Pre-Wheel Alignment Inspection
NOTE:
For air suspension equipped vehicles, when checking or adjusting wheel alignment, the air suspension system must be set to Normal Ride Height (NRH) and Remain In Plant Mode using the diagnostic scan tool, or Wheel Alignment Mode in the radio menu can also be used if a diagnostic scan tool is not available. The preferred method is through the diagnostic scan tool.
- Inspect tires for size, air pressure, and tread wear. If tire wear is found, proceed to the following steps. If not, proceed to Step 2
.
- Inspect the front wheel bearings for wear using the procedure outlined in the hub and bearing service information.
- Inspect the front wheels for excessive radial or lateral runout and balance.
- Inspect the ball joints, the tie rods, and the steering gear for looseness, roughness, binding, wear or noise.
- Road test the vehicle. The purpose of road testing the vehicle is to fully understand the concern of the customer. During the road test, the customer concern should be duplicated under the same conditions that the customer cites (for example, road, lane, and speeds).
- The road test should be used to determine if the vehicle is actually pulling, or if the steering wheel is off center.
- While driving in a stable manner, a driver can differentiate a pull from a wheel off center condition by momentarily releasing the steering wheel and observing whether the vehicle tracks straight, follows the road crown or if the steering wheel is simply off center to one side.
- Depending on the results, the appropriate corrective action should be performed.