Cheap camber tool

This is probably more useful to coilover owners because of the frequent height changes. i.e. Rather than using a spring compressor, you can just wind the spring perch down to relieve the tension before taking the TMs off, but that messes up your settings.

You can get various camber tools, such as this one - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

But I found a cheap and easy way to restore the geometry settings after some suspension work.

1) Go to a Tesco and buy one of their little laser pointer-cum-spirit level tools for a fiver and a bottle of tippex.

It has a nice flat base for resting on your brake disc

2) Prize out the brass/plastic defractor lense so that you get a regular pointer type laser dot instead.

3) Jack up the car and remove the wheel in the usual way.

4) Measure the distance from the floor to the bottom of the disc.

5) Wipe any dirt off the plastic arch liner and place the laser pointer on the disc and shine it up into the arch. Dab a little tippex on the laser dot.

6) When you're done with the suspension work, set the height back to where it was (disc to floor measurement) and nip up the strut bolts so that it can still be moved with a gentle tap. Realign the laser point onto the tippex mark.

Works every time And since the ride height and camber were restored to the previous setting, I know there will therefore be no nasty surprises with toe either

Just thought I'd share that tip. Should save you £100 on a realignment session!

That's a brilliant idea. Any tips for wheel alignment if your wheels are out to start with?

I've been toying with the idea of using an dial inclinometer and a suitable base to level it up against the disc.

This way as long as you knew the ground was level you could calculate the +ve/-ve camber as you know the weight in the inclinometer always points directly down. Plus they are only about £15. Might be a little time consuming though...

Cheers Mic

I've found that to be far, far better than guesstimates and spirit levels

That's the trick, how do you know the ground is level? Good idea though.

Unfortunately we are at the mercy of the geometry being correct before starting any work.

You do get to know your car's wheel angles by eye eventually and that will usually get it very close. Certainly close enough until you can get it to a 4 wheel jig!

Ive got a little magnetic spirt level that you can set the horizontal level,only cost a few quid on the tool van,only ever used it on my own car

CorradoVR6-Turbo wrote:Ive got a little magnetic spirt level that you can set the horizontal level,only cost a few quid on the tool van,only ever used it on my own car

Yeah, I've got one of those bevel box's too, I recon they work a treat as I messed the camber up when I changed a ball joint, set it back up with that and it drives spot on again.