Follow the included instructions.
I find a 16x loop necessary to see the tip of the stylus contact point. The stylus must sit exactly in the target cross for any measurement.
Patience.
Persistence - "good enough" is not good enough.
When the cantilever is aligned it will be equidistant from the parallel lines, viewed from the front. When not aligned properly it will be closer to one line than the other but will not appear to be at an angle to either line.
Once a cart is dead-on aligned you can use it to set up the Mint Tractor for the next cart install.