Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs
| [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs [message #104158] |
Mon, 25 October 2010 14:48  |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
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I mentioned a while back, while Rob Mueller was visiting, that we'd aligned
my GMC's wheels. I've been trying ever since to get around to posting
details of the equipment we used. Here it is:
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=5634
There are no alignment instructions there, but there is a link to where you
can download a very complete study of wheel alignment by an engineer with
Hunter Engineering, the largest manufacturer of alignment equipment. The
mathematics that contains are rather daunting, even for someone who's sat
through as many hundred hours of math classes as I have. But there are
simplifications presented which make it easy to calculate caster from camber
measurements -- the only difficult part of wheel alignment theory.
<http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=5634>
Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI+ & EBL
www.gmcwipersetc.com
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs [message #104171 is a reply to message #104158] |
Mon, 25 October 2010 16:01  |
jayrabe
Messages: 509
Registered: June 2009
Location: Portland, OR
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Great photos Ken. Thanks. Got a general question as I face the decision to do something like that or just open the wallet and have a shop do it. Once you get things aligned, how long will they stay good, assuming general road use, no off-road stuff, managing to not hit any road debris, no curb jumping etc?
Thanks,
J
76 PB
Portland, OR
> From: hend4800@bellsouth.net
> Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:48:49 -0400
> To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
> Subject: [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs
>
> I mentioned a while back, while Rob Mueller was visiting, that we'd aligned
> my GMC's wheels. I've been trying ever since to get around to posting
> details of the equipment we used. Here it is:
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=5634
>
> There are no alignment instructions there, but there is a link to where you
> can download a very complete study of wheel alignment by an engineer with
> Hunter Engineering, the largest manufacturer of alignment equipment. The
> mathematics that contains are rather daunting, even for someone who's sat
> through as many hundred hours of math classes as I have. But there are
> simplifications presented which make it easy to calculate caster from camber
> measurements -- the only difficult part of wheel alignment theory.
> <http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=5634>
> Ken H.
> Americus, GA
> '76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI+ & EBL
> www.gmcwipersetc.com
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs [message #104204 is a reply to message #104171] |
Mon, 25 October 2010 18:22 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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J,
I'm certainly no expert, but my expectation is that the front end alignment
should last for a LONG time. Maybe not as long as my '91 S-10 with 140,000+
or HER CRV with 99,000+ miles, neither of which has ever been realigned nor
shown any sign of needing it. But 25,000+ seems reasonable to me, given
that all of my suspension components have <15,000 miles on them.
The rear is a whole 'nother ball of wax: with the center wheels always
wanting to go the wrong way, whatever that is, and both center and rear
wheels subject to violent side loads like shoulder drop-offs and viscious
curbs, I'll probably check them every 10,000, now that I have the
easy-to-use equipment. Gotta say, though, after 80,000+ miles since I did
the pins the rear alignment is pretty good. I severely bent and
straightened the two right suspension arms about 70,000 miles ago and they
haven't been adjusted since.
Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI+ & EBL
www.gmcwipersetc.com
On Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 5:01 PM, Jay Rabe <jayrabe@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Great photos Ken. Thanks. Got a general question as I face the decision to
> do something like that or just open the wallet and have a shop do it. Once
> you get things aligned, how long will they stay good, assuming general road
> use, no off-road stuff, managing to not hit any road debris, no curb jumping
> etc?
>
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs [message #104299 is a reply to message #104277] |
Tue, 26 October 2010 15:23 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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John,
The HF magnets are just over 3" OD, rated at 95# pull, a little less than
the rating of the ones you referenced. The center hole is 5/16",
unthreaded. HF price was $4.95 each.
I wouldn't try to use a weaker magnet. As strong as they seem, you ARE
going to put 17" or so levers on them and tension a string between them on
those levers.
Ken H.
On Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 12:53 PM, John Blankenship <jtblank@yahoo.com>wrote:
>
>
> Great idea, I was looking for the magnets on HF, didn't find but did find
> these http://www.kjmagnetics.com/categories.asp?cat=174 MMS-H
> Flat mount with an internally threaded hole for attaching to a bolt.
>
> What diameter are your magnetic disks?
>
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs [message #104350 is a reply to message #104299] |
Tue, 26 October 2010 23:42 |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Ken,
Is this the magnet you used for the fixtures?
66mm & 95 lb pull
http://www.harborfreight.com/66mm-round-magnet-96650.html
Thanks,
Rob M.
USAussie
-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org
[mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Ken Henderson
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2010 3:23 PM
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs
John,
The HF magnets are just over 3" OD, rated at 95# pull, a little less than
the rating of the ones you referenced. The center hole is 5/16",
unthreaded. HF price was $4.95 each.
I wouldn't try to use a weaker magnet. As strong as they seem, you ARE
going to put 17" or so levers on them and tension a string between them on
those levers.
Ken H.
On Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 12:53 PM, John Blankenship <jtblank@yahoo.com>wrote:
>
>
> Great idea, I was looking for the magnets on HF, didn't find but did find
> these http://www.kjmagnetics.com/categories.asp?cat=174 MMS-H
> Flat mount with an internally threaded hole for attaching to a bolt.
>
> What diameter are your magnetic disks?
>
>
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs [message #104359 is a reply to message #104350] |
Wed, 27 October 2010 04:15 |
jtblank
Messages: 237
Registered: June 2007
Location: Tulare, CA
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Rob,
I don't know why I couldn't find the 66mm or 3 1/2 inch magnets you listed on HF, but after following you link and then retrying I found them. Maybe it was so late last night that I didn't notice the extra pages listed at the top, everyone knows that the continuation link for extra pages should be at the bottom.... maybe you being from down under you look at everything upside down ...lol Anyway thanks for giving me the guiding light! I'm dying to see how my GMC specs out.
ps: the 3 inch @ K&J are listed at 396.4 lbs pull force which is significantly more than the 95lb rated HF but $4.99 vs $40.00 it's a no brainer, besides you'd need a come-along to get the former off the frame lol
thanks again
John Blankenship
'76 Palm Beach
Tulare, CA
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs [message #104368 is a reply to message #104359] |
Wed, 27 October 2010 08:41 |
GMC Cruse
Messages: 606
Registered: June 2009
Location: SE Michigan
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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| jtblank wrote on Wed, 27 October 2010 05:15 |
Rob,
I don't know why I couldn't find the 66mm or 3 1/2 inch magnets you listed on HF, but after following you link and then retrying I found them. Maybe it was so late last night that I didn't notice the extra pages listed at the top, everyone knows that the continuation link for extra pages should be at the bottom.... maybe you being from down under you look at everything upside down ...lol Anyway thanks for giving me the guiding light! I'm dying to see how my GMC specs out.
ps: the 3 inch @ K&J are listed at 396.4 lbs pull force which is significantly more than the 95lb rated HF but $4.99 vs $40.00 it's a no brainer, besides you'd need a come-along to get the former off the frame lol
thanks again
|
Rob must know something we don't, as I looked for it and had the same problem. I even checked the extra pages. Maybe they were working on the site at that time as I didn't see the ground block I linked to there also. I found it thru the welding pages.
Mike K.
'75 PB
Southeast Michigan
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs [message #104369 is a reply to message #104364] |
Wed, 27 October 2010 08:39 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Sorry, I seem to have forgotten to post the link:
http://zzyzxmotorsports.com/library/steering-geometry-and-caster-measurement.pdf
<http://zzyzxmotorsports.com/library/steering-geometry-and-caster-measurement.pdf>A
Google search for "Steering Geometry and Caster Measurement" yields lots of
references and even procedure videos but I found the explanations in Daniel
January's paper to be most informative, even without studying the math.
Ken H.
On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 9:03 AM, Bill Brown <carguybill@sbcglobal.net>wrote:
>
>
> Ken,
> Do you have a link for the Hunter theory or, preferably, the simplified
> version?
> --
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs [message #104386 is a reply to message #104368] |
Wed, 27 October 2010 10:36 |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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Mike et al,
I was a Field Rep based in Hong Kong and traveled all around China for nine
years, I understand them! ;-)
Along with the 3" magnet there's these 4" welding ground magnets. I have one
of these in Sydney and IIRC it is one strong "sucker!"
http://www.harborfreight.com/magnetic-ground-block-30754.html
They're on sale for $3.99 but nil stock, I think if you order them they'll
sell them to you at that price or you could check with your local HF. I'll
check the one here in Houston and if they have one I'll go over and see how
strong it is and if it will adapt to our use easily.
There are these three also:
http://www.harborfreight.com/retrieving-magnet-100-lb-pull-36903.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/retrieving-magnet-150-lb-pull-36904.html
And if you're into Overkill here you go!
http://www.harborfreight.com/retrieving-magnet-250-lb-pull-36905.html
Regards,
Rob
-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org
[mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 8:42 AM
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Wheel Alignment Jigs
jtblank wrote on Wed, 27 October 2010 05:15
> Rob,
> I don't know why I couldn't find the 66mm or 3 1/2 inch magnets you listed
on HF, but after following you link and then retrying I found them. Maybe
it was so late last night that I didn't notice the extra pages listed at the
top, everyone knows that the continuation link for extra pages should be at
the bottom.... maybe you being from down under you look at everything upside
down ...lol Anyway thanks for giving me the guiding light! I'm dying to
see how my GMC specs out.
>
> ps: the 3 inch @ K&J are listed at 396.4 lbs pull force which is
significantly more than the 95lb rated HF but $4.99 vs $40.00 it's a no
brainer, besides you'd need a come-along to get the former off the frame lol
>
> thanks again
Rob must know something we don't, as I looked for it and had the same
problem. I even checked the extra pages. Maybe they were working on the
site at that time as I didn't see the ground block I linked to there also.
I found it thru the welding pages.
--
Mike K.
'75 PB
Southeast Michigan
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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