Perform a four-wheel alignment on a 2014 Ram 2500 4WD with 6.7L Cummins diesel, adjusting toe, camber, and caster to factory specifications to ensure proper tire wear and handling.

Warnings

Tools required

Preparation

1. Verify tire pressures match door jamb specification (front: 60 psi, rear: 60 psi for standard load)
2. Inspect all suspension components for wear including ball joints, tie rod ends, control arm bushings, and track bar bushings
3. Check wheel bearings for play and verify all steering and suspension fasteners are tight
4. Bounce each corner of vehicle several times to settle suspension before driving onto alignment rack
5. Drive vehicle onto alignment rack ensuring wheels are centered on turntables
6. Apply brake pedal lock to prevent vehicle movement during alignment procedure
7. Attach alignment targets/sensors to all four wheels per alignment machine manufacturer instructions

Procedure

1. 1

   Perform pre-alignment inspection and initial measurements
   With vehicle on alignment rack and brake pedal locked, perform rolling compensation procedure per alignment machine instructions to account for wheel runout. Measure and record initial caster, camber, and toe readings for all four wheels. Compare readings to factory specifications: Front Camber -0.25° ±0.50°, Front Caster 3.6° ±0.50°, Front Toe 0.10° ±0.10° (total), Rear Camber -0.25° ±0.50°, Rear Toe 0.20° ±0.20° (total). Note any readings outside specification.
2. 2

   Adjust rear toe if necessary
   If rear toe is out of specification, loosen tie rod jam nuts on both rear tie rods. Rotate tie rod adjusting sleeves equally to adjust total rear toe to specification (0.20° ±0.20° total). One full rotation of the sleeve typically changes toe by approximately 0.20°. Ensure left and right toe values are approximately equal to prevent thrust angle issues. Hold adjusting sleeve with wrench while tightening jam nuts.
   Torque spec

   Tie Rod Jam Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
3. 3

   Adjust front caster and camber using cam bolts
   If front caster or camber is out of specification, raise front of vehicle slightly to unload suspension. Mark the current position of the upper control arm cam bolts before loosening. Loosen both cam bolts (front and rear) on the upper control arm at the frame bracket. Rotate the cam bolts to adjust caster and camber: rotating front cam bolt affects primarily caster, rotating rear cam bolt affects both caster and camber. Moving the upper control arm forward increases caster; moving it outward increases camber. Make small adjustments and verify readings before final tightening. Tighten cam bolts to specification after achieving desired settings.
   ⚠Cam bolts must be marked before loosening; if position is lost, alignment may be severely affected requiring extensive readjustment
   Torque spec

   Cam Bolts129 Nm (95 lb-ft)
4. 4

   Adjust front toe
   With vehicle weight on wheels and suspension settled, loosen the tie rod jam nuts on both front tie rods. The tie rod jam nuts are located between the tie rod end and the center link/drag link. Rotate the tie rod sleeves to adjust front toe to specification (0.10° ±0.10° total). Turn both sleeves equally to maintain steering wheel center position. If steering wheel is off-center, adjust tie rods unequally but ensure total toe remains in specification. One flat of the hex sleeve typically adjusts toe by approximately 0.05°.
   ℹ️Ensure tie rod sleeve clamps are positioned so they do not contact steering or suspension components through full travel
   Torque spec

   Tie Rod Jam Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
5. 5

   Verify steering wheel centering
   With front wheels pointed straight ahead per alignment machine, verify steering wheel is centered with spokes level. If steering wheel is off-center by more than 5°, note the direction and amount. Loosen tie rod jam nuts again and rotate both tie rod sleeves equally in the same direction to center steering wheel while maintaining total toe specification. Turning both sleeves clockwise (when viewed from driver side) will rotate steering wheel counterclockwise. Recheck toe after adjustment.
6. 6

   Perform final torque verification
   Using calibrated torque wrench, verify all loosened fasteners are properly torqued. Torque all tie rod jam nuts front and rear. Torque cam bolts at upper control arms. Ensure all clamps and adjustment sleeves are positioned correctly with no interference to suspension travel or steering components.
   Torque spec

   Tie Rod Jam Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)

   Cam Bolts129 Nm (95 lb-ft)
7. 7

   Final measurement and documentation
   Lower vehicle fully onto alignment rack turntables. Bounce each corner of vehicle once to settle suspension. Allow alignment machine to take final measurements with vehicle weight on wheels. Verify all angles are within factory specification. Print alignment report showing before and after readings. If any angle cannot be brought to specification, identify the cause (bent component, worn bushing, frame damage) and document findings.
8. 8

   Road test verification
   Remove alignment targets and brake pedal lock. Drive vehicle off alignment rack and perform road test on level, straight road. Verify steering wheel remains centered during straight-line driving. Check for steering pull or drift. Verify steering returns to center after turns. Test steering feel and response. If any issues are present, return to alignment rack and recheck measurements.

Reassembly

1. Ensure all tie rod jam nuts are torqued to specification and clamp positioning does not create interference
2. Verify cam bolts are fully torqued and upper control arms are secure
3. Double-check that no tools or alignment equipment remain on or under vehicle

Verification

• All alignment angles (caster, camber, toe) must be within factory specification ranges as shown on final alignment printout
• Steering wheel must be centered within 5° when driving straight on level road
• Vehicle should track straight with no pull or drift under normal driving conditions
• No unusual tire wear patterns should develop after alignment (monitor over next 500-1000 miles)
• All tie rod jam nuts and cam bolts are torqued to specification with no looseness detected
• Thrust angle should be within 0.20° to ensure rear axle is parallel to front axle

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