Upgrading alignment gear

[CoMZ302]

I have some older alignment gear, and I'm thinking about upgrading. Wondering what you racer type folks are using these days?

I'm thinking about the Iron Canyon E36 setup strings (toe/thrust angle)

http://www.ironcanyonmotorsports.com...gnment-system/

and the Smart Strings hands-free camber/caster dealio.

http://www.smartracingproducts.com/smartcamber.html

I was about to pull the trigger on a used Hunter G111 system here locally, but after reading how often they need to be calibrated, replacement parts found, etc. I decided just to stick with the normal stuff.

Any thoughts are appreciated. I know I can use my iPhone but I'm looking for something higher end. (not $11K optical alignment, think $1K budget max).

[ScotcH]

the strings setup is a must ... so nice once you use it, you'll never go back. I made my own with some aluminum tubing and steal straps that I bent into proper hangers. Cost about $20 total.

For camber, we use the Longacre camber gauge ... works well enough to get repeatable results. I never bother with castor measurement or changes.

[JBasham]

I bought myself many many feet of 1/2" square steel 1018 tubing to make a string rig for my E36, but I haven't come up with a design yet. Whatever I use, it has to be attached to the car. Using a string on stands is cheap but it isn't easy because the car moves positions out of square every time I jack it up to make an adjustment and put it back down. And rolling the car back and forth is out of the question.

For camber gauges, I just custom-cut a length of 1/2" angle iron to fit any wheelset I own, and then use an electronic angle cube tool with magnets that stick on the angle. I use the same cube that one noted camber gauge mnfr incorporates into their gauge design.

The real high-dollar thing I lust after is corner scales.