Chrysler PT Cruiser Service & Repair Manual page 86

2 - 58 WHEEL ALIGNMENT
WHEEL ALIGNMENT (Continued)
STANDARD PROCEDURE - WHEEL ALIGNMENT
PRE-WHEEL ALIGNMENT INSPECTION
CAUTION: If during the inspection the front suspen-
sion crossmember shows any sign of impact dam-
age, the steering column lower coupling must be
inspected. (Refer to 19 - STEERING/COLUMN/
STEERING COUPLING - DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING)
Before any attempt is made to change or correct
the wheel alignment, the following inspection and
necessary corrections must be made to the vehicle to
ensure proper alignment.
(1) Be sure the fuel tank is full of fuel. If the fuel
tank is not full, the reduction in weight will affect
the curb height of the vehicle and the alignment
specifications.
(2) The passenger and luggage compartments of
the vehicle should be free of any load that is not fac-
tory equipment.
(3) Check the tires on the vehicle. The tires are to
be inflated to the recommended air pressure. All tires
must be the same size and in good condition with
approximately the same tread wear.
(4) Check the front tire and wheel assemblies for
excessive radial runout.
(5) Inspect all suspension component fasteners for
looseness and proper torque.
(6) Inspect the lower front ball joints and all steer-
ing linkage for looseness and any sign of wear or
damage.
(7) Inspect the rubber bushings on all the suspen-
sion components for signs of wear or deterioration. If
any bushings show signs of wear or deterioration,
they should be replaced prior to aligning the vehicle.
(8) Check vehicle curb height to verify it is within
specifications. (Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/WHEEL
ALIGNMENT - STANDARD PROCEDURE)
WHEEL ALIGNMENT SETUP
(1) Position the vehicle on an alignment rack.
(2) Install all required alignment equipment on
the vehicle, per the alignment equipment manufac-
turer's instructions. On this vehicle, a four-wheel
alignment is recommended.
NOTE: Prior to reading the vehicle's alignment
readouts, the front and rear of vehicle should be
jounced. Induce jounce (rear first, then front) by
grasping the center of the bumper and jouncing
each end of vehicle an equal number of times. The
bumper should always be released when vehicle is
at the bottom of the jounce cycle.
(3) Read the vehicle's current front and rear align-
ment settings. Compare the vehicle's current align-
ment settings to the vehicle specifications for camber,
caster and toe-in. (Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/
WHEEL ALIGNMENT - SPECIFICATIONS)
REAR CAMBER AND TOE
Rear camber and rear toe settings on this vehicle
are determined at the time the vehicle is designed, by
the location of the vehicle's suspension components.
This is referred to as Net Build. The result is no
required adjustment of camber and toe after the vehi-
cle is built or when servicing the suspension compo-
nents. Thus, when performing a wheel alignment, rear
camber and toe are not normally considered adjust-
able angles. Although not normally considered adjust-
able, rear camber and toe can be changed when
necessary through the use of specially designed shims.
To install shims, use the following procedure.
(1) Raise the vehicle until its tires are off the floor
or alignment rack.
(2) Remove the tire and wheel assembly.
(3) Access the spindle mounting bolts following the
Spindle Removal procedure found in Rear Suspen-
sion. (Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/REAR/SPINDLE -
REMOVAL)
(4) Loosen the four spindle mounting bolts just
enough to slide the adjustment shim in between the
spindle and the axle mounting flange.
NOTE: Each shim is 0.010 in. (0.254 mm) thick. Do
not place more than two shims at any one spindle.
(5) Hook the shim on the mounting bolts utilizing
the slots cut into the shim. Refer to the following list
for shim placement:
• To achieve more positive camber, place the shim
across the two upper mounting bolts.
• To achieve more negative camber, place the shim
across the two lower mounting bolts.
• To achieve more positive toe, place the shim
across the two rearward mounting bolts.
• To achieve more negative toe, place the shim
across the two forward mounting bolts.
(6) Tighten the four mounting bolts to a torque of
95 N·m (70 ft. lbs.).
(7) Reassemble the rear brake following the Spin-
dle Installation procedure found in Rear Suspension.
(Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/REAR/SPINDLE -
INSTALLATION)
(8) Reinstall the tire and wheel assembly. Tighten
the wheel mounting nuts to a torque of 135 N·m (100
ft. lbs.).
(9) Lower the vehicle.
(10) Once rear camber and toe have been set to
specifications, check and adjust the front wheel align-
ment as necessary. Refer to FRONT CAMBER AND
CASTER and FRONT TOE within this wheel align-
ment service procedure.
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