Wheelless alignment apparatus and method of using same

A wheelless alignment apparatus for a vehicle having a strut assembly, a rear wheel and a removed front wheel, comprising:

• rigid fixture means secured to the vehicle in place of the removed front wheel for pivotally supporting the strut assembly;
• turntable means for supporting movably said rigid fixture means;
• said rigid fixture means including a rod coupled thereto and extending outwardly therefrom for facilitating the measurement of thrust;
• a thrust line coupled at one end thereof to said rigid fixture;
• thrust bar means having a hole therethrough for receiving said rod therein to help couple said thrust line to said rigid fixture, said thrust bar means including indicia thereon to aid in determining the thrust;
• a thrust collar secured to another end of said thrust line to help ascertain the thrust;
• and
• thrust measuring means coupled to the rear wheel for receiving slidably said thrust collar thereon, said thrust measuring means including indicia thereon to facilitate measuring the thrust.

A method of aligning a vehicle with a strut assembly in a wheelless manner, comprising:

• using a rigid fixture means having a strut assembly coupling portion and including a pair of spaced apart support leg portions for helping to support the vehicle, and a turntable means;
• coupling a plate means to said strut assembly coupling portion;
• selecting a horizontal offset position from a horizontal position adjustment means for said support leg portions;
• selecting a vertical offset position from a vertical position adjustment means for said support leg portions;
• coupling said horizontal position adjustment means and said vertical position adjustment means;
• and
• pivoting said support leg portions relative to the vehicle for supporting said rigid fixture means.

A method of aligning a vehicle with a strut assembly, an installed rear wheel, and a removed front wheel, in a wheelless manner, comprising:

• securing a rigid fixture means having a rod coupled thereto, and extending outwardly therefrom, to the vehicle in place of the removed front wheel;
• supporting said rigid fixture means with a turntable means;
• disposing a thrust bar on said rod;
• coupling one end of a thrust line to said thrust bar;
• disposing a thrust gauge rod at said rear wheel, and extending outwardly therefrom at a right angle thereto;
• disposing a thrust collar at another end of said thrust line;
• positioning said thrust collar over said thrust gauge rod to measure the thrust.

A kit for performing a wheelless alignment of a vehicle having a strut assembly, comprising:

• a pair of rigid fixture assemblies, said fixture assemblies including a strut assembly coupling portion, a pair of support leg portions, and a pair of horizontal position adjustment flanges having a group of horizontal offset openings;
• a pair of pivot bars, each pivot bar including two spaced apart pairs of fixture height members extending upwardly therefrom and having a group of vertical offset openings, each of said pairs of fixture height members being spaced apart to receive said associated horizontal position adjustment flanges therebetween;
• coupling means for coupling pivotally said horizontal position adjustment flanges to said pairs of fixture height members;
• a pair of turntables for supporting movably said rigid fixture assemblies;
• a ride height measurement means for determining one of said group of vertical offset openings to utilize;
• and
• tire width measurement means for determining one of said group of horizontal offset openings to utilize.