Chassis alignment system

A method of measuring the toe-in angle of the steering geometry of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of mounting relative to each of steerable axles of the vehicle an alignment tool, each alignment tool comprising a housing accommodating a laser emitting means, each housing having a mounting means adapted to enable the tool to be fixed to a respective steerable axle and to be movable therewith, each laser emitting means being disposed in the respective housing at a predetermined distance from the mounting means, the mounting means being further adapted to enable the laser emitting means to be oriented about the central axis of the respective steerable axle into a selected orientation, each laser beam being adapted to be emitted in a direction parallel to the respective central axis, each alignment tool having corresponding indicia marked upon a face thereof to provide a target for receiving the laser beam from the opposed alignment tool, co-aligning the alignment tools relative to each other, and positioning the steering so that the horizontal position of each beam on the opposed respective target corresponds with the horizontal position of the opposed beam on its respective target.

A method of measuring the camber angle of the steering geometry of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of mounting relative to each of steerable axles of the vehicle an alignment tool, each alignment tool comprising a housing accommodating a laser emitting means, each housing having a mounting means adapted to enable the tool to be fixed to a respective steerable axle and to be movable therewith, each laser emitting means being disposed in the respective housing at a predetermined distance from the mounting means, the mounting means being further adapted to enable the laser emitting means to be oriented about the central axis of the respective steerable axle into a selected orientation, each laser beam being adapted to be emitted in a direction parallel to the respective central axis, each alignment tool having corresponding indicia marked upon a face thereof to provide a target for receiving the laser beam from the opposed alignment tool for measuring vertical displacement from a reference, co-aligning the alignment tools relative to each other, and positioning the steering so that the vertical position of each beam on the opposed respective target corresponds with the vertical position of the opposed beam on its respective target.

In combination, a pair of alignment tools and a castor gauge, each alignment tool comprising a housing having a mounting means adapted to enable the tool to be fixed to a respective steerable axle and to be movable therewith, each laser emitting means being disposed in the respective housing at a predetermined distance from the mounting means, the mounting means being further adapted to enable the laser emitting means to be oriented about the central axis of the respective steerable axle into a selected orientation, each laser beam being adapted to be emitted in a direction parallel to the respective central axis, the mounting means being further adapted to enable the laser emitting means to be oriented about the central axis of the first steerable axle into a selected orientation, the castor gauge comprising a reference point, an indication relative to a reference plain and a angular gauge indicating angular displacement from said indication about said reference point.

A method of orienting the steering of a vehicle in a straight-ahead direction, the method comprising the steps of mounting relative to each of the steerable axles of the vehicle an alignment tool, each alignment tool comprising a housing having a mounting means adapted to enable the tool to be fixed to a respective steerable axle and to be movable therewith, each laser emitting means being disposed in the respective housing at a predetermined distance from the mounting means, the mounting means being further adapted to enable the laser emitting means to be oriented about the central axis of the respective steerable axle into a selected orientation, each laser beam being adapted to be emitted in a direction parallel to the respective central axis, co-aligning the alignment tools relative to each other, positioning a target at an equal distance between each of the alignment tools, the target comprising a pair of parallel faces having a reference point referable to each face, and positioning the target so that the beam from each alignment tool is incident upon a respective face at the position referable to said reference point, each beam being incident upon the respective face substantially normal to that face.

A chassis alignment tool comprising a housing accommodating a laser emitting means, the housing having a mounting means adapted to enable the tool to be fixed to a first steerable axle of a vehicle and to be movable therewith, the first steerable axle having a central axis, the laser emitting means being disposed in the housing at a predetermined distance from the mounting means and adapted, in use, to emit a beam in a direction parallel to the central axis, the mounting means being further adapted to enable the laser emitting means to be oriented about the central axis into a selected orientation, the housing further comprising indicia marked thereon relative to the point at which the beam is emitted from the alignment tool to provide a target adapted to receive a laser beam from a second chassis alignment tool mounted to an opposed second steerable axis.