After searching on this issue (google and NAM), I didn't come up with much. I have found tons of posts about the measurements people have obtained, but not how they obtained them. I found a bunch of methods some people use, but non seem to appeal to me (I suppose beggers can't be choosers). I know there are some machines out there, but haven't found prices on any of them. It seems like this is a tricky issue so any help (lots of detail or not alot of details) would be much appreciated. If there are any articles or posts that have helped others do these measurements, I would love to look at those.

I am waiting for my PSS9's, WMS Camber plates, end links, rear control arms, and rear sway bar to arrive and want to figure out how to measure the effects of these new mods. I am open to any ideas on how to measure camber and what works best for you guys.

Also, if anyone has any experience with alignment AND corner balancing shops (together) in Southern California, I would love to hear about them. Thanks!

 

I have a gauge, but prefer the traditional way of measuring camber with a square because unlike a gauge it works even if the ground is not level (but flat), so you can check adjustments at the track.

This method requires measuring from the edges of the wheels to a carpenter's square. Subtract the distance to the lower edge of the lip (to the square) from the distance to the upper edge when the square is on the ground. The math is (Difference/(3.14159 * 2 * Height)) * 360 = degrees. For example if the difference is 0.75" and you have S-lites which are 18.5" in height, that works out to 2.3 degrees, negative I hope .

You can make your own tool using premeasured lengths of string to check toe from the inner front edges of the wheels also.

 

i also have a smart tool digital level, but also use the carpenter's square method. i added a spacer on the wheel face so that i don't have to measure 2 places.

the answer is also arctan (difference/length).

have fun!

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...00&ppuser=4821

 

Thanks for the replies so far. Looks like I may make a tool and try measuring that way. Any more suggestions are welcome.

 

Matt-are you going to track a bunch?

If not IMHO corner balancing is probably overkill. It is gonna cost you significantly more coin than just getting an alignment done and setting your ride height where you want it.

FYI Stuttgart will do a 4 wheel here in Tucson for under $70!!

 

Not going to track a bunch, but I am going to try and do more than I have in the past. I got a great deal on all my new equipment from a guy here on NAM and I figure if I have some extra cash left over I will corner balance it.

Either way, I still want to know how to measure my own camber so I can adjust accordingly. I'd like to have my car in one piece and aligned by the time I get back to Tucson, but if not, we can tinker with it there and then go get it aligned.

Thanks for all the imput.

 

Found a shade-tree way to set toe far more accurately than any alignment shop, because it takes bushing deflection into account. It involves using the OBC.

A FWD car will tend to toe-in as power is applied, so even if the alignment shop sets toe perfectly when at rest, there will be more toe-in when driving down the highway (how much depends on how soft your control arm bushings are). The nice thing is the MINI does not require jacking or removing a wheel to adjust the tie-rod ends--just turn the steering full lock.

Make sure camber and tire pressure are the same on both sides, then if the steering wheel is not centered, slightly toe-in the side opposite the direction the wheel is pointing until it is (If the car doesn't pull and the steering wheel is centered, you can skip this first step).

From now on you'll have to adjust both sides by exactly the same amount. Simply eyeball adjust the toe on both sides until the outer edge of the rear tires can just be seen when looking along the edge of the front tires (front track is 57.4" and rear is 57.7"). This will get us in the ballpark, and now we'll go for a drive.

While driving along at a constant speed on a level highway, reset the MPG counter on the OBC and note the instantaneous MPG reading. Then adjust the toe one full turn on each side and try again (even though you could, I don't recommend making the changes right on the side of the freeway because you could get run over). You'll know right away if the adjustment is headed in the wrong direction because the MPG will drop, and can just keep adjusting until instantaneous MPG is maximized. This is zero toe when under load.

It's probably easiest to think in terms of one-sixth turns because the tie-rod shaft is hex shaped. If it's too squirrelly under braking then adding one or two sixth turns of toe-in on each side shouldn't cost much in the way of MPG, but if much more than that is needed the control arm bushings are probably shot. For track, a full turn of toe-out may work well. Remember it's the result that matters so try not to get hung up on needing to have toe specified in inches or degrees, since the optimum spec depends on the bushings. Just adjust until MPG or turn-in responsiveness is the way you want it.

So there you have it, may take a little time to setup but then settings may be adjusted at any time and as frequently as you'd like by simply counting turns. It's hardly any more difficult than adjusting tire pressures so feel free to experiment even if your alignment was professionally done. You could always set it back to the way it was.

 

Great information! Thanks for the tip.
Steve

 

Got a suggestion for MINI's w/o nifty on board computer (displays)?

 

I'm guessing you've never actually done this...

 

Without OBC, the piece of string method works, as do the toe gauges that look like a long yardstick. Using a Gtech to measure coast-down g's could also work, but note that none of those will tell you anything about toe when applying power.

chuckt, if you don't have any experience doing alignments then you probably should not attempt this at all. The eyeball method is a time-honored way to get "close enough" to drive to the alignment shop, and the OBC actually produced finer results than the alignment gauges I have here. After all the whole point of an alignment is to minimize rolling resistance to maximize tire life and MPG, or to tune handling--not to generate a pretty printout of numbers.

 

Yeah, I've done toe alignments by eye/string. I've also used the OBC and seen th S/N on the MPG data too. It's hard to believe it would add anything meaningfull. Now I don't live in a desert w/endless flat straights either so I guess "MyMileageMayVary" .