Wes;

John Muir's Idiot Manual had a "shade-tree method", which I believed was
described as good enough to get you to the alignment shop for final
adjustment...

Gus
'90 GL/ auto trans

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of pickle vanagon
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 4:36 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: DIY alignment? (Also, alignment numbers)

Alignments are the one thing I find myself taking a vanagon to a shop
for.
I would love to find a way to do a good job at them myself.  Does
anybody have good "backyard mechanic" ways of doing their alignments?

While I'm at it, let me throw out the numbers that came back from my
Sears alignment today, in case anybody wants to comment.  They only
ended up doing a toe adjustment.  I note that several parameters are
still out of specified ranges.  What should I think about this?

Thanks!
Wes
'83 1.9l westy

Front Left:
                 Now | Before | Specified Range Camber  0.0 | 0.0 | -.5*
, .5*
Caster    6.8* | 6.8* | 7.0*, 7.5*
Toe        .17* | -.13* | .04*, .29*
SAI          13.8* | 13.8* | N/A
Included Angle 13.8* | 13.8* | N/A

Front Right:
                 Now | Before | Specified Range
Camber    0.0 | 0.0 | -.5*, .5*
Caster      6.5* | 6.5* | 7.0*, 7.5*
Toe          .17* | .46* | .04*, .29*
SAI          15.3* | 15.3* | N/A
Included Angle 15.3* | 15.3* | N/A

Front
                 Now | Before | Specified Range Cross Camber  0.0 | 0.0
| -1.0*, 1.0* Cross  Caster .2* | .2* | N/A Cross SAI  -1.5* | -1.5* |
N/A Cross Toe .34* | .33* | .08, .58*

Rear: Left
                 Now | Before | Specified Range
Camber    -1.3* | -1.3* | -1.3*, -.3*
Toe          .26* | .25* | -.17* .17*

Rear: Right
                 Now | Before | Specified Range
Camber    -1.9* | -2.0* | -1.3*, -.3*
Toe         .02* | .03* | -.17* .17*

Rear:
                 Now | Before | Specified Range Cross Camber .7* | .6* |
N/A
Total Toe         .28* | .28 * | -.33* .33*
Thrust Angle    .12* | .11* | N/A