Scottish Elises

Guys

Has anyone tried using the DIY method for wheel alignment as described in the Lotus Workshop manual? This is the one where you use two straight bars and measure the difference between front and rear of the wheel rim.

Looks straightforward in principle but guess it will come down to.

A/ Getting 2 suitably straight bars
B/ Being able to suspend the bars at the right height
C/ Being able to position the bars perfectly parallel around the outside of the car
D/ Being able to measure within 1mm the difference between the front and rear of each wheel rim

All possible but quite tricky. However if achieved would mean endless fun hours of tinkering to get it just so.

Just a bit disappointed with the recent two attempts at 4 wheel "laser" geometry setup which has failed to get my steering wheel in the straight ahead position when actually driving in a straight line.

Cheers

James

Yep basically you need to achieve 2 parallel references up the sides of the car.
Optimum method/£/ time we found was 2 lengths of copper pipe zip tied/gaffa to the front and rear of the car. Fishing line front to back at measured width on the bars to form the reference box.

That way it all moves with the car an you're not constantly setting up.

I have bars and wire in my garage.

The laser setups are unfortunately only as good as the person using them.
CLCM in Bankhead, Edinburgh are the usual port of call for any of these threads. Willie has a lot of knowledge and has been doing it for many years now.

I now use my local indy, who i've been using for mechanical stuff and MOTs all my driving life. Last year he had some top spec Hunter gear fitted - a huge investment for a 1 man band like himself He doesn't have the long term experience of CLCM, but he knows how to use it and has a "do it right" mentality that keeps me going back.
Paul Bowers Motors, Clepington St, Dundee.

I've seen many a person in there saying that others with similar gear have failed - that's when I noted that Arnold Clark fitted laser gear in all executive German brand dealerships recently too...

Corranga wrote:CLCM in Bankhead, Edinburgh are the usual port of call for any of these threads. Willie has a lot of knowledge and has been doing it for many years now.

Willie has retired, the guy who took over the business gets mixed reviews. MMC are now using Redpath Tyres in South Gyle Crescent.

Dark wrote:

Corranga wrote:CLCM in Bankhead, Edinburgh are the usual port of call for any of these threads. Willie has a lot of knowledge and has been doing it for many years now.

Willie has retired, the guy who took over the business gets mixed reviews. MMC are now using Redpath Tyres in South Gyle Crescent.

Oops. It has been 5 or 6 years since I was there right enough..