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How to Perform Wheel Alignment by Yourself

1A Auto: Repair Tips & Secrets Only Mechanics Know

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For More Info visit us at: https://1aau.to/h-J9

In this video, 1A Auto shows you how to perform a wheel alignment by yourself

🔧 List of tools used:
• Complete Metric Wrench Set
• Locking Pliers
• Wire or String
• Cardboard
• Jack Stands
• Measuring Tape

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⚠ DISCLAIMER:
While 1A Auto strives to make the information provided in this video as accurate as possible, it makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or applicability of the content. No information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. All do-it-yourself projects entail some risk. It is the sole responsibility of the viewer to assume this risk. 1A Auto is not responsible or liable for any loss damage (including, but not limited to, actual, consequential, or punitive), liability, claim, or any other injury or cause related to or resulting from any information posted in this video.

20 Comments

@1AAuto Creator 6 years ago (edited) Pinned

√ Watch the Video
√ Buy The Part at 1A Auto https://1aau.to/m-Visit-1AAuto
√ Do it Yourself
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@grady.M12.83 5 years ago

I would just be happy that my ford focus started

@1marcelfilms 2 years ago

Sure take it to a repair shop. So they can completely mess up your hard work and end up having to do it again yourself

@MountainParameters 1 year ago

For anyone following this procedure, at the 7:00 mark you may want to place a wrench to the right of the lock nut when you loosen and tighten it so that you do not place lateral torque and thus excessive force on the ball and socket at the tie rod end.

@rexsolomon6325 1 year ago

They can have all the fancy lasers and tools, but if the guy holding the wrench simply doesn't care, all that instrumentation won't matter. That's why people prefer to adjust their car's alignment by themselves.

@ftnrbhmwk 5 years ago

Big Shout out to the camera man . Zooming in underneath the car For that tire rod..👍👍👍👍👍

@johnrockley9472 3 years ago

One of my first vehicles in the '60's amongst other things it chewed the edge of the front tyres. I paid for alignment, it was worse! I had little money but an ad. for budget repairs caught my eye. This old guy laid a metal tray device in front of each tyre and I helped him push the vehicle over it, he read off numbered marks on the tray and he adjusted the track rods. We did this a few times until he was happy. He charged very little and it completely cured the problem!

@brigadierblue221 3 years ago

As a woman this channel is a Godsend. It's so hard to find people/places to learn car related stuff from and car shops always want to take advantage because we don't know any better. Now I can do so much by myself. It's fun and saves me money 💯💯💕💕

@cosmicbrambleclawv2 3 years ago

It might be a obvious tip, but one thing I've always heard/seen when adjusting tie rods is to hold the outer end with a wrench as you adjust the inner rod. That way you don't put any un-needed stress or twist tension on the outer rod

@doyourbest7655 3 years ago

So about the adjustment. If your rod has 16 threads per inch, one revolution would be 1/16 inch obviously. Then if the measurement from the wheel pivot to the tie rod is 3 inch and the rim diameter is 15 that ratio is 5. One turn is 5/16 adjustment in your front to back toe in. Bottom line, I only want to do that string set up once only if I can help it. Great video. I use your technique to set the alignment on my road grader this way because the tire shop told me to “get out of here” when I brought it in.

@nickyborrisino 1 year ago (edited)

We’ve been using string since the 1960’s, but we wrap the string around the back of the rear wheel tire, touch it to the front part of the rear wheel tire with string pulled tight and then gauge distance at front tires (if wheels are same size and not staggered).

@AndyB-l8d 7 months ago (edited)

If you do this procedure to the specifications for your vehicle, it's a perfect accurate not temporary toe alignment for the front end. Since I've learned this procedure I haven't gone back to the alignment shop.

@rickibrown9090 5 years ago

Guys at a race track use the string method to set up and adjust their race cars on practice nights.When I lived in Nashville my neighbor was Bobby Hamilton and I would go to Nashville's Racetrack at the fairgrounds where they have the half mile track and a quarter mile track inside or the half mile track.So Bobby would help guys sort out their race cars.He was an awsome driver.If a guy's car was handling terrible,he could take it for a couple of laps and tell from the seat if his pants what was off.He would tell their pit crew what to adjust and the car would handle right.I once ask him what the difference between the Winston Cup cars and the Grand National Cars was.He said the Winston Cup cars had so much more horsepower that if you floored it when crossing the 12inch painted finish line they would break the rear tires loose.He can a decent career but never was able to get the tip of the line equipment and team that the top 8 or 10 drivers had.He won 4 Winston Cup Races and Raced from 1989 to 2005.Unfortunately he passed away in January 2007.

@pauljones885 4 years ago (edited)

Hey A1 Auto. I have watched many of your videos and learned a lot. I just wanted to say thank you for putting them up and making them available for the public's use. Obviously, you want to sell parts which is cool, but anyone can come watch your vids whether they purchase from you or not and hopefully make their own repairs and save some money. I usually watch two or three different videos to compare, but yours are the standard I hold everyone else to. They are cleanly done, nice clear pictures and dialogue and highly informative for the driveway mechanic like me. Thanks again and Merry Christmas! I am going to check out your website next and see what kind of deals you have for parts!

@swbusby 11 months ago

The sliding cardboard under the wheels idea is awesome!

@roshi98 4 years ago

This is helpful because I live 90 miles away from the nearest shop that can do alignments and there can be up to a two-week wait to get a complete four-wheel alignment done. Had to replace both inner and outer tie-rods recently and this at least ensures I'm not burning up my tires over the 10 days when I take it to the shop.

@mmmyeahh 4 years ago

Thanks 1A auto ! Also mechanic shops should thank you as well for telling us to follow up the already good alignment to get another equally good alignment. 😆

@dogface720 4 years ago

I have a 2005 Ford Focus this is 2022 the car has 322,600 MI and still runs good it's a 2.0 duratec with a 5-speed manual best car ever had

@MAV44444 3 years ago

The most impressive thing is that focus running 😂😂

@josherhard7808 4 years ago

Easier way is to just put two thin boards against the outside of each front wheel. Then measure between the boards in front and behind the tires. Should be the same adjust until the distance between boards is exactly the same