Tell the shop how the truck is really used
An alignment is measured with the vehicle sitting on the rack, usually empty. For a car that spends its life with one or two people in it, that is close enough to how it is driven. For a pickup that tows a trailer every weekend or carries a full bed all week, it may not be.
Weight changes geometry. A heavy load in the bed compresses the rear springs. A trailer's tongue weight pushes down on the back of the truck and lifts weight off the front axle. The front tires then sit at slightly different angles from the ones that were measured, and they wear accordingly.
None of that makes an alignment pointless. It makes the conversation before it more useful.
What to mention when you book
- Regular towing, and roughly how heavy the trailer is.
- A constant load, such as a toolbox, a ladder rack or a bed that is rarely empty.
- Changes to ride height, including a leveling kit, a lift, or helper springs.
- Different tire sizes from the ones the truck came with.
Each of those affects how the truck sits, and the technician can take it into account rather than discovering it later from the tire wear.
Signs it is time
A steering wheel that is off center on a straight road, a drift to one side, or wear on one edge of the front tires. A truck that steers lightly or wanders when towing may also have a hitch setup putting too little weight on the front, which is worth checking alongside the alignment.
A vibration rather than a pull is more often balance, and tire and wheel balancing is here. Clunks and looseness point to worn parts, which is suspension repair. The national alignment page covers how the check works.
Other stores nearby
In Salt Lake City, the Commercial & Consumer store and the Truck Tire Center also align cars and light trucks.
About this store
The Orem store carries all nine Purcell tire categories and is managed by Travis Olsen.
See the national car and light truck alignment page for all 40 locations.