows that for common sense.
@@BM-zk3to the fact you are getting p*ssy and an personal proves to me you can't explain. You are out of your depth. I'm guessing you mean put the tube on the rear tyre and that gives you your datum line for the fronts.
Have you ever thought of becoming a comedian?
I wouldn't bother you're about as funny as a turd in a swimming pool 😅
Omg. what about wheel camber? it has to go through the middle
no it was the toe on both sides
If you have wider rear than front?
@@nogripes ok! Now I understand it thanks
Too much extra talk makes the video a..... Huh?!
Thanks for the thought though.
I thought the rear wheels typically have some toe in for stability, and if your basing your string off the rear then it will set your front tires to the same toe which you don't want. Just my observation but I'm no technician. Correct me if I'm wrong.
use the center of the hub ,toed in or out the center will always be the same
@@14dogday This. Just remember that track width might be different between the front and back.
@@63ch31 Doesn't matter. Put the car in a perfecr square. Meaning distant of the strings on the jacks should be same. Distances from center hubs should be same. Then measurements can be done. Correct me if I am wrong.
@@loubakker5000 Not entirely sure what you mean, and it's been a while since I've done this. The two lines on string on either side of the car should be parallel, but depending on your vehicle, the distance between string and center hub may differ from front to rear. I think my comment from 2yrs ago was referring to the initial setup of the jacks and string, which case you need to factor in track width to get the "box" perfectly square and your measurements accurate.
LMMFAO
So is the car in neutral or park?
LMFAO
Don't drive like that for years? Tire shop aligned front to 5 and 7 degrees left and rear, using laser. Which is joke. I adjusted wheels using string to 0.5 degree in both sides. Goes dead straight with steering wheel straight.
I tried this, there's no real way to get the string lined up exactly parallel to the truck. move either front or back kickstand with the string and it'll look straight but will throw the measurements off.
Me too that shit is wack.
Tought like tiger
But how do you get the string exactly parallel to the car?
Mark Jenkins makes no sense
christopher shara how does it make no sense? the rear wheel is parallel to the car, so put the string parallel tp the rim and there you have it. its simple.
Who said the rear wheel is parallel to the car? Rear wheels have different toe angles too.
What if you have 4 wheel independent suspension with adjustable toe on all 4 corners & you know that the rear wheels already have some toe in? What then asshole?
Fair enough good answer :) The point I was driving at was that basing your measurement on rear wheel rim parallel left and right circumference points is only good when you have a fixed straight rear axle when using the method in this video. AND only if in factory spec thrust alignment. The video maker/poster has failed to put that caveat in the video or the description.
How do you make sure the string is straight enough?
Exactly my thought! No one has addressed this they just lay the string down and a split-second in the video and don't even go over it. Really frustrating.
@@auntmicah I found a reasonable enough answer since then. What you have to do is put the string so it's going across your wheel centers and then make sure the string is exactly 1 inch away from your front wheel center and your back wheel center equally. Then the string will be parallel with the car because the wheel centers don't move when the car goes out of alignment anyway
Thank you!
@@auntmicah no problem! Glad to help!
@@AGENTtimex yeah my friend was a line but my rear wasn't. I'm not exactly sure what happened but I used my front wheels being straight as a reference point for or my rear wheels and it did not work so I'll try it one more time like you said before I take it to an alignment shop.
It would seem that just having the steering wheel turned every so slightly could throw all your results off. How do you know when the steering is just off a hair as opposed to the actual alignment?
Mark Jenkins
Mark Jenkins
BeanieandCecil CecilandBeanie
make sure sting is in the middle of the tires this video isnt show it
Yep otherwise this is not going to work
What do you mean in the middle ?
string should be going across the center cap / hub / axle
Creative but I'm not going to attempt it, decided to just take it to a shop.
Fishing line is better than fabric string
my 200 blazer front wheels squeals when I turn left and ideas
yeah you need a camber. chances are your camber is off.
camber adjustmen
how do i do that ?
get an aligment. lol or check your camber angles. i used to habe negative camber on my truck (i didnt know) but wheels would squeal on turns. eventually the wires on inside side of tires started coming out.
bad engine mount
A brand new 55 cadillac prob drove nice and straight and they did't have computers or laser beams to work with. I'll take a smart and picky guy doing it in his garage over a digrunteled employee that does not give a f@#k . $25000 of equipment means nothing if it is not being used properly.
the result of this kind of method is always toe out because rear wheels are narrower than front
Mark Jenkins but if your rear tires are even slightly toed out, that will create a toed out baseline for the front. So even if you measure the front and it measures a slight toe in, you could still end up toed out. Or if the rear is toed in, your baseline for front will be set to a toe in.
You have attempted to explain this over and over Mark. What a bunch of dumb asses! LOL
your rear bum is wider than your front bum what a moron
You need to lock down the steering wheel first
not accurate string method..distance of left and right wheels of front are wider than rear wheels in most cars even suv
Again! LOL!
totaly wrong just let the string to touch the tire or rim
I get that your making sense. But to someone whose new to any car repair type stuff. This makes no sense. Explain it to me like im missing several chromosones please sir
Bro this is the wrong way of allignment coz mostly cars have different front and rear track width.
Dude it don't matter .. if the front track is further out or in you still get the same result.. you are trying to get the tires running parallel to each other .
First off, messing a toe angle is not "an alignment" it is SETTING TOE. Second, you are not "adjusting" "toe in", you are trying to set the toe angle be it in or out. Also, you are relying and assuming your rear toe is at zero. Good luck.
Using the axle that wasn't repaired is a good starting point and also that truck has a live rear axle so maybe the thrust angle may be off but the toe should be a good reference. Troll
That is not front end alignment. Only toe.
most alignment shops will only be adjusting toe on front and rear wheels and ignoring camber and caster becuz they will claim its non adjustable Or they wont bother becuz it takes extra work to do and they couldnt be bothered
Stop repeating n get to the point
Just some criticism don't take it personally, you talk too much, get on with it. This video could be half the length you spent the first 4 minutes talking about one thing 👍
So you use the back rim as a straight reference for the front ? Because the back never goes off line left or right like the front ?
Liam MG That Blazer has a solid rear axle so yes, it will be exactly what you need to index off of. Unless the rear axle is bent, in which case you have far bigger problems than a front alignment lol