Alignment System

[flynfrog]

So what?

So when F1 concerns themselves with measurements to the second decimal concerning aero coefficients, you do not think similar accuracy is necessary when doing suspension alignment?

Are you able to volunteer what level of accuracy is used in NASCAR for suspension alignment?

Brian

We would adjust indy cars down to .002 shims using nothing but string and some calipers. even a .030" error in measurement isn't that much across a 14" wheel. You are probably lucky if the wheel is still that true after a few races.

I'm not sure why you think the string method is lacking. Its pretty hard to beat for speed vs accuracy. You could bring in a laser tracker and get within .0005" but it would add probably an hour or two to setup and the car will be 0% faster. You also have a fair amount of slop deflection in the suspension components so you start chasing your tail pretty quick

[Jersey Tom]

Not every single thing on the car needs to be held to the finest possible tolerance, despite what some documentaries and promotional material might have you believe. Parts can be made to less than 0.001" tolerance, but do you think they hold that tight of a tolerance on, say, the wheelbase? Do you think they need to?

This.

Also, not every single thing on the car needs to be held to fine precision all the time. Sometimes time is the enemy, you might need to just get a quick alignment and go.

[riff_raff]

Many of the surfaces used are referred to as "ruled" surfaces. A ruled surface is defined by sweeping the end points of a straight line along two offset curves. It may also be possible that they are checking the swept clearance to a rotating component.

[marcush.]

is it necessary to drivel onand on about the pros and cons of setting up a car to microns ?
It might help to watch this:


sure it is a road car ,but on the other hand a formula 1 machine does produce a fair set of forces rather quickly .So your static measurements are nothing important really if your system does not show absolute repeatability over temperature and force generation no matter which one of the batch of parts produced is actually going on the car....I feel it´s just too many variables to even consider minute adjustments and overboard precision targets will help you understand the main picture .
I could be terribly wrong of course.