While the vehicle is in the lower position, look up into the fender well at the bottom of the upper strut mount bushings. If the upper ball joints are follower, look for in-and-out movement. Lower the rack onto its leveling legs or lower lock positionĬheck the unloaded upper ball joints that are load carrying for up-and-down movement. Ĭheck follower ball joints for in-and-out movement.Jack up vehicle to unload the ball jointsĬheck lower load-carrying ball joints for up-and-down movement. On vehicles with struts, make sure the spring perch is in good shape and that and rubber or plastic insulators are still in place. Rubber bushings and upper strut mounts that are damaged can cause headaches later on in the alignment process. Inspect shocks and struts for mechanical damage. Also, check the jounce and rebound bumpers for damage and possible heavy contact. Inspect the control arm bushings for excess play and signs of damage like dry rot. Check the wear indicators on the ball joints. Visually check the control arms for damage. Also, grab centerlink and try to move up and down. If the vehicle has a pitman and/or idler arm, visually check to see if there is any play. Shake the tire to test outer tie rod ends and inner tie rod ends. If only one wheel is turned outward or inward at the front, inspect the steering arm. If equipped with a pitman arm it should be facing straight ahead with the steering wheel centered. Inspect the steering gear’s sector shaft for twisted splines. On most vehicles, you can verify that the hole in the engine subframe lines up with the hole in the unibody.
If both front wheels are turned left or right, check the engine cradle alignment. When inspecting the steering gear, level the steering wheel and observe the position of the front tires. Inspect the power steering gear for leaks and play in the mounting bushings. Raise rack eye level, tires on turnplates Some alignment heads have a feature that can simplify this process. Ĭheck the ride height with tape measurer by measuring the bottom of rim to top of wheel opening.Grab the wheels at the 3:00 and 9:00 positions and shake. Perform a preliminary tie rod inspection. Ĭheck the upper shock and/or strut mount bushings for signs of damage.Inspect the upper control arm bushings if visible from under the hood. If these components are malfunctioning, it could cause a hard-to-steer complaint. Inspecting these items can reveal possible cradle damage. Check for excessive bounce and noise.Ĭheck engine mounts and struts by rocking the vehicle fore and aft. Level and lock steering wheel with a holder. Leave transmission in park or 1st gear on manual transmission cars.
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