Wheel Alignment: the full procedure
Inspect steering and suspension, set caster, camber, and toe to the vehicle manufacturer spec, and road test to confirm the vehicle tracks straight.
- Applies to: Alignment technician.
- Frequency: On alignment service and when a pull, uneven wear, or off-center wheel is reported.
- Scope: Defines the process. Alignment angle specs and any worn-part replacement defer to the vehicle manufacturer and a qualified technician.
What you need
- Alignment rack and heads
- Tire pressure gauge
- Ride-height reference
- Steering-wheel holder
- Brake pedal depressor
The procedure, step by step
- Pre-alignment inspection — Inspect tires, wheels, and all steering and suspension components for wear, damage, or play before mounting heads.
- Set tire pressure & ride height — Set inflation to spec and verify curb/ride height and load are within the manufacturer’s range.
- Mount heads & compensate — Attach the alignment heads, compensate for runout, and read the current angles.
- Adjust the rear first — Set rear camber then rear toe to establish the thrust line per the manufacturer spec.
- Set front caster & camber — Adjust front caster, then front camber, to the manufacturer spec.
- Set front toe — Set front toe to the manufacturer spec with the steering wheel centered and locked.
- Center the steering wheel — Confirm the steering wheel is level and centered when the vehicle tracks straight.
- Road test — Road test to confirm the vehicle drives straight with no pull or wander, and re-verify if needed.
Quality check before you finish
- Steering/suspension inspected for wear before adjustment.
- Tire pressure and ride height verified.
- Runout compensated on all heads.
- Rear and front angles set within manufacturer spec.
- Steering wheel centered and locked during toe set.
- Road test confirms straight tracking, no pull.
- Any worn parts flagged for manufacturer-spec replacement.
This is a free, source-anchored standard operating procedure (SOP) you can print and hand to staff. It documents the work sequence for a Tire Shop business — not safety or regulatory rulings, which defer to the cited authorities, the applicable code, and your own health-and-safety plan. Open the tool above to print it, toggle ink-saver, or (with a free ToolFluency Business account) edit it to match your own workflow.
Sources
- Goodheart-Willcox — Wheel Alignment Procedure (g-w.com)
- Les Schwab — Caster, Camber & Toe to Spec (lesschwab.com)
About Free Wheel Alignment SOP
Free printable wheel alignment SOP: pre-inspect steering & suspension, set caster/camber/toe to manufacturer spec, then road test.
How to use
- Read the full procedure top to bottom before the work — the SOP runs in order and each step builds on the last.
- Toggle Ink-saver (black & white) for a cheaper mono print for the binder; leave it off for the full-color version.
- Click Print SOP to print or save as PDF. Print one per crew, laminate it for the binder, or attach it to the job in your scheduling system.
- Train new hires on it and have staff sign off. Found something out of date? Use the feedback link — flagged SOPs are re-researched against the source list.
Frequently asked questions
Why inspect steering and suspension before aligning?
Worn tie rods, ball joints, or bushings make accurate angles impossible and unsafe; the pre-alignment inspection catches play and damage that must be repaired first.
Where do the alignment numbers come from?
Caster, camber, and toe targets are set by the vehicle manufacturer for that specific year/make/model — the technician sets each angle to that spec, never a generic value.
Part of ToolFluency’s library of free online tools for Printables. No account needed, no data leaves your device.