Laser Wheel alignment

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi guys, first post so go easy :slight_smile:

Had my Arduino Uno for a few years now and not really decided on a use other then to play with. We'll i love my cars (Do all the work except MOT's my self) and i also love programming (its my job :slight_smile: ) so combining them sound's brilliant.

I'm always tinkering with my suspension and steering and when i do more often then not my toe is out, see pic for non car people :slight_smile:

So i want to build some form of rig that can be placed along the front surface of each wheel and measure the distance between both wheels left and right side. This should allow me to be able to calculate an angle of Toe in/out and either alter the Toe or just confirm i haven't sent it wildly out. Iv'e been doing this in the past with tape measures but that's tedious and prone to greater error.

Then could then be extended with a display and speaker where i could enter the degree of toe desired and it could beep to indicate if im adjusting it in the right direction and when im at the level desired.

From a programming point of view im quite happy with what i'd have to do, also from the fabrication side of things. My main concern (Which is why im asking advice on my project) is does the Arduino have sensor acurate enough to perform this task? The only sensors ive been able to find are Ultra Sonic and IR. Ultra sonic wont work as i need to measure distance between two specific fixed points. However the juries still out on the IR. I will be doing the work out side when using these so i don't know how well IR would work, also with the distance.

Thanks all for any advice and of cause ill report back with my progress as i build it (if its feasible)

2

is this while stilling in the garage on a flat and level surface ?
or is this while driving ?

in a garage, you could attach a couple lasers and have layered targets.
since getting the steering wheel dead center if the first priority, you start there.
then with two targets, one at say, 5 feet and the second at say, 10 feet, the laser would pass through the first and then to the second.

you could have these targets set with sensors that would feedback. Majel Barrett's voice would be my pick.

3

Hi thanks for the quick reply.

This will be on flat land whilst the vehicle is stationary, however out doors. I don't have a garage.
I already have a tool made up to lock the steering wheel.

Like i said i already use this method but with tape measures to measure the distance on either end. Id like to replace these tape measures with the Arduino. Ive drawn an image up to better describe how i mean as i don't fully understand how having targets would help? Unless im really confused (Usually am)

The silver lines is a bar that runs across the length of each wheel, at the same height and angle on each wheel. I would then measure the distance of each end from each other with tape measures to work out if the wheels are pointing in or out from each other.

Thanks