Perform a complete four-wheel alignment on a 2011-2014 Ford F-150 3.5L EcoBoost 4WD, adjusting toe, camber, and caster angles to factory specifications.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Alignment cam bolts (if worn or seized) × 2 — Use OEM specification

Preparation

1. Test drive vehicle and note any pulling, vibration, or steering wheel off-center conditions
2. Inspect all suspension components for wear: ball joints, tie rod ends, control arm bushings, wheel bearings
3. Check tire pressures and inflate to specification (front: 35 psi, rear: 35 psi for standard load)
4. Measure and record current tire tread depth at all four corners
5. Ensure fuel tank is at least 3/4 full to simulate curb weight
6. Remove any heavy cargo from bed or cab
7. Bounce each corner of vehicle several times to settle suspension before measurements

Procedure

1. 1

   Position vehicle on alignment rack
   Drive vehicle onto alignment rack, centering wheels on turntables and slip plates. Ensure steering wheel is centered and front wheels are pointing straight ahead. Set parking brake and place transmission in Park.
2. 2

   Install alignment sensors and perform initial measurement
   Install alignment sensors on all four wheels according to alignment machine manufacturer instructions. Perform initial wheel runout compensation procedure. Take baseline measurements of all alignment angles: front and rear toe, front camber, front caster, and thrust angle.
3. 3

   Check thrust angle and rear toe
   Verify rear thrust angle is within specification (0° ±0.20°). On 2011-2014 F-150 4WD, rear toe is non-adjustable. If rear toe is out of specification, inspect for bent rear axle housing or suspension damage. Rear toe specification: 0.10° ±0.10° per side.
   ⚠Rear toe out of specification indicates frame or axle damage; alignment cannot correct this
4. 4

   Adjust front camber (if necessary)
   If front camber is out of specification (preferred: -0.3°, range: -1.0° to +0.4° per side), loosen the upper control arm cam bolts. Rotate the cam bolts to adjust camber angle as needed. The front cam bolt primarily affects camber. Make small adjustments and recheck readings. Note that camber adjustment will also affect caster.
   ℹ️Do not fully tighten cam bolts until both camber and caster are within specification
   Torque spec

   Cam Bolts142 Nm (105 lb-ft)
5. 5

   Adjust front caster (if necessary)
   If front caster is out of specification (preferred: +4.3°, range: +3.5° to +5.1° per side), adjust using the upper control arm cam bolts. The rear cam bolt primarily affects caster. Moving the upper ball joint rearward increases caster. Ensure left-to-right caster difference does not exceed 0.75°.
   Torque spec

   Cam Bolts142 Nm (105 lb-ft)
6. 6

   Torque cam bolts
   Once camber and caster are within specification, torque both upper control arm cam bolts to specification. Recheck camber and caster readings after torquing to ensure settings did not shift. If readings changed, loosen and re-adjust as necessary.
   ⚠Cam bolts must be torqued to exact specification; under-torquing can cause alignment shift and handling issues
   Torque spec

   Cam Bolts142 Nm (105 lb-ft)
7. 7

   Loosen tie rod jam nuts
   Apply penetrating oil to tie rod jam nuts if corroded. Using two wrenches, loosen the jam nut on the inner tie rod while holding the outer tie rod to prevent the tie rod from rotating. Do this for both left and right sides. Count and record the number of exposed threads on each tie rod before adjustment.
   ℹ️Mark tie rod position with paint pen before adjustment for reference
8. 8

   Adjust front toe
   Adjust individual front toe by rotating the tie rod ends. Turning the tie rod clockwise (viewed from outer end) decreases toe-in. Front toe specification: +0.10° ±0.20° total (0.05° ±0.10° per side). Make equal adjustments to left and right sides to maintain centered steering wheel. Each full rotation changes toe approximately 0.15°.
   ⚠Ensure steering wheel remains centered during toe adjustment; unequal adjustments will cause off-center steering
9. 9

   Torque tie rod jam nuts
   Once toe is within specification and steering wheel is centered, hold the outer tie rod with one wrench and torque the jam nut to specification using a torque wrench. Verify toe reading has not changed after torquing. Repeat for both sides.
   ⚠Do not allow tie rod to rotate while torquing jam nut or toe setting will change
   Torque spec

   Tie Rod Jam Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
10. 10

    Perform final measurements
    Take final alignment measurements and print alignment report. Verify all angles are within specification: Front camber: -0.3° ±0.7°, Front caster: +4.3° ±0.8°, Front toe: +0.10° ±0.20° total, Rear toe: +0.10° ±0.10° per side, Thrust angle: 0° ±0.20°. Ensure steering wheel is centered with wheels straight ahead.

Reassembly

1. Remove alignment sensors from all wheels
2. Perform final visual inspection of all adjusted components
3. Verify all cam bolts and tie rod jam nuts are properly torqued
4. Lower vehicle from alignment rack

Verification

• Test drive vehicle in straight line at 30-40 mph; steering wheel should be centered and vehicle should track straight with no pulling
• Perform lane change maneuver; vehicle should respond predictably with no wandering
• Check steering wheel return after turns; wheel should self-center smoothly
• Monitor tire wear over next 500-1000 miles for even wear patterns across tread
• Review alignment printout to confirm all angles are in green/acceptable range
• Verify steering wheel spoke is centered when driving straight

More procedures for this vehicle