Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Preliminary Inspection

Prior to wheel alignment, ensure tires are at recommended pressure, are of equal size and have approximately the same wear pattern. Check front wheel and tire assembly for radial runout and inspect lower ball joints and steering linkage for looseness. Check front and rear springs for sagging or damage. Front suspension inspections should be performed on a level floor or alignment rack with fuel tank at capacity and vehicle free of luggage and passenger compartment load.

Before each alignment reading, the vehicle should be bounced an equal number of times from the center of the bumper alternating first from the rear, then the front, and releasing at bottom of down cycle.