At Home Alignment Made Easy - How To Use String To Align Your Car 

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Very informative. Now all I need to make it easy is a full size lift in my house.

Good video! A couple things that I have found after doing my own string alignments: Use 1" EMT conduit instead of the PVC. If the jack stands are placed in a different spot front or rear, there will be different flex, and that can alter the actual distance between the slots in the PVC. We are talking very small differences, but I can hold my measuring to .25 mm. I do my alignments outside, if the sun is beating on the front tubing but not the rear, with PVC, this could cause a difference between the slots. PVC expands and contracts at a rate much higher than steel. Even if this wouldn't be an issue for you, steel EMT would be much more stable and durable. Doing string alignments is all about eliminating variables. Use the thinnest hacksaw blade you can find and cut the slot by hand for best precision. To hold the steering wheel, you can get a steering wheel holder for alignments on Amazon. Looks like a little guy with a red head. Works great and it's a lot easier to use. I also use 50 lb test, .36mm diameter braided deep sea fishing line in bright yellow, it is very user friendly, doesn't knot up and tangle, yet it is easy to tie knots. It is highly visible so you don't bump it. And it holds a nice taught line with the weight without stretching. Some manufacturers measure toe in as a positive # so be aware what your manufacturer is actually stating. Here's a great toe conversion calculator: www.1728.org/toe-out.htm

Excellent video . Just one point, toe in is positive and toe out is negative {3:43}

I just learned that I was doing it wrong for 20 years!!! You just made me a better tech. Thank you.

Great explanation. Instead of taping and measuring threads on the tie rods, I think it’s easier to just make one full turn of the adjuster and then measure the change at the wheels. You only have to do it once per car and you get a precise measurement of the amount of toe in/out for each turn. Also, knowing that value, you can make quick toe adjustments at the track without having to restring.

The context about camber before toe at around the 31:00 mark actually goes for the front too. Camber (and front caster if adjustable) should always be done be done before toe at all 4 corners. Virtually every car out there will experience some degree of toe change when camber (and / or caster) is adjusted and thus toe should ALWAYS be the last thing you adjust and never the first (unless that is the only thing you are going to be making adjustments to. Even with camber plate adjustment, many cars will experience a noticeable toe change because its a factor of knuckle / upright geometry and NOTHING to do with the chassis suspension pickup points.

First, Great instructional guys. After dealing with incompetent shops in my area that literally can't align your car unless it's 100% stock. I decided to do this my self. Glad I did, can confirm best alignment I've ever had on my Mazda 3. One note for people like me with OCD, you can help compensate for human error during setup by making the distance between your bars significantly longer than the length of the car, if you have the room. Due to the relative length from the pivot points when making adjustments this let's you be more precise in twords the vehicle. Hopefully that made sense lo

Hit up a "dollar store" and grab 8 cheap smooth thin cutting boards. Stack 2 of them, and stick them under each tire. Almost totally removes stiction when you're making adjustments. Sure, you could get fancy bearing plates - but then you wouldn't be watching a DIY vid! :)

I've been doing string alignments for years! They are way better than a shop alignment which always gives you a crooked steering wheel.

Excellent video. I did the alignement on my oldtimer lotus esprit using this method years ago, but this is the first video that explains things so clear. Thanks

Thank you for the great effort on explaining this wheel alignment method, I do my car using this method of the fishing line around the car for toe adjustment and the angle finder for the front camber adjustment with camber bolts on the struts. Finding a perfect level ground is the challenge when one is doing this at home

A few years ago I thought of using this method and used a pair of slotted wood battens for the string end supports, this method is by far the most accurate way to make wheel alignment, you did an excellent job of showing how to set the system up, hope not to many people spotted the little mistake you made when cutting the second set of slots in the wrong side of the pipe :)

Wow, I wish you could do every car repair video I ever watch. Excellent explanation, even stopped to clear up any question people might have of every detail. Thanks a lot!

Best tutorial of string alignment on the internet. Well done!

Might be worth mentioning to release the rubber gator/boot clips on the tie rods when rotating as the twist associated will likely shorten their life. But a great instructional, thanks!

One of the best tutorials I have ever seen. Well done mate.

This is the kind of video I've been looking for. Great explanation! I'm going to try this on my car because it desperately needs it. You did an amazing job teaching how to do this! Thank you!

Finally a video that mentions the reference box needed to determine the body to wheel relationship. I see the string methods often use the body wheel wells to measure from, assuming the body can guide what straight really is, so as to not create a crab walk.

Best string alignment video I have seen on youtube, thanks

Thanks for your video. I’m a low budget RU-vid mechanic that depends on people like you.Makes total sense coming from a construction background. We’ll explained. Much love bro

Excellent description and walk through.

Excellent presentation. Loved your detailed explanation of the estimated turns needed on tie rod vs the typical "give it a 1/2 turn and retest".

Aren't you getting your negative and positive toe mixed up. Negative toe = toe out and positive toe = toe in. Apart from that technicality great instructional video

I am so proud that you uses millimeter ❤

Thank you sir! I now know more about alignments than i ever did before.

Awesome video guys! Very well spoken. Awesome detail and guidance throughout the video. I really don't have any suggestions for improvement. You covered the items needed and method to make the tooling needed for the process. Explained the process well. Bravo guys! Well done!

Awesome tutorial! Thank you.

Wow, this was incredible helpful. Thank you for sharing.

Very useful video! My car is trailing to the left for some time now, and I was hesitating to take a look at the suspension myself because I would have to align it afterwards. I'll save this guide for later use!

Thank you for taking the time to do this valuable video. I don't have a level surface in sight though lol. I managed to do a toe adjustment anyway.

Well done guys. Much appreciated.

Thank you. I just successfully used your DIY Alignment Method on my Audi A4 B5.5 Quattro. Worked perfectly on the first try!

Thank you. A thorough, concise and totally professional tutorial for us DYI'ers. You've taught me so much with your channel, especially with my son's Volvo, his first car. We watch the videos together and proceed with confidence after FCP Euro's pro tutorials.

This is such an in depth video! Love it!!

This is great! I did something similar at home, but yours is better for sure. I’m getting the stuff to do this.

I've been doing this for 20 years! 👍

Very good presentation. Thanks!

A really excellent explanation on how to set toe and camber, which I shall follow. Thank you.

very good explanation. easy to understand.... thanks a lot!!!

Good information, thanks

I've been seeing race mechanics do this kind of work at Sepang circuit where I work for decades and I'm always curious how this string alignment work. Finally you've answer all my questions. Tq

gracias por presentar ese método , con la tubería de pvc , no lo había visto.

How I learned on the frame rack was woth string alignment. Then the new laser system frame rack came out! Thank you for this video

This is one of the best tutorial videos on the art of aligning the wheels on the car. Best of all, you don't need fancy equipment to do it either, just simple PVC pipes, strings, and angle finder from HomeDepot and the rest of the tools most people would already have it. Best of all, this method works even for a high precision race car like the VW R36, it will work for every cars, with the exception of the actual mechanisms to make the adjustments on the actual camber and toe in in each model. I had always had my cars aligned at the dealer because they have the factory specs for camber and toe in but I will likely use the procedure outlined here to check and adjust if necessary in the future. I could even use the method to check if the dealer actually did their job correctly on my cars. Great video and very well done!

Thanks for the video!

Great video! Thanks!

Thank You! This helps. My son and I truly need the means to get things back squared away on our own. We are always wrenching and 'set the toe and let it go' is NOT for us. Attention to Detail matters!!

Great job! Best string method diy alignment video I have seen

You are very good at these, thanks for a great presentation and explanation!

I found this to be very informative and very well presented……great job.

Well done!

Great information, thank you for sharing!

What a great video! Easy to follow and likely very accurate. I'm a bit dyslexic so some things are hard for me. This one wasn't Thank you

You almost lost me a couple times but i think i got it! Very well done!

Fantastic vid. Thanks, and regards from the south side of the sound...

very helpful thankyou

Fantastic, I'll be doing that...

Great. I like to do realignment after beginners.

This is a great video, exactly what I needed

great video, great explanation!!! thank you.

Best diy alignment video!

I had to replace both rear trailing arm bushings on my 2003 Volvo S40. I didn't want to spend any extra on alignment. Followed this method carefully. I am amazed at the results. Car now tracks as it should. Only minor downside is adjusting the alignment without a lift can be time-consuming, as you may need to measure, jack up, adjust, lower, settle suspension and then measure again, several times!

People are talking about various hacks for making turning steering effortless. Here’s what I did, albeit for replacing steering fluid, but for any purpose this works: Get some bubble-wrap, I happen to have the insulation stuff that’s particularly useful as it has both sides the same, foil-covered and flat. Just make sure the smooth sides are together, otherwise. I cut two pieces for each side, basically about the diameter of the tyre or wheel say, and square ish. You need a pair for each side. Ordinary grease, smear one side only cos it’s easier, of the mating faces, plop the two pieces together with the grease sandwiched, on the ground, where the front wheels can be rolled over it. NOTE…I have a front wheel drive car, and a small slope on my drive, so I drove the car forward of where I wanted it and let it roll back, then applied the handbrake only, to stop the car in position, with the front tyres as close to the middle of the greased bubble wrap squares as possible. I then shoved a couple of bricks hard under the rear wheels, because only the handbrake and rear wheels are holding the car locked in position now. That’s it. The steering will turn free as a bird. It meant for power steering fluid replacement, I could easily spin the wheels fully to lock right and left as the fluid gurgled through, but I will now be digging out this almost-free couple of devices, to help with the alignment. I swear, I expected the bubbles to pop, not a single one did. Weird, no?! Thanks for this vid, take care all.

Thank you soo much for this video

It is very helpful. Thank you.

I like it :) this is the old school and it always works

Thank you so much! Subscribed🤙

Fantastic Video just what I needed to watch! Thanks lot appreciated it! thumbs up!

When you set the string line up for the front, you have to measure from the CENTRE of the wheel (fore and aft), where you measured it, 3-4 inches fwd of the centre, you are setting the zero to any error that is already in place.

great video, thanks for this

very cool... thanks!!

Good video! Thanks!

Amazing video!

I understood about half of it, thanks.

I agree that it's more accurate than shop alignment, much cheaper in the long run too, and you can do whatever you want, no risk of someone disagreeing with your decisions etc.

Really nice video on race car alignment ..

Excelent video many thanks

I LOVE THIS!

You are an excellent teacher❤️👍 subscribed!

very good video THX

This was awesome thank you!

Thank you very much! Subbed

Hey y’all got it goin on y’all’s videos. VERY WELL EXPLAINED you should have one of them supermarket mags Wheel Alingment for dummies. Thanks for all the info which Is spot on. Y’all are Top Shelf in my opinion 2 thumbs up RN4L

when doing camber, try not to use the tyre as it bulges at the bottom, maybe 60psi would help negate this error, but get a flat bar the correct rim length for the DIYers

Thank you

This is a very comprehensive, well done description of the toe alignment process. I would, however, always do the camber adjustment first, as it will effect the toe. I know this is mentioned in the video, but should be stressed more highly, even to 5he point of showing the camber adjustment first. Thanks for a great video.

Awesome. I do all my own work to my car and have just eyeballing it enough to drive it somewhere. Almost lost me for the reasoning on the front with the tierod position at “about 60 to 70%” compared to the outside of the wheel

I like this!

Great video

Boy, I've watch A LOT of videos about toe lately and, after finally *getting it*, can't get over how many 'experts' and even expensive tools out there that aren't taking into account the possibility that one wheel's toe may be very different than the one opposite it. Those methods and tools just assume to measure the total distance between both tires and split that difference as the target. Sigh.🙄 Good job with the vid, and thanks for redeeming my faith in humanity.

Awesome impressive superb very scientific the best alignment!

Same method I used with the PVC pipes except I didn’t use fishing line, which is a really good idea. I will do that next time.

AWSOME VIDEO

Just subscribed awesome video

Great!

Like seeing the Mini love! Doing this on my R53 this weekend.

My fellow c30 man shows me how to do an alignment :) Love these type of informational videos, keep doing it! And do more c30 vids!!

Toe out is negative and toe in is positive, not the other way around. Other than that great video.

I love fcp euro!