Friday, June 1, 2012
Ruts are for driving straight
This past week or so we did a bunch of stuff on alignment. Because of my past in residential framing, finding plumb and square in objects that aren't is fairly easy for me. We used both string lines along with measuring tapes as well as lasers that told you what the toe, camber, and thrust is. Using the string and tape seemed very archaic, so obviously the lasers were easiest to use and required little to no thought in getting very accurate measurements. The hardest part when using the strings was measuring the thrust with the string line on a longer rig and not being able to see when the string was touching the front of the rear or intermediate tire. I'm not sure how to get around that. I was trying to wiggle the string a bit before bringing it close to the tire, then when it stopped I figured I was 'close'. The measurements I got when I used both methods varied a lot more than I would be comfortable at.
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Great line, "finding plumb and square in objects that aren't is fairly easy for me". Mind If I use that? (~:
ReplyDeleteOn the string, try to 'snap' it a bit and watch when the vibration stops when you hit the front edge of the tire. Works for me.
Define: a lot
The string line seemed to vary up to an inch, inch and a half. It makes sense to me why. Just like when your building a house. If the foundation isn't square, unless it's noticed before the framing, will always bite you in the ass when you get to the roof.
ReplyDeleteIf a rear axle is an eighth of an inch off in only the thirty inches of tire you are measuring (approximately) in twenty feet , then you're looking at an even inch out of alignment. So when I hold my string and can't see it touching exactly where it needs to, I get a little nervous. I much prefer the laser method not only because it's easier to setup, but because no one person will ever get a more accurate a measurement with the string method.
In my opinion.
As a student.