Vehicle alignment system and method incorporating digital photograph database of vehicles

A method of operating alignment apparatus for adjusting the suspensions of numerous different vehicle models comprising the steps of:

• selecting from a plurality of vehicle models a particular vehicle model to be adjusted;
• displaying a digital photograph of the portion of the suspension of the particular vehicle model under test which may require adjustment, said digital photograph being retrieved from a collection of digital photographs;
• displaying adjustment instructions in connection with the digital photograph;
• and
• following the displayed adjustment instructions to adjust the suspension of the vehicle if necessary.

A system for facilitating the inspection and alignment of the suspensions of numerous different vehicle models comprising:

• manually operable means for selecting a particular vehicle model to be inspected and adjusted;
• means for prestoring a number of digital photographs depicting predetermined actual wear and adjustment points for the alignment and suspensions of a plurality of different actual vehicle models;
• display means for displaying digital photographs;
• controller means responsive to the selection of a particular vehicle model by the selecting means for providing, if available, at least one of the stored digital photographs for that particular vehicle model to the display means for display, said displayed digital photograph depicting at least one of said predetermined wear and adjustment points of the selected vehicle model;
• at least some of said digital photographs having associated therewith visual indicia indicating to the user inspection points for the particular vehicle model being depicted and at least some of said digital photographs having associated therewith visual indicia indicating to the user adjustment points and instructions for adjusting the particular vehicle model being depicted.