Similar to most other repairs and procedures, the proper vehicle alignment begins with good communication. “The interview process with the customer is critical,” said Mitch Weller, heavy-duty product manager, Hunter Engineering Company.
“There may be a language barrier between the customer’s explanation of the problem and the experienced technician’s or service writer’s terminology describing the problem. Many times the customer will complain about something that may not be the issue.
“For example, he may say that he needs an alignment, when in reality, he’s having a vibration problem,” he said. “The best thing to do is to take the vehicle for a road test with the customer; that way you can identify what the problem actually is.”
Once you’ve verified what the problem may be, it’s important that you adhere to the proper inspection and repair procedures.
According to the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC), you must perform the following procedures at each preventive maintenance interval.
TMC has detailed guidelines on how to perform a proper all-axle alignment.
A preliminary test drive is needed to determine the vehicle’s handling dynamics. Primarily, the straight ahead stability of the truck must be tested thoroughly. You can ask if the steering pull to the right, left or wander in alternate directions.
