With so many adjustments on today’s cars, it is no wonder that so many tools have been made to set these adjustments.  Depending on how serious you are about racing and your budget, you can spend more on set up devices than you may have paid for the car itself.  The difference between the cost of these tools is directly related to how accurate they are.  Below are two lists of set up tools.  The first list is for a racer that is very serious about setting up his/her car accurately and where cost is no concern.  The second list is a list of set up tools that will get the job done fairly well for a lot less money.  If you are just a club racer or just starting out, the second list is sorted in order of the tool’s usefulness and importance in building, maintaining and setting up your car.

The New Racer 

1. Metric/Standard Ruler - Used to measure overall lengths of upper links, steering links, Ackerman link, shock length and collar distance on threaded shocks. Handy for measuring a variety of odd shaped parts as well. Not as accurate as calipers, but not as expensive either!
2. Proper Tools - screwdrivers (#1 and #2 Philips), hobby knife with extra blades, hex wrenches if necessary, needlenose pliers, small slip-joint pliers, etc. Anything you need to build your car, you should have in your race toolbox.

Most of the measurements you make as a brand new (novice class) racer can be made by eye. At this point of your development, you're learning how to drive the car, not how to collect expensive tools!

The Club Racer

Everything noted above, plus:
1. Calipers - Far more accurate than a standard ruler.
2. Camber Gauge – Used to measure camber (of course). Available at your local hobby shop in a variety of brands and styles.
3. Ride Height Gauge – Not very expensive, easy to use, and handy.
4. Set Up Board – A flat surface is necessary for setting up a car properly. Low-cost versions include a sheet of glass, plastic cutting board, kitchen countertop or particle board. More upscale versions are woven graphite sheets, Plexiglass or commercially available tuning boards.
5. High-Quality Tools - hardened-tip screwdrivers and hex wrenches, Teflon-coated scissors, curved needlenose pliers, sharp sidecutters, good wire cutters (use the sidecutters for plastic parts only).

 The Serious Racer

Everything noted above, plus:
1. A "Set Up" System – Measures Camber and toe very accurately. Prohibitively expensive for most racers.
2. Droop Gauge – Available in a variety of styles, a droop gauge lets you see how far each suspension arm "droops" at maximum rebound. A droop gauge helps you make sure the car is not tweaked. Follow the directions that come with the gauge.
3. MIP Tweak Station – One of few commercially available bubble-equipped "tweak boards". Allows you to balance your car’s weight distribution equally from left to right using your shock’s preload spacers or threaded adjustments.
4. Set Up Wheels – Used when checking camber for a more precise measurement. Club racers can simply use new wheels.