Wheel alignment slip skid plates

[andyg0141]

I have a wheel alignment setup which I use at home and am needing some skid plates to sit the car on whilst adjusting it. These allow the wheels to move freely rather than having them hang up on the floor.

Plenty of suggestions about using sheets of grease proof paper, chopping boards etc but I am thinking it would be better having a sandwich of steel plates with ball bearings in the middle. Something like:

200mm square steel plate
Ball bearings
300mm steel plate with angle upstand to contain ball bearings

Has anyone done anything similar or could suggest something else? What thickness steel plate would I need to take the weight of a car (there would be 1 under each wheel)? 6mm??

Thanks,

Andy

 

[anto44]

2 sheets of clean thin sheet metal stacked together works well for this.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

What about the front seat swivels off a MPV ?

 

[optima21]

lazy susan bearings

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/Bearings-Lazy-Susans/c3_22/index.html

 

[bricol]

2 thin sheets of steel with grease between them under each wheel would be my slight improvement.

But I simply roll the car out, off my improvised 4 level, flat, horizontal set up squares (garage floor slopes), then back again, checking camber and toe after the rolling.

 

[dannyp]

2 3mm bits of sheet with a dab of grease between them works here

 

[Turbo]

2 good quality glossy magazines does the job.

 

[Pete.]

Get some 5-6mm steel plate and press/hammer a dish into it.

 

[zzr1200]

lazy susan bearings

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/Bearings-Lazy-Susans/c3_22/index.html

6", 9" or 12" depending on the weight capacity you require and 4 pieces of 6mm plate.....sorted

 

[andyg0141]

The lazy susan bearings are a great idea, but I need the wheel to be able to move 360 degrees rather than just left and right if that makes sense. To do camber / caster as well as toe. The 2 sheets of steel with grease between seems to be the option of choice. Will see if I can get some ordered up and give it a shot. Any advice for suppliers other than eBay / Brundles?

 

[p0689109]

For steering checks on the aircraft front legs we just used the grease plates and they work great.

 

[Gareth J]

X5 (or whatever we're on now) for greased offcuts of sheet. Very simple.

 

[andyg0141]

Pretty definitive....thanks for the advice

 

[dannyp]

as for suppiers any fab shp with a gillotene ( that'll be most of them )

 

[armalites]

2 good quality glossy magazines does the job.

Unless the pages are stuck together

 

[hillman]

I've got a pair of the Dunlop swivel plates, but I've used the grease plates and even bin liners folded over with WD40 in between.
They all work for me when setting up geometry on race/ rally stuff.

 

[rikrobson]

Look for turn plates on ebay