Patent ID: 6886266

Claim:
A vehicle alignment measurement apparatus, said vehicle including a trailer having a kingpin for removably connecting said trailer to a tractor and a plurality of wheels mounted on at least one axle suspended from said trailer, said vehicle alignment measurement apparatus comprising: a first reference member removably mountable on said kingpin of said trailer; and a wheel extender assembly removably mountable on selected ones of said wheels, wherein said extender assembly includes: a second reference member alignable with a centerline of said axle on which the selected wheel is mounted; a plurality of alignment bars that are spaced about said centerline of said axle on which said selected wheel is mounted, and the bars extend parallel to said centerline, wherein each alignment bar engages a selected stud of said selected wheel; a cylindrical wheel extender slidably disposed between the spaced alignment bars, including an inboard end and an outboard end, wherein the inboard end contacts a surface of said selected wheel; a center bar operatively connected to and extending from the outboard end of the wheel extender approximately along said centerline, and including a distal end; a securing plate defining orifices that receive the alignment bars and the center bar, allowing the plate to operatively contact the outboard end of the wheel extender; and means to secure the securing plate in operative contact with the outboard end of the wheel extender, wherein said second reference member is mounted on the distal end of the center bar, whereby a distance between said first reference member and said second reference member is measurable to determine the alignment of said axle relative to said kingpin.