DIY Wheel Alignment Tool

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Even the best classic bike won't corner correctly if its wheels are out of line. Les Howard has come up with an ingenious high-tech method to ensure one wheel follows the other, exactly... I've owned motorcycles for over 40 years, and repaired or renovated lots of them. ut of the all the maintenance !o"s that were required, there was always the one !o" that never wor#ed out to "e as easy as it seems. That !o" is ali$nin$ the rear wheel in relation to the front wheel% usually required after replacin$ the tyre or ti$htenin$ the chain. Havin$ a dead strai$ht piece of tim"er availa"le to hand or usin$ strin$ seems an easy enou$h method "ut in practice, due to the usual smaller width front tyre or centrestand $ettin$ in the way, it can often prove to "e a tedious !o". &ou need to move around to the front and "ac# of the "i#e over a$ain or $et someone to help as you try to line everythin$ up. 'ome people say it's an easy !o". I disa$ree. If the "i#e has cam-type ad!usters then the use of an accurate device is not necessary. (ut how do you chec# accurately in the first place) *ith the cheap and easily availa"le laser line tools availa"le at only a few pounds, the idea to ma#e an easy to use and accurate device was very temptin$. *ell I made one and lashed it up very quic#ly. 'ince then, somethin$ similar has "een seen elsewhere "ut my desi$n is "etter in a couple of ways. 'o here it is for your $oodselves to #noc# up in under an hour, at a cost of "etween +, and +-0 dependin$ on the price you pay for the two lasers.

.I& *heel /li$nment Tool

The unit is made from $ood old 0.1 which means it will "e cheap, easy to cut and sta"le especially if sealed with paint or varnish. &ou could choose to use quality plywood thou$h. /s I had an availa"le piece of -2mm 0.1, I used that. 3erhaps -4mm would "e "etter and a "it stron$er "ut the -2mm version as shown here wor#s well. The choice is yours. 'imilarly, the dimensions are not in any way critical and you can vary them as you wish "ut one has to ma#e it lon$ enou$h to span the diameter of the rear wheel at "etween a quarter and a third of its hei$ht from the $round. 0y shown version will fit up to -5-inch wheels. The whole thin$ can "e cut with a hand saw "ut an electric saw ta"le ma#es it sli$htly easier and quic#er. /s the laser is the source of accuracy don't worry too much. The ali$nment can still "e done and you will have perfect accuracy at the end.

.I& *heel /li$nment Tool in use

The tool is in two separate pieces only and has "uilt in clamps that quic#ly hold it securely to the tyre 6see note7. "viously the tool must "e used in a shady $ara$e or in low li$ht levels to show the laser lines pro!ected on the floor. The position and inclination of the device can quic#ly "e ad!usted to throw the "eam lines past the centre stand and show at the sides of the front wheel. It is !ust a matter of settin$ the front wheel dead ahead and seein$ instantly, even from the "ac# of the "i#e, the relative position of the wheel to the lines and hence the rear wheel ali$nment . &ou can then easily set the ad!usters to move the rear wheel so the "eams sit perfectly equidistant from the front tyre walls. 8sually the front tyre width is narrower than the rear and this will leave the "eams !ust half the difference either side of it. This is where my desi$n is superior to the other one, as the "eams trac# the rear tyre width and are not spaced away from it. Their unit usually required a si$htin$ "oard to aid the ali$nment "ut this is not necessary with my one. Construction Notes:

.I& *heel /li$nment Tool with main dimensions

-7 The two main arms are the same dimensions. They can "e cut "y hand "ut a saw ta"le ma#es it easier. The lar$er width 9 section holdin$ the laser units is a"out -:0mm lon$ 6not shown on the si;e photo7. It !ust needs to "e sli$htly lon$er than the laser unit. 27 The clampin$ pieces are !ust notched out with saw cuts. The slots are a"out <mm wide and are a"out half the len$th of the piece. The 0= coach "olts fit throu$h these slots to ti$hten the two "ars to$ether. :7 I simply $lued the clampin$ pieces to the main "ars and clamped them "oth to$ether with 3>/ wood $lue and let them dry overni$ht. &ou may wish to put in screws for stren$th "ut they seem o# without. 47 .rill =mm holes in the matchin$ position on the other "ar in line with the slots and $ently hammer in the =mm coach-"olts. They are 40mm lon$. I used ?penny washers? and win$ nuts for ti$htenin$ the clamps. ,7 (efore fittin$ the lasers, open up the front fi@in$ slot to a"out =mm and the rear hole to a"out ,mm diameter "y drillin$ $ently throu$h from the underside of the unit. This $ives the ad!ustment tolerance for settin$ the "eam as the screws are smaller than the holes. =7 The units are simply switched on and positioned until the full width of the "eams are visi"le on the upper surfaces at the "ars inner ed$es. 0a#e sure the "eams are parallel to the ed$es. Hold steady, and use a "radawl to mar# the positions, then use small cross headed self tappin$ screws to fi@ the units. 'mall ad!ustments can "e made to line up the "eam and then the screws reti$htened. A( you may wish to set the "eams in "y a"out --2mm from the ed$e to avoid the "eam clashin$ with the tyre ed$e which can sometimes happen dependin$ on tread type. The very small increase in the two "eams separation does not affect its accuracy. Beep the "eams a"solutely parallel to the ed$e thou$h, and do "oth sides the same. <7 I $uess for lon$ term usa$e it will "e "etter to seal it with varnish or use white paint. .on't try to spray with car paint as the paint will instantly disappear into the 0.1. 47 1or an easier slidin$ fit of the ad!ustment clamps, ru" a candle over the slidin$ surfaces to avoid any stic#in$.

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.I& *heel /li$nment Tool - in use, showin$ laser "eams on $ara$e floor, either side of front tyre

Usage Tips: 9i#e usin$ any tool for the first time, it could seem a "it fiddly to $et the thin$ to fit and wor# correctly. /fter followin$ these tips it will "ecome an easy tas# and you'll, hopefully "e impressed at the accuracy and eventual ease to which you can use it. -7 To start, find 2@ old tins such as an aerosol paint spray type or any similar si;e o"!ects 6wood "loc#s7 and place them on their side front and "ac# of the rear tyre. This will support the tool as you first fit the two halves to$ether and ti$hten the win$ nuts. 8ntil you $et the idea on how firmly to clamp up the unit it could fall down to the $round which I have to admit is annoyin$. Compress the 2 halves to$ether to "ite onto the tyre and firmly fasten the front nut. 27 Then an$le the unit so the laser lines can "e seen clearly at "e "oth sides of the front tyre. .ue to different centre stands, this may initially ta#e a "it of fiddlin$ to $et the "eams to pass clearly "y. *hen you have the position, compress the rear "ars to$ether and ti$hten the rear clamp firmly. It should stay in place.

:7 If at any times, when you're manoeuvrin$ it, one of the "eams simply vanishes% it is most li#ely that you are twistin$ the tool in relation to the tyre vertical. This will ma#e one of the "eams hit the tyre. nce you #now this, it is easy to chec# "y loo#in$ at the "eams and ma#in$ sure one isn't hittin$ the tyre. Turnin$ the tool perpendicular to the tyre will allow "oth "eams to pass "y the tyre. 47 nce you have it clamped on correctly, wal# around to the front of the "i#e and loo# down at the $aps "etween tyre and laser lines directly from a"ove. &ou will easily see any "ias towards one or the other as the misali$nment and so you then ad!ust the rear wheel to correct and have the "eams equidistant from the tyre ed$es. ,7 /s a further chec# that everythin$ is in line tool wise, you could measure the "eam separation distance as it leaves the unit and compare to the spacin$ at the most e@treme position of the pro!ected lines in front of the "i#e. They should "e e@actly the same i.e.D not diver$in$ or conver$in$. &ou will soon $et the han$ of usin$ it and fittin$ it under a minute and it's a very comfortin$ feelin$ to see clearly that your wheels are truly in line.

.I& *heel /li$nment Tool in use

E If the tyre wall is soft, to avoid mas#in$ the laser "eam, ad!ust the clamps so the "oard is in contact "ut not squashin$ the tyre. It will then "e easier and quic#er to choc# up the front and rear of the unit with a "loc# of wood or anythin$ handy, rather rely solely on the clamps. 8sually you will end up with a sli$ht tilt downward at the front for "est effect visi"le at the front wheel. /lso read the note in point = in the Construction Aotes. (ac#...