[David Pozzi]

I feel the turntables are a must for doing an alignment. I use a circle track magnetic bubble gauge. If it's a car I own, I make a 3/8" thick steel "washer" that bolts into the wheel center to stick the magnetic gauge to. In a pinch, I stick the gauge to the rotor if the wheel spokes allow it. If not I place a 2' long level against the rim and put the bubble gauge against that. You will know when your gear is working right, the measurements will be repeatable. Setting caster requires you to turn the wheel 20 degrees in and out. A turntable with graduations is the best way to accomplish this. The gauge usually has flats on the end at 20 degrees. You can place a string line, tape line, or ruler on the floor parallel to the car's centerline under the alignment gauge to help you get the angle of turn right. Guessing at the turn angle will throw your caster readings off quite easily.

I use Circle Track type toe plates against the tires with two tape measures.

On a first alignment I rough set toe, set camber then caster, re-check toe, then double check caster and camber, then finish with a toe setting. Once the first alignment is done, it will not require as much double checking because you are just tweaking it small amounts.

I start setting toe by placing a 2' long laser level against the front wheel, point it rearward and adjust each side as even as I can, shooting it at the rear tire outside edge, or at a ruler off the rear of the rocker pinch welds. Then turn each adjuster the same number of turns to set final toe with the plates.

String lines work but are good for setting toe only so I wouldn't spend a lot of money on that system if your budget is tight. The best string lines are attached to the car, not tied to jack stands. You can make some out of conduit and some spring clamps. They need to be at axle height & the strings must be parallel to the centerline of the car.