DIY Alignment 07 Tahoe 4WD

[89Suburban]

Your doing good. It's a long road to get where you are at when figuring it all out on your on. I am still on this road just a little way ahead of you. I graduated from your 16$ tool to 0ne that measures caster and king pin as well. By the way you can actually measure your caster with the gauge that you have. I made a holder for that very tool out of a piece of angle iron cut to the length of my rim lip to lip. cut 2 more pieces of the same angle iron about 7 " long and slid them behind the rim with a long bolt through the longer piece at the top and bottom so when you tighten the bolt it holds the longer piece snug to your rim and is rigid to give you a true reading. Center your gauge as if to do a camber reading and 0 the gauge. turn the wheel out and read the gauge. turn the wheel in and read the gauge. Subtract. The # that is left is what your caster is. You will find that when you get your caster set even within a degree your camber will follow a lot easier. The string set up is still to date the best way I have found for setting toe. I hope this makes sense and helps. Your on the right track. This alignment course is not an easy or fast class. The good news is that after you get toe, camber and caster figured out it's like an infill commercial "BUT WAIT!!!! THERES MORE!" Just worry about those 3 and you'll be fine. You're close.

This means a lot to me. Thank you.

 

[89Suburban]

Your doing good. It's a long road to get where you are at when figuring it all out on your on. I am still on this road just a little way ahead of you. I graduated from your 16$ tool to 0ne that measures caster and king pin as well. By the way you can actually measure your caster with the gauge that you have. I made a holder for that very tool out of a piece of angle iron cut to the length of my rim lip to lip. cut 2 more pieces of the same angle iron about 7 " long and slid them behind the rim with a long bolt through the longer piece at the top and bottom so when you tighten the bolt it holds the longer piece snug to your rim and is rigid to give you a true reading. Center your gauge as if to do a camber reading and 0 the gauge. turn the wheel out and read the gauge. turn the wheel in and read the gauge. Subtract. The # that is left is what your caster is. You will find that when you get your caster set even within a degree your camber will follow a lot easier. The string set up is still to date the best way I have found for setting toe. I hope this makes sense and helps. Your on the right track. This alignment course is not an easy or fast class. The good news is that after you get toe, camber and caster figured out it's like an infill commercial "BUT WAIT!!!! THERES MORE!" Just worry about those 3 and you'll be fine. You're close.

I am using foundation hook bolts to hold mine to the rim. Just hook them in the holes and snug them down. No messing around with the back of the rim.

 

[89Suburban]

Just saw this watching the Atlanta race, if it's good enough for NASCAR....

 

[iamdub]

Just saw this watching the Atlanta race, if it's good enough for NASCAR....


View attachment 422754

Wut it do?

 

[89Suburban]

Wut it do?

These

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PKI0XTA/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&aaxitk=f1caf499d479b08245acd70bf584dda3&hsa_cr_id=2307654020101&qid=1709440059&sr=1-2-9e67e56a-6f64-441f-a281-df67fc737124&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_mcd_asin_1_img&pd_rd_w=1NVbA&content-id=amzn1.sym.417820b0-80f2-4084-adb3-fb612550f30b%3Aamzn1.sym.417820b0-80f2-4084-adb3-fb612550f30b&pf_rd_p=417820b0-80f2-4084-adb3-fb612550f30b&pf_rd_r=69RWM9EX1N8J6KE401XB&pd_rd_wg=Aikj9&pd_rd_r=cb328bf3-007a-4c63-8ef2-77b133cb3217

 

[89Suburban]

Wut it do?

Toe alignment plates for us cheap DIY fkrs.

JEGS 81680: Toe Plates Aluminum - JEGS

Get the Best Performance with JEGS Toe Plates Aluminum 81680 parts at JEGS. Shop Now at the Guaranteed Lowest Price!

www.jegs.com

 

[89Suburban]

 

[89Suburban]

 

[89Suburban]

Set caster first using 40 degrees of swing (20 degrees each side of center), then set camber, set then toe.

When measuring castor angle, from center/straight position, turn wheel 20 degrees rearward, 0 out gauge, turn 40 degrees forward. Then multiply that reading by 1.5.

Try to get get castor adjustment out of rear control arm bushing and camber adjustment out of front bushing.

 

[Trey Hardy]

.

 

[89Suburban]

.

Don't be shy, please add your knowledge and wisdom.

 

[Trey Hardy]

Don't be shy, please add your knowledge and wisdom.

My wisdom for tonight is make sure your on the right thread before you post lmao I posted that what you up to post on here by mistake lol

 

[Trey Hardy]

Don't be shy, please add your knowledge and wisdom.

But from my knowledge I always tie a string. Line running all the way around the vehicle to set the toe on the tie rods the camber I just eyeball the best I can until I get to the alignment shop
Last time I did the Tahoe he said it was spot on minus some adjustments in the uca the tie rods I had perfect with using nothing but my eyeballs and that string line on the wheel lol

 

[89Suburban]

But from my knowledge I always tie a string. Line running all the way around the vehicle to set the toe on the tie rods the camber I just eyeball the best I can until I get to the alignment shop
Last time I did the Tahoe he said it was spot on minus some adjustments in the uca the tie rods I had perfect with using nothing but my eyeballs and that string line on the wheel lol

I think it is easier in your situation due to the wide track and lift. And larger tires. Appreciate you sharing.

 

[Trey Hardy]

I think it is easier in your situation due to the wide track and lift. And larger tires. Appreciate you sharing.

Oh yea the wide ass tires definitely make it easy to get the camber close enough to drive lol

 

[89Suburban]

@Trey Hardy @randeez

Ok fellas I made me some home made toe plates out of 7 ply laminated Russian birch some strong sh*t. Should hold it's straight profile.

 

[89Suburban]

Took it to work to use on the super flat floor. I used some folded up poly sheeting to drive the tires onto to act as an friction reducer which worked very well. As did the home made plates. I wound up being a 1/2" too much of toe in. 5 cranks on each side brought it spot on. Really neat to watch the measuring tapes move as you adjust the toe. Seemed very accurate movement. Very happy to have this home made tool added to my arsenal. Drives great now. I even used it to check the camber angles while I was at it. I used a 4' level to level the gauge with, then just held the gauge against the plate to get a reading. Worked very well. And the size of the plates gives you a much better visual comparing to the rest of the vehicle.

 

[89Suburban]

You can even tell just by looking at those last 2 pics my driver's side camber is more positive +1.5* than the pass side which read dead on 0*. The large plates really bring out the visual.

 

[Trey Hardy]

Took it to work to use on the super flat floor. I used some folded up poly sheeting to drive the tires onto to act as a friction reducer which worked very well. As did the home made plates. I wound up being a 1/2" too much of toe in. 5 cranks on each side brought it spot on. Really neat to watch the measuring tapes move as you adjust the toe. Seemed very accurate movement. Very happy to have this home made tool added to my arsenal. Drives great now. I even used it to check the camber angles while I was at it. I used a 4' level to level the gauge with, then just held the gauge against the plate to get a reading. Worked very well. And the size of the plates gives you a much better visual comparing to the rest of the vehicle.

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Way better then my job I’m over here 3 sheets in the wind stepping back some and holding my thumb up with one eye closed saying “it looks good from here” I’m going to the rack tomorrow lll

 

[randeez]

@Trey Hardy @randeez

Ok fellas I made me some home made toe plates out of 7 ply laminated Russian birch some strong sh*t. Should hold it's straight profile.


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thats not the only hard wood in this thread

Way better then my job I’m over here 3 sheets in the wind stepping back some and holding my thumb up with one eye closed saying “it looks good from here” I’m going to the rack tomorrow lll

"atleast this side isnt as fugged up as the other side..."