Quick Wheel Alignment Check for Under $5!

This is a quick way to check your wheel alignment after you have done some suspension work. It only cost me $5 for some nylon string, but any string will work. After doing this, you can adjust your steering components as necessary and make your vehicle drivable until you can take it in for an actual alignment. Pretty useful life hack and takes under 10 minutes to do both side.
Links to some of my other videos:
A Look at My First Big DIY Projects - • Video
Propane vs Charcoal Grills - • Propane vs. Charcoal G...
DynaTrap DT2000XL Mosquito Trap Review - • DynaTrap DT2000XL Mosq...
Gorilla Tape Waterproof Patch and Seal: DIY Pool Patch - • Gorilla Tape Waterproo...
Gorilla Tape Waterproof Patch and Seal DIY Pool Patch Part 2 - • Gorilla Tape Waterproo...
How to Make BBQ Pulled Pork - • How To Make BBQ Pulled...
NTPA Truck and Tractor Pull at Monroe County Fair 2022 - • NTPA Truck and Tractor...
THE BEST Way to Make Venison Backstraps! - • How To Make Venison Ba...
#alignment #lifehacks #shorts #subscribe #youtube #midwest #american #dadstuff #youtuber #diy #automotive #howto

[@user-sf4il5kd5k]

Seems pretty simple.

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

It is. You can adjust your tie rods to get the alignment close enough so you can at least drive your vehicle while waiting for an actual alignment. I'll be posting a video on how to do your own alignment so your vehicle is drivable soon.

[@leelakrishna4488]

@@MidwestAmericanDadStuff can you send me full link and guide me through the alignment...

[@leelakrishna4488]

@@MidwestAmericanDadStuff I'm pulling right side in the highway or when I leave the steering above 25 mph

[@foxwood67]

I’ve done this more than once after replacing suspension parts. It works great.

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Game changer if you have to wait a week or more to get in for an alignment.

[@robertmcqueen7314]

I'm and old school mechanic and was very commonly done back in the day and have to admit I've done it a few times in recent years

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

It's a great way to help you get the alignment close for the time being. I do this anytime I do tie rods because it's usually a few days before I can in for an alignment on an actual rack.

[@byronrichards3001]

Thanks alot for this advice. Your knowledge and experience is very much appreciated. Keep informing the people...

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

No problem, glad to help.

[@hayivan]

This video helped me so much

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Glad to help!

[@heavygaming8993]

This is a great trick to see how out of alignment a car is. It will be hard to see how much front verses rear is out but still a good first diagnostic test

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Yup! Just a quick way to help you make it driveable after steering or suspension work until you can get into an alignment shop.

[@HDtone23]

This is a good method💯

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Thanks 💯

[@businessraptor134]

Eagles had the coolest interiors out of any car I've ever been in. All about the driver.

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

I agree. I've had this one for going on 10 years now. Such a fun car to drive too! Not bad for being "stock". 😉

[@jessekozlowski3958]

Damn this is a great idea!

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

It works really well!

[@dirtyaznstyle4156]

Depends what your rear suspension is like. Solid axle under leaf springs, multi link etc, any damage or misalignment just has you crab walking down the road

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

True. This is not an end all be all. Just a way to check any work you have done or any suspicions you may have until you can get in for an actual alignment.

[@kellymyrkle7741]

I know those dsm guages! Sweet car!!

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Thanks! 91 Talon Awd 5 speed!

[@AmadeeDizSua]

I had 4 when I was younger, those cars move

[@PeteLenk]

DEPENDS UPON THE TRACK DIMENSION. Only works if front and back track are exactly the same.

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Still gives you an idea as to how off it is.

[@egjr2722]

Brilliant!

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Thanks!

[@Jayzc66]

That is so awesome

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

It's gotten me out of a pinch a few times. Lol

[@Jayzc66]

@@MidwestAmericanDadStuff lol nice!

[@user-jr8qj8fi8o]

Now we need a video on how to make the adjustments

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

There will be a video on that in the next couple days.

[@XYLEAN594]

@@MidwestAmericanDadStuff link ? I can’t find it

[@timtrial3971]

What if your rear track width is wider or narrower than the front?

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

You have to do some math and figure out which side would be touching first and how far off it would be on the other side of the wheel. You essentially would have to draw out a triangle with your measurements (wheelbase and difference in track width) and the angle (one 90* angle), with these figures, you can plug it into a slope triangle formula and figure out what the difference should be between the front and the rear of the wheel you are trying to align. Once again though, this is just a way to get your alignment close and driveable until you can get in for an actual alignment.

[@yamahondakawzki2616]

True! Most vehicles don't have same front and rear widths.

[@cheetahchrome4402]

I miss my Talon Tsi 500hp on a 4g63 with stock internals.

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Mine's around that power range on stock internals too!

[@ColdWarVet607]

Seems simple and logical but you are assuming the back wheel is straight as your reference and that is not a great assumption, its why they do 4 wheel alignments. Yet though, it tells you something is out of alignment or your steering wheel center is not center with the wheels due to a dozen reasons which is another issue to think about, but all in all I guess thats cool. Nicely done!

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Correct. It's not ideal, but as the description says, it'll get you by until your alignment appointment.

[@flacojaquez3598]

Can you do one for four wheelers

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

I can do that.

[@Propnut48]

Won’t work if the track on the rear is wider or narrower than the front. If it shows like the video here the steering wheel is off if the offset is the same from left to right. (IE: touching on the front of one tire and touching on the rear of the other tire. )

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Like the description says, it's a quick way to get you by until your alignment appointment. If you do tie rods and your car is all over the place, this will give you an indication as to why. That's also why it is titled as "alignment CHECK".

[@user-nh4hr8hq1i]

What if rear toe is out?

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Should be able to adjust if you can tell it's out. This is just a way to be able to make it driveable until you can get in for an actual alignment.

[@eldianmolina4920]

My steering wheel is crooked now but then again on of my tires was bald from the inside is that the casue or can anyone wxplain

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

If your tire is bald on the inside, that means that either the wheel is toe'd out slightly (front of the wheel pointing away from the body of vehicle) or there is too much negative camber ( top of the tire angles into the body) from worn ball joints or worn out struts.

[@marcass100]

What if rear wheels base is longer?

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

It's a little more involved, but the same concept. You still wrap the string around the rear wheel the same, but tie the other end to something like a spare jackstand or something in the front and pull it tight and move it until the string just barely touches the front part of the rear wheel, then use a tape measure and measure the front and rear part of the front wheel to the string and adjust so they are relatively the same distance. This will also be enough to get you by until you can take your vehicle in for an actual alignment.

[@eldianmolina4920]

Why did i do mine and the steering wheel turned

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

What do you mean? When you tried to adjust your tie rods to align it?

[@lukethompson7970]

So wierd I’m looking to align my 91 eclipse and I see this steering wheel lol

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Looked pretty familiar huh? Lol

[@devinmoore6358]

Still not going to check camber

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Correct. However, this car is lowered so I already know the camber is off slightly, but not enough to wear out these tires by the time I can get it in for an actual alignment.

[@anonymousdrft]

Is that a 2nd gen eagle talon!?

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

1st gen. Awd 5 speed 🙂

[@anonymousdrft]

@@MidwestAmericanDadStuff 😀 even better! Haha. I thought my 1g had a different looking cluster but it’s been a while.

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

I have a 2g Eclipse that's awd swapped in the garage, been blown up for years now lol. Gonna be building it someday. Might post some videos about that when the time comes.

[@MrJrakk]

And what if your rear is off and you're just fucking the front up to match the rear

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Then you half ass fixed your vehicle because, as the description says, this is only to get you by until your alignment appointment after you have done tie rods or something.

[@L0veeSkyy]

How do I fix that problem

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Never got a chance to make a video on how to correct it due to health issues.

[@adeyemibabatunde1814]

​@@MidwestAmericanDadStuff May Almighty God heal and restore you. Amen

[@user-jr8qj8fi8o]

The string works better than a laser beam

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

In a DIY application, I agree because it's very difficult to get the laser perfectly parallel to the vehicle. And string is super cheap. Lol

[@joshpetermann3737]

Dsm

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

1g awd!

[@defritzel]

my lord...forget the alignment....figure out those wheels.....

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Paint on em is like 10 years old. Lol the rest of the car is just as ugly so it doesn't bother me.

[@guerra_santa]

Seems pretty inaccurate

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

More inaccurate than driving with the wheel held at a 45 degree angle on your way to work until you can get into a shop for an alignment? Read the description.

[@cookiesdad]

lmao it sounds like ur steering wheel isnt straight this is not good advice

[@MidwestAmericanDadStuff]

Advice? You mean how to check how off your tie rods can be before taking it down the road and trying to drive your vehicle? Go ahead and end up in a ditch then my guy. Lol