Wheel Alignment Procedures
WHEEL ALIGNMENT
PRE-WHEEL ALIGNMENT INSPECTION
Before any attempt is made to change or correct the wheel alignment, the following inspection and necessary corrections must be made to the vehicle to ensure proper alignment.
1. This vehicle is equipped with an Electronic Power Steering (EPS) system. Make sure there are no faults or problems with the EPS system before diagnosing an alignment issue.
2. Verify the fuel tank is full of fuel. If the fuel tank is not full, the reduction in weight will affect the curb height of the vehicle and the alignment specifications.
3. The passenger and luggage compartments of the vehicle should be free of any load that is not factory equipment.
4. Check the tires on the vehicle. The tires are to be inflated to the recommended air pressure. All tires must be the same size and in good condition with approximately the same tread wear.
5. Check the front tire and wheel assemblies for excessive radial runout.
6. Inspect all suspension component fasteners for looseness and proper torque.
7. Inspect the lower front ball joints and all steering linkage for looseness and any sign of wear or damage.
8. Inspect the rubber bushings on all the suspension components for signs of wear or deterioration. If any bushings show signs of wear or deterioration, they should be replaced prior to aligning the vehicle.
9. Check vehicle curb height to verify it is within specifications Wheel Alignment Procedures.
WHEEL ALIGNMENT SETUP
1. Position the vehicle on an alignment rack.
2. Install all required alignment equipment on the vehicle, per the alignment equipment manufacturer's instructions.
NOTE: Prior to reading the vehicle's alignment readouts, the front and rear of vehicle should be jounced. Induce jounce (rear first, then front) by grasping the center of the bumper and jouncing each end of vehicle an equal number of times. The bumper should always be released when vehicle is at the bottom of the jounce cycle.
3. Read the vehicle's current front and rear alignment settings. Compare the vehicle's current alignment settings to the vehicle specifications for camber, caster and toe-in Alignment Specifications.
TOE
1. Center the steering wheel and lock it in place using a steering wheel clamp.
FRONT TOE
CAUTION: Do not twist the inner tie rod-to-steering gear rubber boots while turning the inner tie rods during the front toe adjustment.
NOTE: To ensure that the steering wheel is not off center, keep the steering wheel clamp on the steering wheel until after the Clear Steering Pull Compensation and Vehicle Trim procedures are complete.
NOTE: Perform 1 through 3 at each front wheel as necessary.
1. Loosen the tie rod adjusting jam nut. Grasp the inner tie rod and rotate it one way or the other until the front wheel toe is set to the preferred specification Alignment Specifications
2. Tighten the tie rod adjusting jam nut to 34 Nm (25 ft. lbs.).
3. Make sure the inner tie rod-to-steering gear rubber boot is not twisted.
4. Perform the Clear Steering Pull Compensation Procedure Clear Steering Pull Compensation Procedure and the Vehicle Trim Procedure Vehicle Trim Procedure.
5. Remove the steering wheel clamp.
6. Remove the alignment equipment.
7. Road test the vehicle to verify the steering wheel is straight and the vehicle does not pull or wander.
THRUST ANGLE
If the thrust angle is only slightly out of specification, the rear suspension location can be adjusted slightly. Loosening the rear cradle to body bolts allows for small adjustment.
- For high negative thrust, move the left side of the axle forward and the right rearward.
- For high positive thrust, move the right side of the axle forward and the left rearward.
After reaching the desired rear thrust angle, tighten the three axle assembly mounting bolts to 80 Nm (59 ft. lbs.) on each side of the vehicle.