Measuring Rear Alignment Angles

After front tire and wheel alignment has been completed, the rear alignment angles should be checked if there is excessive rear tire wear or tires and wheels do not track properly. Rear tires and wheels (14) should be parallel to and the same distance from the vehicle's centerline. If tires do not track correctly after a front tire and wheel alignment, no amount of adjustment will correct the problem. Poor tracking or excessive rear tire wear after a front tire and wheel alignment usually indicates that the axle housing, frame or suspension arms have been bent. Rear alignment angles can be checked as follows:

Measure:
^ Rear alignment angles.
A. Back vehicle squarely onto alignment machine.
B. Compensate for tire and wheel runout the same as for checking front tire and wheel toe-in.
C. Check camber reading - which should be -0.6 to +0.6° (0.0 ± 0.6°).
D. Check amount of toe - which should be -0.3 to +0.3° (0.0 ± 0.3°).
^ When using an alignment machine to measure toe-out, the measurement will read as toe-in on the scale.
^ When checking toe-in with a tram gage, the measurement will read correctly as toe-out. It will still be necessary to perform steps A and B to check camber.