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Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 2:42 pm
by kimokalihi
I just put coilovers on my car and the impreza they came off had crazy camber settings up front. Passenger side is really leaning in and the driver's side looks alright. You can see a huge difference between the two camber plates.

Is there any method or do you just eyeball it? What am I looking for here, slightly in or straight up and down? I just want to get a relative camber setting because it looks like a circle track car right now. Later I'm going to take it up to SpeedWare and have them do a corner balancing alignment.

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 3:33 pm
by cj91legss
i'd go for straight up and down for now...

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 3:59 pm
by MikeyMeyagi
ive got a iphone with a level app, and it actually is pretty accurate, hold the phone flat against the wheel and bingo...

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 8:24 pm
by gijonas
ive got a iphone with a level app, and it actually is pretty accurate, hold the phone flat against the wheel and bingo...
:roll:

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 9:15 pm
by kimokalihi
MikeyMeyagi wrote:ive got a iphone with a level app, and it actually is pretty accurate, hold the phone flat against the wheel and bingo...
Oh snap! What's it called and how much? I have an iPod Touch. That's awesome. I should get the dyno app too lol.

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:58 am
by 93forestpearl
MikeyMeyagi wrote:ive got a iphone with a level app, and it actually is pretty accurate, hold the phone flat against the wheel and bingo...

I can't attest to the accuracy of the iPhone's camber ability, but it does not solve your alignment issue. Many race teams use a stringline to align their cars.

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 6:15 am
by MikeyMeyagi
^^ ive checked it against a laser alignment machine, and its within .2 or so deg. on camber adjustments.

The app is called iHandy Level.

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 6:58 am
by 93forestpearl
Like I said, the camber part by iPhone may be great.


That doesn't fix the toe though. That is what I was getting at.

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 10:07 am
by kimokalihi
I wasn't looking to really "FIX" any part of the alignment. Only to get a rough idea of where it should be because right now like I said, it's way off and the driver side front looks pretty straight up and down and the passenger side front is leaning way in. The two camber plates up front are set way differently. I need to find a 5.5mm allen though which just happens to be the only one I'm missing from my set.

I also found this app which is specifically made for camber adjustments and not for hanging photos. I don't know how much is different but maybe this app is more suited or easier to use since it was made for this purpose?

I think there might be more apps for it too. Oh, this one does caster too.

http://18000rpm.com/ialign_for_iphone_a ... align.html

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 5:18 am
by 93forestpearl
After you use your phone to change your camber, you can use a tape measure to get the toe within a 1/16th". I'd do that before I drove it.

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 6:43 am
by kimokalihi
To do toe would I just measure both sides of the tire and try to get them as close to even as possible?

"After you use your phone to change your camber" - lol

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 4:45 pm
by beatersubi
The car needs to be level to accurately check camber with a level or angle finder.
I usually set my toe at 1/16" in.

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 4:53 pm
by kimokalihi
Yeah I figured since my garage floor is not perfectly even that it would affect the camber due to each spring being compressed unevenly. But the camber app on my ipod allows you to calibrate it to the surface the tire is sitting on and compare it to the angle of the wheel. So it's somewhat close.

Re: Any special method for setting camber without alignment?

Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 7:57 am
by biggreen96
I used string to do toe and get the tie rods close. I actually built my roll cage with the iPhone level. lol. Whatever works right?