The alignment on a vehicle is made of of three parts: camber, caster and toe-in. On the 1996 Dodge Ram, the only part than can be directly fixed is the toe-in. Problems associated with alignment, like steering pull, may be caused by other factors and can be remedied with a few basic steps. The alignment of the Ram should be checked every six months and the toe-in should be maintained to help improve tire life and vehicle control.
Park the Dodge Ram on a flat, level surface with the front wheels pointing directly forward. Keep the vehicle in neutral. Place wheel chocks around the rear wheels.
Measure the distance between between the inside walls of the front edge of each tire. Find the place where the edge of the tires are six inches from the ground. Make marks on the tires with a piece of chalk. Measure the distance between the marks.
Remove the wheel chocks. Carefully roll the Dodge Ram forward until the wheels have turned one full turn and the chalk marks are again six inches from the ground. Place the wheel chocks around the rear wheels. Measure the distance between the chalk marks.
Adjust the tie rod with a crescent wrench to make the measurement equal to the original measurement. Turning the tie rod's top nut will extend the tie rod and turning the bottom nut will retract it.
Continue rolling, measuring and adjusting until the measurements come within 1/8 inch of each other.
Check the tire pressure, tread depth and wear on all four tires. If the tires all have various amounts of pressure they will wear unevenly and eventually cause steering pull and other issues. Rotate tires regularly and replace them before they wear down too much.
Lubricate the suspension regularly. The 1996 Dodge Ram wasn't produced with Teflon bearings, so the suspension needs to be maintained. A dry suspension may cause the Ram to handle as if it has alignment problems.
Check the brake assembly regularly to catch freezing and rubbing pads and calipers. Often brakes will rub just enough that a slight tap against them will break them free. Rubbing calipers will cause a noticeable drift in control, much like poor alignment will.
