“Wheel alignments are often thought of as a job for professionals with fancy laser-guided equipment. Or in other words, something you can’t do at home. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, plenty of enthusiasts use DIY wheel alignment equipment on a regular basis.”
Sure, some are expensive, commerical-spec tools, but there are also plenty of more affordable options that allow you to get a good wheel alignment job done in your own garage and on your own schedule.
This is pretty important for a lot of folks. If you’ve just spent several years (and significant amounts of money) piecing together a custom built car, sending it out to an unfamiliar tech for an alignment can cause plenty of anxiety.
Good news though—performing wheel alignments isn’t that tough. If you can read a bubble/digital level, use a tape measure, and know how to turn a wrench, you’re pretty much there.
For a closer look at a group of relatively inexpensive tools that will definitely get the job done with ease, check out the following:
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Common DIY Wheel Alignment Tools
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This is an easy-to use tool set we use regularly. It’s a 4th Gen Slider Wheel Alignment System built by the folks from QuickTrick Alignment, part number QTA-416436. As you can see, the basis is a pair of digital levels, a pair of tape measures, and a set of adjustable toe bars. In operation, this system allows you to check and adjust camber, caster, and toe. (Image/Summit Racing)Turning plates make it much easier to set caster, but many of them are rather expensive. Not so with this set of EZ Sweep turning plates from Tanner Racing (a division of Mittler Bros.). Each EZ Sweep plate is designed with an ultra-low profile—only 3/16 in. thick. They incorporate a PTFE-impregnated slip barrier with a stainless steel base for greaseless or bearing-less movement. Also included are 15 or 20 degree caster guides. (Image/Summit Racing)JOES Racing Products economy toe plates (part number JOE-32600) provide an inexpensive and reliable means to quickly and easily check the toe of your car. Simply position a plate against each front tire and check the toe with the supplied tape measures. (Image/Summit Racing)Tenhulzen makes hands-free camber gauges that incorporate wheel attachment parts similar to those found on pro alignment racks, and according to the manufacturer, they’re said to be accurate to within 0.1 degree. The configuration allows you to make measurements at home, the track, or on uneven ground. Caster is measured without the need for expensive turn plates. (Image/Summit Racing)Here’s a very useful tool you might not have considered when checking and setting up the front end alignment of your car: a QuickTrick Alignment Steering Wheel Holder. Essentially, the base of the QuickTrick Alignment tool positions on the front seat of the car and the arms grasp the steering wheel. It’s a simple device that maintains steering wheel position as you go through the steering adjustment process. (Image/Summit Racing)If you want a simple and very effective tool for checking caster and camber, have a look at the caster and camber gauges from Longacre Racing. Specifically this tool (part number LNG-78260) makes use of a rare earth magnet inside the billet aluminum housing. You simply snap off the dust cover on the spindle and attach the tool to it. From here, you can easily check and set caster and camber by way of the bubble level on the gauge. (Image/Summit Racing)Should you desire something a bit more exotic, this B-G Racing billet digital camber/caster gauge might be right up your alley. It also installs on the spindle (similar to the Longacre Racing tool mentioned above), but the display is digital. It uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and offers repeatable accuracy to 0.1 degree. (Image/Summit Racing)Longacre Racing also has a digital caster-camber gauge complete with a magnetic spindle adapter (similar the bubble level gauge shown above). Here, the gauge consists of a digital “AccuLevel” attached to a billet spindle housing. (Image/Summit Racing)Here’s another take on turning plates. QuickTrick Alignment turn plates (part number QTA-60004) measure 5/16 inch thick so you don’t need a jack or lift to roll onto them. They’re fabricated from steel, and incorporate quality ball bearings that hold up to 1,500 pounds each. Each plate includes magnetic degree decals at 0, 10, 15, and 20 degrees in 1 degree increments. They have a PTFE coating between the plates while the bottoms feature a rubberized coating to prevent slippage. (Image/Summit Racing)
Wayne Scraba is a diehard car guy and regular contributor to OnAllCylinders. He’s owned his own speed shop, built race cars, street rods, and custom motorcycles, and restored muscle cars. He’s authored five how-to books and written over 4,500 tech articles that have appeared in sixty different high performance automotive, motorcycle and aviation magazines worldwide.
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