Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Preliminary Inspection

1. Before making any adjustments affecting the caster, the camber, or the toe-in, inspect the following front end components:
^ The tires for proper inflation pressure. Refer to TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE SPECIFICATIONS in MAINTENANCE AND LUBRICATION.
^ The front wheel bearings for proper adjustment. Refer to WHEEL BEARING ADJUSTMENT in FRONT SUSPENSION.
^ The wheels and the tires for runout. Refer to TIRE AND WHEEL RUNOUT MEASUREMENT in VIBRATION DIAGNOSIS AND CORRECTION.
^ The vehicle trim heights. Refer to TRIM HEIGHT in SUSPENSION GENERAL DIAGNOSIS. Make necessary corrections before adjusting the caster, the camber, or the toe-in.
^ The steering gear for looseness at the frame.
^ The shock absorbers for leaks or noticeable noise.
^ The alignment equipment Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
^ The vehicle level. The vehicle must be on a level surface fore. aft, and transversely.
2. Inspect the following parts for looseness, and replace if necessary, before adjusting the caster, the camber, or the toe-in:
^ The ball joints
^ The tie rod ends
^ The relay rods
^ The control arms
^ The stabilizer bar attachments