The rear wheels decide which way the vehicle points
Alignment is usually talked about as a front-end job, because the front wheels steer. The rear wheels matter just as much, for a reason most drivers never hear about.
The direction the rear axle points sets the direction the whole vehicle wants to travel. If the rear wheels are aimed even slightly off the vehicle's centerline, the vehicle drives very slightly sideways down the road, a little like a shopping cart with one bad wheel. The driver corrects for it with the steering without noticing, and the result is a steering wheel that sits off center even after the front end has been aligned.
That is why a front-only alignment sometimes seems not to work. The front was set correctly, but it was set to a vehicle that is not tracking straight.
Why pickups are often the case
A pickup's rear axle sits on leaf springs, held in place by U-bolts and spring mounts. A hard hit from a field rut, a heavy load dropped in the bed, or worn spring hardware can shift that axle slightly in its mounts. Many pickups have little or no factory adjustment at the rear, so the fix may mean correcting the mounting rather than turning an adjuster.
The result is the same wherever the cause sits: tires that wear unevenly and a vehicle that never quite feels straight.
Ask for a four-wheel alignment
A four-wheel alignment measures the rear before setting the front, so the steering is set to the line the vehicle actually travels. On a pickup that works on farm roads or carries weight, ask for it by name.
A wobble or vibration rather than a pull is usually balance, and tire and wheel balancing is at this store. Worn parts that let the wheels move are suspension repair. The national alignment page covers how the check works.
About this store
The Henderson store carries all nine Purcell tire categories and is managed by Derrick Madewell.
See the national car and light truck alignment page for all 40 locations.