In order to obtain an accurate measurement of the caster, the camber, and the toe-in, a thorough inspection of the vehicle's front end and the alignment equipment should be performed prior to taking any measurements.

1. Inspect the following before taking any measurements:

•	The tires for proper inflation pressure. Refer to Tire Inflation Pressure Specifications in Maintenance and Lubrication.

•	The front wheel bearings for proper adjustment (RWD only). Refer to Wheel Bearing Adjustment in Front Suspension.

•	The wheels and the tires for runout. Refer to Tire and Wheel Vibration in Vibration Diagnosis and Correction.

•	The vehicle trim heights. Refer to Trim Height Inspection .

•	The steering gear for looseness at the frame

•	The shock absorbers for leaks or noticeable noise

2. Inspect the following steering linkage components for looseness, and replace if necessary:

•	The ball joints

•	The tie rod ends

•	The relay rods

•	The control arms

•	The stabilizer bar attachments

3. The alignment equipment. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations for set up.
4. The vehicle level. The vehicle must be on a level surface fore, aft, and transversely before an accurate measurement can be obtained.

Important: Set the front wheel alignment to the specifications while the vehicle is in the normally loaded condition. For vehicles that are consistently operated with the heavy loads should have toe-in adjusted with the vehicle under the heavy load. This procedure should result in longer tire life.

The satisfactory vehicle operation may occur over a wide range of front wheel alignment settings. If the settings vary beyond specified tolerances, adjustments are necessary.

Measure the front alignment angles using the following steps:

1. Install the alignment equipment according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Measure the alignment angles.

Record the readings.

3. Compare the readings recorded to the alignment specifications. Refer to Wheel Alignment Specifications .
4. If the caster, camber, or toe-in is not within specifications, make adjustments in the following order:

4.1.	The caster

4.2.	The camber

4.3.	The toe-in

To adjust the caster and camber, refer to Front Caster and Camber Adjustment .

To adjust the front toe, refer to Front Toe Adjustment .