Homebrew camber angle gauge - anyone built one? Any good?

[Lunarmatic]

There are a few instructions for DIY camber gauges on the web (including one on the MR2 Mk1 Club webpage!). They're all basically the same and look simple enough to make.

http://www.mr2mk1club.com/repairsp103
http://www.instructables.com/id/EZFQZJIEXYEP287DY0/
http://www.toyheadauto.com/CasterCamberGauge.html

I was just wondering if anyone has built one and had any success using it? Would be nice not to have to fork out for wheel alignment whenever suspension components need to be renewed etc.

[j0nathan]

There are a few instructions for DIY camber gauges on the web (including one on the MR2 Mk1 Club webpage!). They're all basically the same and look simple enough to make.

http://www.mr2mk1club.com/repairsp103
http://www.instructables.com/id/EZFQZJIEXYEP287DY0/
http://www.toyheadauto.com/CasterCamberGauge.html

I was just wondering if anyone has built one and had any success using it? Would be nice not to have to fork out for wheel alignment whenever suspension components need to be renewed etc.

The MK1 club article was submitted by Bill Hulme, one of our local members. He is an ex engineer and just can't stop tinkering. Good guy to talk to even if he does get a tad technical at times. I think he will be at JAE this year - saw him on the list. Wander over to the MK1 Club stand and see if you can find him - he usually has the camber gauge in the boot.

We were discussing the camber gauge at Tatton earlier this year and he was explaining how some have made it but complain it does not work properly which it does. I'm basing this opinion on what Bill showed me and explained to me at the time. The error that people seem to make is not using a gauge marked off in suitably small increments - after all, what use is a camber gauge marked in 2 degree increments?

[PW@Woodsport]

i built one,it works superbly,accurate to within 1/4 of a degree,super idea by bill.

[Lunarmatic]

The MK1 club article was submitted by Bill Hulme, one of our local members. I think he will be at JAE this year

Unfortunately I wasn't at JAE so couldn't come to find him!

We were discussing the camber gauge at Tatton earlier this year and he was explaining how some have made it but complain it does not work properly which it does. .... The error that people seem to make is not using a gauge marked off in suitably small increments - after all, what use is a camber gauge marked in 2 degree increments?

I was wondering about that. Looking at the pictures on the mk1 website the angle measurement looks like it is solely determined by the large protractor-style thing so I was wondering how you could be very accurate just using that as a guide?
One of the other webpages that I listed has a gauge that uses a screw thread to control the angle of the plate that the spirit level sits on and this appeared to offer better control of the angle. Perhaps I am missing something with Bill's design?

[PW@Woodsport]

the accuracy is in the bubble float which is extremely sensitive to angle change,mark out the protractor in 1 deg increments and the pointer will show small adjustments within that degree.I double checked bills device against a professional camber gauge and its just as good but costs £10 to make.

[crazylegs]

i can second this. i have seen it in action,simple and it works. what more could you want ?
you have zero chance in noticing a 1/4 degree of camber angle anyway.

[tamiyauk]

Its a shame no one sells them, I don't have the time to make one buy would possibly but one if they were affordable.

[j0nathan]

Not quite the same but cheapest I could find in a brief search: http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp? ... er%20Gauge

Costs £30 + delivery. You can collect to avoid postage costs.

[tamiyauk]

Cheers j0nathan, they look good and very easy to use, does anyone have any opinions on these technically if they would be good enough?

[bill hulme]

Hi this is Bill Hulme having looked and read some of the reports on the camber angle gauge i made most people seem to be missing the point of using it (First of all clean the muck and mud from the back of the 2 main adjusting nuts and bolts) The most important part of the operation is being able to bolt the angle gauge in place of the wheel to the disc brake re-zeroing the bubble on the spirit level once this is established then you would adjust the angle gauge to the degree that you wish to alter your camber angle to. You then adjust the eccentric spacer to realign the bubble (I have found that on re tightening the adjusting nuts and bolts sometimes the bubble actually moves off centre and this has to be watched for and this is why it is important to bolt it to the brake drum) I bought mine from B&Q and is marked up in degrees you will find my telephone number at the end of my article on the Mk1 Website. Some people have made it adjustable to fit any size wheel on the first operation by elongating a slot where my was fixed and this is a good idea and i would probably use this myself.
hope this information is of help, best of luck Bill Hulme

[Mk1 Turbo Powered Steve]

Hi this is Bill Hulme having looked and read some of the reports on the camber angle gauge i made most people seem to be missing the point of using it (First of all clean the muck and mud from the back of the 2 main adjusting nuts and bolts) The most important part of the operation is being able to bolt the angle gauge in place of the wheel to the disc brake re-zeroing the bubble on the spirit level once this is established then you would adjust the angle gauge to the degree that you wish to alter your camber angle to. You then adjust the eccentric spacer to realign the bubble (I have found that on re tightening the adjusting nuts and bolts sometimes the bubble actually moves off centre and this has to be watched for and this is why it is important to bolt it to the brake drum) I bought mine from B&Q and is marked up in degrees you will find my telephone number at the end of my article on the Mk1 Website. Some people have made it adjustable to fit any size wheel on the first operation by elongating a slot where my was fixed and this is a good idea and i would probably use this myself.
hope this information is of help, best of luck Bill Hulme

Good to see you on here Bill,i didn't need to borrow your jacket at JAE this year but wish i had with all the rain on Saturday.
Didn't have much of a chance to speak to you this year,hopefully catch up next year.

[bill hulme]

I should have told you that when you have bolted the gauge to your brake
disc, it leaves your hands free to make any adjustments, so you can
watch the bubble on the level come to the centre. bill hulme.