- 1). Park your car on a flat surface, such as a cement driveway or garage floor. Make sure that your tires are running parallel to the body of your car by centering your steering wheel. If you are aligning the front end of an ATV, make sure the handlebars are centered.
- 2). Jack up the front right tire. Place the jack underneath the front right end of the vehicle and rest the top end of the jack on a solid metal surface. Do not place the jack underneath plastic, as the weight of the vehicle will crack the plastic once you jack it up. Pump the jack until the vehicle is at least 2 inches off the ground.
- 3). Place the chalk into the middle of the vice and close the grip. Leave about a half inch of chalk protruding from the vice. Set the vice on the ground, underneath the front right tire, making sure that the chalk is touching the tire.
- 4). Turn on your vehicle and slowly spin your tires. As your tires spin, the chalk will form a white line that covers the entire perimeter of your front right tire. If your vice is not heavy enough to stay anchored to the ground, have somebody secure the vice with his hands. If you require an assistant, make sure he wears goggles for protection. As the tires spin, debris or tiny pieces of chalk could become airborne, which can damage the eyes.
- 5). Lower your vehicle and repeat the process for the front left tire. Once both front tires are chalked, lower the vehicle to the ground and make sure that your tires are once again parallel to the body of the vehicle.
- 6). Extend the measuring tape from the white line on the front of the front right tire across the body of the vehicle, reaching to the white line on the front of the front left tire. Record the measurement.
- 7). Extend the measuring tape and record the distance between chalk line on the back end of the front tires. The two measurements should be the same. If they are not, you need to adjust your tie rods. Consult your owner's manual and follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to adjust the tie rods for your specific vehicle.
- 8). Check the tire alignment in relation to the body of your car, otherwise known as camber. Place a level or an angle finder onto the side of your tires. The measurement should register completely level when the leveling tool is resting against your tire. If it is not level, contact a mechanic and have them professionally adjust the camber. Adjusting your vehicle's camber is best done by professionals -- do not attempt to do it yourself.
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