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A chassis alignment system for a vehicle having steerable stub-axles comprises a pair of alignment tools. Each alignment tool comprises a rigid, unitary housing having a mounting receivable directly on the respective stub-axle and supporting the housing from the stub-axle in a fixed attitude with re

A chassis alignment system for a vehicle having steerable stub-axles comprises a pair of alignment tools. Each alignment tool comprises a rigid, unitary housing having a mounting receivable directly on the respective stub-axle and supporting the housing from the stub-axle in a fixed attitude with respect to the central axis of the respective stub-axle, the housing being adjustable in position around the stub-axle. Each housing accommodates a laser emitter which emits a beam parallel to the central axis of the respective stub axle, and further comprises a graduated target positioned to receive the beam from the laser emitter of the other alignment tool. Each target has a reference point positioned relative to the respective central axis, wherein the point of incidence of each beam on the respective target relative to the reference point enables the relative orientation of the stub-axles to be determined.

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1. A chassis alignment system adapted for use in aligning the wheels of a vehicle having front wheels mounted upon opposed steerable stub-axles, each stub-axle having a central axis, the chassis alignment system comprising a pair of alignment tools, the alignment tools being receivable upon said stu

1. A chassis alignment system adapted for use in aligning the wheels of a vehicle having front wheels mounted upon opposed steerable stub-axles, each stub-axle having a central axis, the chassis alignment system comprising a pair of alignment tools, the alignment tools being receivable upon said stub-axles in opposed relation to each other in place of the wheels, each alignment tool comprising a rigid, unitary housing having a mounting receivable directly on the respective stub-axle, the mounting supporting the housing from the stub-axle in a fixed attitude with respect to the respective central axis, the housing being adjustable in position around the stub-axle, each housing accommodating a first laser emitter which in use will emit a beam in a direction parallel to the central axis of the respective stub-axle, each alignment tool further comprising a graduated target positioned in use to receive the beam from the first laser emitter of the other alignment tool, each target having a reference point located at a fixed position relative to the central axis of the respective stub-axle, wherein the point of incidence of each beam on the respective target relative to the reference point enables the determination of the orientation of the stub-axles with respect to each other. 2. A chassis alignment system as claimed at claim 1 wherein each graduated target is arranged to determine toe-in. 3. A chassis alignment system as claimed at claim 1 wherein each graduated target is arranged to determine camber. 4. A chassis alignment system as claimed at claim 1 wherein each of the mountings comprises an integral clamp. 5. A chassis alignment system as claimed at claim 1 wherein each mounting comprises an aperture integral with a respective one of said housings, each aperture adapted to be received by a respective one of said steerable stub-axles and be secured thereto. 6. A chassis alignment system as claimed at claim 1 wherein each alignment tool further comprises an orienting means adapted to enable the alignment tool to be oriented to a datum. 7. A chassis alignment system as claimed at claim 6 where the orienting means comprises a spirit level associated with a respective one of said housings to provide a reference for orienting the housing. 8. A chassis alignment system as claimed at claim 1 wherein the reference point is the point on the surface of each alignment tool at which the beam is emitted from that alignment tool. 9. A chassis alignment system as claimed at claim 1 wherein each alignment tool further comprises a second laser emitter, wherein, in use, the second laser emitter emits a second beam in a direction substantially transverse to that of the beam of the first laser emitter. 10. A chassis alignment system as claimed at claim 9 wherein each alignment tool is associated with a respective king-pin target which in use is mounted to the rear axle to intercept the second beam from second laser emitter of the respective alignment tool, each king-pin target comprising a reference point, an indication relative to a datum and a angular gauge indicating angular displacement from said indication about said reference point, the indication being parallel to the axis of said rear axle when mounted thereto. 11. A chassis alignment system as claimed at claim 10 wherein the king-pin target is adapted to be mounted to the rear axle of the vehicle, the indication being parallel to the axis of said rear axle when mounted thereto. 12. A chassis alignment system as claimed at claim 1 wherein a wheel may be positioned onto each of the stub-axles thereby enabling the determination of the orientation of the stub-axle to be made while the vehicle is supported from said wheels. 13. In combination, a pair of alignment tools and a castor gauge, each alignment tool comprising a housing having a mounting means adapted to enable the tool to be fixed to a respective steerable stub-axle and to be movable therewith, each laser emitting means being dispos ed in the respective housing at a predetermined distance from the mounting means, the mounting means being further adapted to enable the laser emitting means to be oriented about a central axis of the respective steerable stub-axle into a selected orientation, each laser beam being adapted to be emitted in a direction parallel to the respective central axis, the mounting means being further adapted to enable the laser emitting means to be oriented about the central axis of the first steerable stub-axle into a selected orientation, the castor gauge comprising a target having a target face, the target face having a reference point, an indication relative to a reference plane and an angular gauge indicating angular displacement from said indication about said reference point, wherein, in use, the castor gauge is mounted substantially mid-way between the alignment tools when mounted to the stub-axles, the target plane being substantially normal to the first beams emitted by each of said alignment tools. 14. A combination according to claim 13 wherein the castor gauge comprises a pair of parallel faces and the target face is one of said parallel faces. 15. A combination according to claim 14 wherein the material between the pair of parallel faces is substantially transparent or translucent. 16. A method of orienting the steering of a vehicle in a straight-ahead direction, the method comprising the steps of mounting relative to each of the steerable axles of the vehicle an alignment tool, each alignment tool comprising a housing having a mounting means adapted to enable the tool to be fixed to a respective steerable axle and to be movable therewith, each laser emitting means being disposed in the respective housing at a predetermined distance from the mounting means, the mounting means being further adapted to enable the laser emitting means to be oriented about the central axis of the respective steerable axle into a selected orientation, each laser beam being adapted to be emitted in a direction parallel to the respective central axis, co-aligning the alignment tools relative to each other, positioning a target at an equal distance between each of the alignment tools, the target comprising a pair of parallel faces having a reference point referable to each face, and positioning the target so that the beam from each alignment tool is incident upon a respective face at the position referable to said reference point, each beam being incident upon the respective face substantially normal to that face. 17. A method of measuring the castor angle of the steering geometry of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of mounting relative to each of the steerable axles of the vehicle an alignment tool, each alignment tool comprising a housing having a mounting means adapted to enable the tool to be fixed to a respective steerable axle and to be movable therewith, each laser emitting means being disposed in the respective housing at a predetermined distance from the mounting means, the mounting means being further adapted to enable the laser emitting means to be oriented about the central axis of the respective steerable axle into a selected orientation, each laser beam being adapted to be emitted in a direction parallel to the respective central axis, co-aligning the alignment tools relative to each other, positioning the steering to a straight-ahead direction, positioning a castor gauge mid-way between the two alignment tools, the castor gauge comprising a reference point, an indication relative to a datum and a angular gauge indicating angular displacement from said indication about said reference point, orienting the castor gauge to align the indication parallel to the datum, and thereafter moving the steering to cause the beam from one alignment tool to be moved away from the reference towards the angular gauge to enable the angular displacement of the beam from the indication to be observed. 18. A method as claimed at claim 17 wherein the datum is adjusted to a horizontal reference and the orientation reference of the castor gauge is made relative to a horizontal reference plane. 19. A method as claimed at claim 18 wherein the horizontal reference plane is ascertained by reference to a vertical reference. 20. A chassis alignment tool for a vehicle having front wheels mounted upon opposed steerable stub-axles, each stub-axle having a central axis, the tool comprising a rigid, unitary housing having a mounting integral with the housing and directly receivable upon a one of said stub-axles, the mounting supporting the housing from the stub-axle in a fixed attitude with respect to the central axis of the stub-axle, the housing being adjustable in position around the stub-axle, the housing accommodating a first laser emitter which in use will emit a beam in a direction parallel to the central axis of the one stub-axle, the alignment tool further comprising a graduated target positioned in use to receive the beam from the first laser emitter of another alignment tool of the same type mounted to the other stub-axle, the target having a reference point located at a fixed position relative to the central axis of the one stub-axle, wherein the point of incidence of the beam from the other alignment tool on the target relative to the reference point enables the determination of the orientation of the stub-axles with respect to each other. 21. A chassis alignment tool as claimed at claim 20 wherein the mounting comprises a clamp integral with the housing. 22. A chassis alignment tool as claimed at claim 20 wherein the mounting means comprises an aperture integral with the housing, the aperture being receivable by the one stub-axle to be secured thereto. 23. A chassis alignment tool as claimed at claim 20 wherein the tool further comprises an orienting means adapted to enable the tool to be oriented to a specific orientation. 24. A chassis alignment tool as claimed at claim 23 where the orienting means comprises a spirit level associated with the housing to provide a reference for orienting the housing. 25. A chassis alignment tool as claimed at claim 20 wherein the chassis alignment tool further comprises a second laser emitter, the second laser emitting means being adapted to emit a second laser beam in a direction substantially transverse to that of the first laser beam. 26. A chassis alignment system adapted for use in aligning the wheels of a go-kart, the go-kart having front wheels mounted upon opposed, steerable stub-axles, each stub-axle having a central axis, the chassis alignment system comprising a pair of alignment tools, the alignment tools being receivable upon said stub-axles in opposed relation to each other in place of the wheels, each alignment tool comprising a rigid, unitary housing having a mounting receivable directly on the respective stub-axle, the mounting supporting the housing from the stub-axle in a fixed attitude with respect to the respective central axis, the housing being adjustable in position around the stub-axle, each housing accommodating a first laser emitter which in use will emit a beam in a direction parallel to the central axis of the respective stub-axle, each alignment tool further comprising a graduated target positioned in use to receive the beam from the first laser emitter of the other alignment tool, each target having a reference point located at a fixed position relative to the central axis of the respective stub-axle, wherein the point of incidence of each beam on the respective target relative to the reference point enables the determination of the orientation of the stub-axles with respect to each other.