Here's Why THE DIY STRING ALIGNMENT SUCKS!!

Here's Why THE DIY STRING ALIGNMENT SUCKS!!
Here's Why YOU SHOULD NEVER EVER DIY STRING ALIGNMENT!!

In this video I talk about why, I think, you should never attempt to align your own vehicle with the string alignment method or any other method for that matter. The string alignment only measures for toe-in and toe-out. It does not cover caster or camber.

***This channel is for entertainment purposes only! Do not do what I do. Do not take my advice. I am not a professional. The methods I use may be completely wrong and/or dangerous. Please seek professional help with anything and everything and do your own due diligence (research). Working on cars is extremely dangerous. I am not responsible for any loss of life or limb or property. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. THIS CHANNEL IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!***

FTC Disclaimer: I am an Amazon affiliate. As such, I earn a percentage of sales made through Amazon Affiliate links found in the description of my videos and on my website and other places.

[MattsRageFitGarage]

Did a string toe alignment on my truck almost 6 years ago. Took it to have it checked and it was within spec. Alignment guy admitted half their guys can't even get them that good with the machine and said that was pretty damn good. Still no tire wear issues. I felt pretty good leaving that place.

[KLsuperspeed]

This method certainly works, the problem is that unless your rear wheels are in perfect alignment the "methods" you used will never work correctly. You need to have a decent understanding of geometry and vehicle suspension design to accomplish this if the rear wheels are not at 0 degrees toe, or better yet your old truck frame is is bent.
So here it goes, you first need to research your vehicle and figure out your wheel base and track width front and rear, then any factory rear toe built in. (i run a 2.5" wider front track on my race car and boy will you get some funny results if you use the methods you probably tried.) the only guaranteed accurate "method" is to build a square box ( you don't need a bar like others have mentioned but it is easier.) Start at the end with the wider track width (if same it doesn't matter) measure from the CENTER of the wheels to the string and make them the same on both sides, I use a calibrated metric scale to get this down to the mm.
Now measure your string to string distance at that end, write it down! Move to the other end of the vehicle and measure the string to string distance to figure out how much you need to adjust in total, measure from the center of the wheel to the string on the both sides and adjust the strings in or out until both sides read the same number (will not be the same at both ends if you don't have a square track width.) at this point measure the string the string distance again, it should be the same as the number you wrote down earlier, if not start over and check your work.
Go back and verify the end you started on by measuring the center of wheel distance again, it doesn't need to be the same as it was just equal side to side. Keep doing this until the front two wheels and the rear two wheel are reading the same, and the front and rear string measurements are the same. You now have a square alignment frame to make toe adjustment. A set of toe plates is also nice to have for sanity checks but certainly not needed. This process is tedious and not fast by any means but is critical to ensure your have a known zero reference to set toe off of. There are a few good videos and write ups out there using this method, follow those. As a side note we are talking about 1-2 mm toe adjustments here so "close enough" won't cut it. If done correctly this can take hours start to finish. Also lock down your steering wheel before you start.
Again some cars you get lucky on and they have zero toe and and square track width and the simple "short" methods will work on them just fine. When you use the around the back tires and other methods your are truly only aligning the front wheel to the rear wheel and not side to side. My guess is that your rear alignment was off from the modifications and you had no chance at getting the fronts correct. I would suggest you try the alignment box method and see how it compares to the printout from the shop then make another video about it but please don't say this method doesn't work, it is extremely accurate if the user knows what they are doing.

[johnj]

I did the string alignment on my 82 range rover, workes like a charm. No professional alignment shop in my area ever got it this amazingly. So i don't know what happened with you, it worked great with me. Anyways regards from Lebanon and keep up the good videos!!!

[Kevin-dqhb]

You need to be smarter than the string.

[therightfulheir]

3 different alignment shops and my truck still pulled, 30 mins with string straight as an arrow

[Dantutz]

Well, it's a fact that lack of knowledge of basic things will always lead to "it does not work".

[Wrenchmonkey]

Next time you're at a race track, be sure to stop by each team's tech crew and inform them that the string method doesn't work. They'll certainly all be surprised and, no doubt, grateful to you for stopping by to share this priceless wisdom with them. ;)

[darinkummrow]

If you don’t know what you’re doing...this may not work. I work on the NASCAR team and I use the string method before every race to get the car spot on for over 200 miles an hour. Better keep your day job bud🚀

[path]

"I want it done right" uses a pipe wrench to knarl up parts, otherwise he has interesting videos and speaks clearly, seems to research projects good and I'm real jealous of the rust free trucks,

[stephan]

Done properly you can get your vehicles alignment just as good as a alignment rack but it all depends on you and your abilities, remember vehicle alignment is 3 dimensional so if you are off on one you will be off on the rest.

[mikebrost]

Okay, so you're saying supercup teams that compete and use this in-between laps to tune are inept?

You are the inept one, you need a bar to regulate jack width, there is nothing to do with wrapping the tires to align. It sounds like your strings weren't parallel and given you had no bar to measure between left and right I can almost guarantee that.

Laughable.

[BrianHSC]

4:15 Well, there's your answer. String method wont work on alignment so "Out of whack". It's for factory aligned cars that needs to be adjusted slightly. Sounds like yours was all over the place on all 4 tires.

[walterlancaster]

Replaced upper & lower control arms, tie rods, front half shafts, etc. on my son's 2008 4x4 Ranger. Used the string method with me under the truck and him measuring (and supposed to ensure the steering wheel was straight). Only did toe. Worked perfectly except for the crooked steering wheel.

[bbmas]

As you said the string line method is for setting up your toe. If your front caster and/or camber was out after you'd installed the kit (as you alluded to), you can have made exact toe measurements yet as you found it'll pull one way or the other. There is nothing wrong with the string method, its just that you were expecting straight tracking when other things were out but at that point hadn't been attended to. Also did you have skid plates under your front tyres. They can be 2 nylon table place mats on top of each other with baby powder between them under each wheel, two sheets of aluminium with grease between them etc. If your tyres were on the ground and you were adjusting the tie rods for toe, there would have been so much binding that you wouldn't have gotten an exact measurement. A tip for the front - just use toe plates and tape measures. On the front end each wheels angles relative to a datum is not really relevant. Just have the wheel straight, set the front toe for the TOTAL toe measurement you need and then go for a drive. The fronts will obviously find their equilibrium. If the steering wheel is in the centre then that's a win. If it say left hand down well next time you drive into the garage, again have the wheel straight. You know the tyres are then pointing out to the right. So go say 1/2 a turn on BOTH sides tie rods. You wont be changing total toe if you do them together and equally but you'll be straightening up the tyres relative to the steering wheel. As seen in the vid though you need to know your camber and caster are ok for this to hold true.

[sirsweetness]

I tested your feelings today.

I did an alignment on a 4 wheel adjustable sedan and it is the best alignment this car has had and the first one I have done on this car. This car tracks great and feels great. Used 4 identical jack stands and thin twine and a HF caliper. Used a ratchet strap on the steering wheel to keep it straight and car drives well.

About a year ago I took it to a shop in my area that specializes in frame repair and suspension work and they could not get it right after taking it back twice. The owner did the alignments and his helper told me that it did not matter if steering wheel is off center as you drive straight. I told him he shouldn’t be in the industry if he believes that. I have not been back and posted a 2 star review online.

[garage]

You know formula one uses the string method and almost every professional racing team.

[rklinger]

Maybe now that every thing is in its proper alignment caster camber&toe the string might work. Set it up again and see how it looks.

[ToddKing]

The toe being out will not cause a pull. So you can adjust toe with your string and make it perfect you're never going to fix a pull. It's usually a camber issue. Caster has to be off a bunch to cause a pull. 20 year ASE certified auto tech.

[milolll]

Now it is aligned, check it with the string method to see what a right reading is like. I did the string method like half a dozen times to finally get it right. It is doable, but there are some details that are hard to pin down in the first few times.

[petersomthing]

Done my xtrail with string, after i put new track rod ends on it drove straight, took to have it have a proper alignment, , guy said it was ok