Proper wheel alignment is a necessity. The alignment of the wheels not only increases the length of time your tires will last but also makes steering and handling easier. You should fix the alignment on a car if you feel it pulling to one side when you drive or if the tires are wearing unevenly. You can fix the alignment easily, but it does require time and the help of another person.

1. Step 1

   Park the car on an even surface. Make sure it is in neutral and that you have at least 20 feet of clear space behind the car.

2. Step 2

   Measure up 4 inches from the ground to the tire on the front face of each of the rear tires and put a chalk mark on the tire. The front face is the tread of the tire that is facing toward the front of the car.

3. Step 3

   Measure the distance between the two tires from the height of the chalk marks. Make sure you are measuring from the "inside" of one tire to the "inside" of the other. The "inside" of the tire is the side wall that faces the car body.

4. Step 4

   Roll the car backward until the chalk mark you put on the front face is facing the rear of the car 4 inches from the ground.

5. Step 5

   Measure from inside to inside.

6. Step 6

   Using a crescent wrench, turn the top or bottom nut of the tie rod to extend or retract (the top will extend the tie rod; the bottom will retract it) until the measurement you took from the back face of the tire matches the original measurement that you took when the chalk mark was on the front face of the tire.

7. Step 7

   Roll the car backward until the chalk mark is on the front face again, 4 inches from the ground. Take another measurement; if it does not match your first one, repeat steps 4 through 6 until it does.