DIY SQUARE MEASURING

1 Again, check all of the tyre pressures to ensure they are correct. The floor where the car is positioned needs to be level. Place a spirit level across where the road wheels will be positioned. If the surface isn’t level, place sheets of plywood or MDF to even it up.

2 Collect four identical axle stands and a straight edge that’s longer than the width of the car. The height of an axle stand with the straight edge on top needs to be the same height as the centre of the wheel to take measurements. Position a pair of axle stands at the front corners of the car and lay the straight edge across them. Repeat at the rear of the car.

3 Buy a reel of fishing wire from a fishing tackle shop and collect a few large bolts to act as weights. Cut two lengths of fishing wire long enough to run down each side of the car and hang over the straight edges at the front and rear. Tie a bolt to each end to help keep the wire taut. Each wire must pass adjacent to the centre of each wheel.

4 The angle of each corner, where the fishing wire meets the straight edge, must be 90° degrees. Use a setsquare or something similar to measure the angle, then adjust the axle stands, wire and straight edges. This can be very frustrating and time-consuming operation, so take your time.

5 When you’ve adjusted the axle stands, wire and straight edges, measure the distance between the wire and the centre of each wheel. The difference between the front and rear measurements on each side are important to calculate how square your car is.

6 Measure the distance between the wire and the front and back edges of the wheels. These measurements will help to calculate toe-in/out (tracking). The differences for each wheel determine whether there is toe-in or out.