< $5.00 Tram Gauge [Archive] - Metal Meet Forums

CARS

03-25-2010, 06:56 AM

I needed a quick way to measure a car's door opening to compare the side to side measurements. I usually just borrow one from a neighboring shop but wouldn't ya know, he is on vacation. (Good for him)

I had a brainstorm and came up with this:

3636

a 7' piece of 1/2" conduit, one compression coupler (cut in half), and 2- 1/8" wire rods (as stiff as you can find).

After drilling a 1/8" hole in each half of the compression fitting I JB Welded the rods in place. It dried over night and I cleaned up the inside of the coupler with my die grinder so nothing would bind on the conduit.

3635

Slide the couplers to the distance you want to measure, tighten the compression fitting to hold that distance and compare to the other side.

It would also work as a rough guide for tire toe-in/out.

Charley Davidson

03-25-2010, 07:12 AM

Picture gremlin must have ate them no pics showing up :(

CARS

03-25-2010, 07:20 AM

Picture gremlin must have ate them no pics showing up :(

Works for me :confused:

oldgoaly

03-25-2010, 07:36 AM

A nice cheap and easy solution! another cheap way is find an old set of trammel points and add a rod or bar that it needs. I bet most people have seen them but never knew what they are used for. ??? have got her figured out???

Justin C

03-25-2010, 07:34 PM

Thanks for the idea Chris i was wondering how to make one of these. Looks like you did the work for me.

BarryA

03-26-2010, 06:06 PM

Nice simple idea Chris. Trammel points on a square bar may be easier to work with as they will stay in one plane - unless having them rotate actually helps what you're measuring. Cut 2 short sections of square tubing that slides over a smaller, longer one. Drill & weld a nut on one side & your rod on the other.

How about adding some "ears" on your compression nuts so you can hand tighten? Holding everything in place while swinging a wrench sounds a little tough to me - but then I'm almost always alone in the shop.
Barry

CARS

03-28-2010, 06:18 AM

Nice simple idea Chris. Trammel points on a square bar may be easier to work with as they will stay in one plane - unless having them rotate actually helps what you're measuring. Cut 2 short sections of square tubing that slides over a smaller, longer one. Drill & weld a nut on one side & your rod on the other.

That would work, but I had this lying around the shop.

How about adding some "ears" on your compression nuts so you can hand tighten? Holding everything in place while swinging a wrench sounds a little tough to me - but then I'm almost always alone in the shop.
Barry

It doesn't take much effort to tighten the compression fittings. They are not even that loose when they are "loose". I didn't have any problem with them moving on me.

One thing I would change is the 1/8 rod I used seems to flex. Stiffer pointers would be nice.