Preliminary Inspection

Steering and vibration complaints are not always the result of improper alignment. They may also be caused by wheel and tire imbalance. An additional item to be checked, is the tire lead due to worn or defective tires. Lead is the deviation of the vehicle from a straight path on a level road without hand pressure on the steering wheel.

To ensure correct alignment readings and adjustments, the following inspections should be made before checking caster, camber or toe:

Inspect:
1. All tires for proper inflation pressures and approximately the same tread wear.
2. Wheel bearings for looseness.
3. Ball joints and tie rod ends. If excessive looseness is noted, correct before adjusting.
4. Tie rods. If excessive looseness is noted, correct before adjusting.
5. Lateral runout of tires/wheels.
6. Vehicle trim heights. If heights are beyond the limits and a correction is to be made, the correction must be made before adjusting toe.
7. Steering gear mountings.
8. Operation of struts.
9. Control arms for looseness.
10. Hub and bearing assemblies for excessive wear; correct if necessary.

NOTE:
^ Consideration must be given to excessive loads. If an excessive load is normally carried in the vehicle, it should remain in the vehicle during alignment checks.
^ Consider the condition of the equipment being used to check alignment, and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
^ Regardless of equipment used to check alignment, the vehicle must be on a level surface.