Keeping the front end of a vehicle in proper alignment is essential for motor vehicles. At the very least, an improper alignment can cause excessive wear and tear on tires and front end parts. Left unfixed long enough, serious damage can occur, perhaps dangerous enough that the front ends falls apart and an accident results. A few simple items around the garage can help a driver get by until he can get his vehicle to the shop for a professional alignment. But unless a person has professional-grade front-end tools at home, a lasting front end alignment is best left for an automotive shop.
A 2 by 4, cut to fit between the inner rims on a wheel and with an angled nail driven into one end, is the place to start for home alignment. It will have two functions: as a base for a level and as a scribe.
A carpenter's level is used in conjunction with the 2 by 4 to check the camber of a tire. The 2 by 4 is placed against the rim, with the level on it; where the bubble is on the level shows whether the camber on the wheel is properly adjusted.
On vehicles where the camber is off, shims can be placed between the control arms and frame bracket.
A tire jack is used to scribe the front end of the vehicle so the toe-in can be checked. The 2 by 4 is placed in the middle of the tire, and the tire should be used to gently scribe a line all the way around the center of the tires. The process is repeated for all four tires and the toe-in measured; anything under 1/16 of an inch of toe-in is within an acceptable range.
