Two-lane highways hide a pull that the interstate shows
A lot of regional hauling in southeast Missouri runs on two-lane roads before it ever reaches an interstate. That matters for alignment, because the two kinds of road give a driver opposite impressions of how the truck tracks.
A two-lane road is built with a crown, higher in the middle so water runs off to the edges. A truck in its lane is always sitting on a slight slope toward the shoulder, and it naturally drifts that way. Drivers hold a little steering against it without noticing, all day, every day.
On that road, a truck that pulls slightly right feels normal, because everything pulls slightly right. The same truck on a flat stretch of interstate suddenly feels wrong, and a driver who only ever runs two-lanes may never feel it at all.
Use the flat road as the test
If your trucks reach I-55 or another flat, divided highway, that is the place to judge them. On a flat lane with no wind, a properly aligned truck should hold its line with the wheel close to center and very little correction.
Ask drivers one specific question after their next run on a flat stretch: did the truck want to go anywhere on its own? A clear answer is worth more than months of "it drives fine".
Then back it up with the steer tires. Wear concentrated on one shoulder, or feathering across the tread, confirms what the driver felt.
At this store
Book trucks early in the day, which makes a same-day return more likely. A trailer running out of square pushes a tractor off line, so trailer alignment is worth doing at the same visit. A vibration rather than a pull is more likely tire and wheel balancing, also here. The national heavy-duty truck alignment page covers what the measurement includes.
Other stores nearby
De Soto and Paducah, KY also align trucks.
About this store
The Jackson store runs seventeen services and is managed by Mike Rhymer.
See the national heavy-duty truck alignment page for all 40 locations.