20 Alignment, Wheels & Tires Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. Before any alignment angles are measured, the pre-alignment inspection is performed. Which action must be completed first?

   • A.Set every tire to the maximum pressure molded on the tire sidewall
   • B.Set front toe to zero so that the steering wheel sits centered
   • C.Loosen the tie rod adjuster clamps so the sleeves turn freely
   • D.Set every tire to the pressure shown on the vehicle tire placard✓ Answer

   Inflation pressure changes rolling radius and ride height, so camber, caster and toe all read wrong if the pressures are wrong. The placard value is the vehicle maker's cold pressure for that vehicle; the sidewall number is the tire's own limit, not a recommendation. Angles are measured only after pressures are correct and the steering and suspension parts have been checked for looseness or damage.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — pre-alignment inspection; vehicle tire placard inflation (49 CFR 571.110 Tire and Loading Information label)Report a problem with this question

2. 2. A front tire shows a feathered, saw-toothed edge across the tread ribs, and tread depth is even from shoulder to shoulder. Which angle should be measured and corrected?

   • A.Front caster setting
   • B.Steering axis inclination
   • C.Front toe setting✓ Answer
   • D.Front camber setting

   Incorrect toe makes the tire roll and scrub sideways at the same time, and that sideways scrub knife-edges one side of every rib, which is the feathered pattern. Camber wears one shoulder and inflation errors wear the center or both shoulders, so even depth across the tread rules those out. Caster does not wear the tread and steering axis inclination is not adjustable.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — identify tire wear patterns; measure and adjust front toeReport a problem with this question

3. 3. A tire is worn noticeably more in the center of the tread than at either shoulder, and the wear is even all the way around. What is the most likely cause?

   • A.The wheel has been running with an excessive toe-out setting
   • B.The tire has been run above the placard inflation pressure✓ Answer
   • C.The wheel has been running with excessive positive camber
   • D.The tire has been run below the placard inflation pressure

   Over-inflation crowns the tread so the center carries the load and the shoulders lift slightly off the road, which wears the middle first. Under-inflation does the opposite and wears both shoulders. Excessive camber wears one shoulder only, and a toe error leaves a feathered edge rather than even center wear.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — identify tire wear patterns; check and adjust inflation pressure to the vehicle placardReport a problem with this question

4. 4. A tire on an independent rear suspension is worn on the inboard shoulder only, and the rest of the tread is full. Which reading would best explain this wear?

   • A.Excessive negative camber at that wheel✓ Answer
   • B.Excessive positive caster at that wheel
   • C.Inflation pressure above the placard value
   • D.Excessive positive camber at that wheel

   Camber tilts the top of the wheel; negative camber leans the top inward so the inside shoulder carries the load and wears first, while positive camber wears the outside shoulder. Over-inflation would wear the center of the tread, not one edge. Caster is not a tire-wearing angle, so it cannot produce one-sided shoulder wear on its own.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — measure and adjust camber; identify tire wear patternsReport a problem with this question

5. 5. Caster is being measured during an alignment. Technician A says caster is compared side to side because unequal caster can make the vehicle lead toward one side. Technician B says caster must be corrected any time a front tire shows shoulder wear, because caster is a tire-wearing angle. Who is correct?

   • A.Technician A only✓ Answer
   • B.Neither Technician A nor Technician B
   • C.Both Technician A and Technician B
   • D.Technician B only

   Caster is a directional stability and steering return angle, and because it is read as a side-to-side comparison a cross-caster difference makes the vehicle lead toward the side with less positive caster. It does not scrub the tread, so shoulder wear points to camber or to inflation pressure instead, which is why Technician B is wrong.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — measure and adjust caster; identify wander, drift and pullReport a problem with this question

6. 6. On an alignment rack, steering axis inclination and included angle both read out of specification at the left front, while camber and caster can still be brought to specification. What should the technician do next?

   • A.Reset front toe and re-center the steering wheel
   • B.Adjust left front camber until included angle is correct
   • C.Install a camber shim behind the left front strut mount
   • D.Inspect the left front knuckle and strut for damage✓ Answer

   Steering axis inclination and included angle are built into the knuckle and strut and are not adjustable, so they are read as diagnostic angles. When they are out of specification the geometry of a part has changed, which means a bent or damaged component must be found and replaced rather than masked by adjusting an angle that still happens to be within reach.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — pre-alignment inspection and initial measurements; non-adjustable diagnostic anglesReport a problem with this question

7. 7. Rear toe has shifted so that the thrust line points to the right of the geometric centerline. With the vehicle driven straight ahead, what will the technician observe?

   • A.The body tracks at an angle to its path and the steering wheel sits off center✓ Answer
   • B.The steering wheel stays centered and both front tires wear on the outer edges
   • C.The rear of the vehicle sits low and the rear tires wear on the inner edges
   • D.The steering wheel returns slowly from turns and the front tires cup badly

   The thrust line is the direction the rear axle actually steers the vehicle, and the front wheels have to be turned slightly to follow it. That leaves the body crabbing at an angle to its direction of travel and the steering wheel held off center on a straight road. The fix is to bring rear toe back to specification, not to re-index the steering wheel.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — measure thrust angle; measure and adjust rear toeReport a problem with this question

8. 8. Rear toe has been set and the front toe is next. Which procedure centers the steering wheel correctly?

   • A.Turn the tie rods until the wheel looks straight, then read total toe
   • B.Lock the wheel centered, then split total toe evenly between both tie rods✓ Answer
   • C.Set total toe with the wheel free, then straighten it on the road test
   • D.Set total toe with one tie rod, then pull the wheel off and re-index it

   With the steering wheel held in the centered position by a holder, turning each tie rod the same amount changes total toe without moving the wheel, so the wheel is still centered when the setting is finished. Adjusting only one tie rod gives correct total toe with the wheel off center, and re-indexing the wheel on the shaft hides the error instead of correcting it.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — center the steering wheel mechanically; measure and adjust front toeReport a problem with this question

9. 9. An alignment is finished on a vehicle with electronic stability control and a lane keeping camera. Which step must still be completed before the vehicle is released?

   • A.Bleed the steering gear to remove air from the hydraulic lines
   • B.Run a relearn so the tire pressure sensors report positions
   • C.Reprogram the body control module for the new toe settings
   • D.Calibrate the steering angle sensor per the procedure✓ Answer

   Stability control and driver assist systems compare the steering angle sensor's zero point with the direction the vehicle actually travels. Changing toe or re-centering the steering wheel moves that straight-ahead point, so the sensor has to be re-zeroed by the specified procedure or the systems will act on a false steering angle.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — calibrate the steering angle sensor after alignmentReport a problem with this question

10. 10. Rear toe measures outside specification on a vehicle whose rear suspension has no factory toe adjustment. What is the correct action?

    • A.Record the reading, set front toe and release the vehicle
    • B.Bend the rear axle flange until the toe reading comes back
    • C.Inspect the rear suspension for bent or worn parts and repair✓ Answer
    • D.Offset front toe to the opposite side to cancel the reading

    If the manufacturer provides no adjustment, the angle was correct when the vehicle was built, so a reading outside specification means something has moved: a bent arm, a collapsed bushing or a damaged axle. Those parts are inspected and replaced, or an approved correction kit is installed. Heating or bending suspension parts is never acceptable, and offsetting front toe only hides the way the vehicle tracks.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — measure and adjust rear toe; pre-alignment inspection of suspension componentsReport a problem with this question

11. 11. Technician A says inflation pressure is set with the tires cold to the value on the vehicle's tire placard. Technician B says the pressure molded on the tire sidewall is the pressure the vehicle should be run at. Who is correct?

    • A.Technician B only
    • B.Neither Technician A nor Technician B
    • C.Both Technician A and Technician B
    • D.Technician A only✓ Answer

    The placard on the driver's door area gives the vehicle manufacturer's cold inflation pressure chosen for that vehicle's weight, ride and handling. The sidewall figure is the maximum pressure the tire may carry at its rated load, not a recommendation, and running it usually over-inflates the vehicle. Pressure is checked before driving because rolling heats the air and raises the reading.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — check and adjust tire pressure using the vehicle tire placard (49 CFR 571.110 Tire and Loading Information label)Report a problem with this question

12. 12. A tread depth gauge reads 3/32 in. in the outer groove and 2/32 in. in the center groove of a tire, and the molded wear indicator bars appear at 2/32 in. What should the technician report?

    • A.The tire should be rotated rearward so the center wears evenly
    • B.The tire has reached its wear indicators and needs replacement✓ Answer
    • C.The tire may stay in service until every groove reads 1/32 in.
    • D.The tire still has about half of its usable tread remaining

    The wear indicator bars are molded across the grooves at the minimum tread depth, which the stem gives as 2/32 in., so a groove reading 2/32 in. is level with the bars and the tire has reached its limit. The tire is judged on its most worn groove, not on the deepest one, which is why passing it on the 3/32 in. reading is wrong.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — inspect tire condition and measure tread depth; molded treadwear indicatorsReport a problem with this question

13. 13. A replacement tire is being selected for a light vehicle. Which statement about load index and speed rating is correct?

    • A.Speed rating applies to the drive wheels, so the others may be lower
    • B.The replacement must meet or exceed both values the vehicle specifies✓ Answer
    • C.The load index may be lower when the size and pattern are the same
    • D.A lower speed rating is acceptable when the load index is higher

    The service description on the sidewall states the load index and the speed symbol, and the vehicle manufacturer selects both so the tire carries the axle load and matches the vehicle's capability. Fitting a tire lower in either value puts the vehicle below the capacity it was certified with, at any wheel position; higher values are acceptable, lower ones are not.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — inspect tire size, load and speed ratings for the vehicle application; tire sidewall service descriptionReport a problem with this question

14. 14. All of the following are correct practice when reinstalling a wheel EXCEPT:

    • A.coating the stud threads with anti-seize before fitting the nuts✓ Answer
    • B.tightening the fasteners in a star pattern in two or three steps
    • C.advising a re-torque check after a short distance of driving
    • D.cleaning rust and scale from the wheel and hub mating faces

    Wheel fastener torque specifications are written for clean, dry threads. A lubricant or anti-seize lowers friction, so the same reading on the torque wrench stretches the stud much further and can yield the stud or distort the brake rotor. Cleaning the mating faces, tightening in a star pattern in stages and re-torquing after a short drive are all correct practice.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — rotate tires and wheels and torque fasteners to specificationReport a problem with this question

15. 15. A wheel and tire assembly has a heavy spot on the tread centerline, split evenly between the inboard and outboard halves. What kind of imbalance is this, and how does it show up in the vehicle?

    • A.Lateral runout, which makes the wheel wobble in and out
    • B.Radial runout, which makes the tread surface run out of round
    • C.Static imbalance, which makes the assembly hop up and down✓ Answer
    • D.Dynamic imbalance, which makes the assembly shimmy side to side

    Static imbalance is a weight difference in a single plane on the centerline, so the assembly tries to rise and fall as it turns and produces a vertical tramp. Dynamic imbalance is weight distributed unevenly between the two planes and shows up as side-to-side shimmy. Runout is a shape problem rather than a weight problem and is not corrected by adding balance weights.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — balance wheel and tire assembly; diagnose wheel and tire vibration and shimmyReport a problem with this question

16. 16. A tire is being mounted on a wheel fitted with a direct TPMS sensor at the valve. Which practice is correct?

    • A.Reuse the original grommet and run the nut down with a driver
    • B.Seat both beads at the maximum pressure molded on the sidewall
    • C.Fit a new service kit seal and grommet and torque the nut to spec✓ Answer
    • D.Rest the mounting head against the sensor to keep it clear

    The sensor's grommet, seal, valve core and nut take a set and corrode in service, so a new service kit is installed whenever the tire is dismounted, and the retaining nut is tightened to the specified torque because over-tightening cracks the sensor body. The bead is broken and the mounting head positioned away from the sensor so it is not struck, and beads are seated at the pressure the procedure specifies, never at the sidewall maximum.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — dismount and mount tires; service direct tire pressure monitoring sensorsReport a problem with this question

17. 17. Technician A says a direct TPMS that displays pressure by wheel position needs a relearn procedure after the tires are rotated. Technician B says an indirect TPMS has to be reset after the inflation pressures are adjusted. Who is correct?

    • A.Technician B only
    • B.Both Technician A and Technician B✓ Answer
    • C.Neither Technician A nor Technician B
    • D.Technician A only

    A direct system reads a uniquely coded sensor inside each wheel, so after a rotation the module has to be told which sensor is now at which corner or it will report the wrong location. An indirect system has no sensors and infers low pressure from wheel speed and rolling radius comparisons through the ABS, so it must be taught a new baseline whenever pressures are corrected or tires are moved.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — identify and test direct and indirect TPMS and conduct the relearn procedureReport a problem with this question

18. 18. The TPMS indicator flashes for about 60 seconds after start-up and then stays on steadily. All four tires measure at the placard pressure. What does this indicate?

    • A.A system fault that must be located and repaired✓ Answer
    • B.A normal self test that clears at road speed
    • C.A spare tire that has fallen below its pressure
    • D.A tire losing pressure the sensor has not reported

    Federally required monitoring systems use a steady lamp to report low pressure and a lamp that flashes at start-up and then stays on to report a malfunction, such as a dead sensor battery, a missing signal or a failed module. Because the measured pressures are all correct, the lamp is reporting the system itself and the fault must be found before the vehicle is released.

    Source: FMVSS No. 138, tire pressure monitoring systems — malfunction indication; Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — verify TPMS lamp operationReport a problem with this question

19. 19. All of these could turn on the TPMS warning lamp. Which is LEAST LIKELY to turn it on?

    • A.One tire is 25 percent below the placard pressure value
    • B.A monitored spare tire has lost most of its pressure
    • C.The tires were inflated with nitrogen instead of air✓ Answer
    • D.A direct sensor's internal battery has reached its end

    The system measures the pressure in the tire, not what gas provides it, so filling with nitrogen alone changes nothing the sensor reports and does not light the lamp. A monitored spare that has lost pressure, a sensor whose internal battery is finished and a tire well below the placard value each give the module a real reason to warn the driver.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — identify and test direct and indirect TPMS; FMVSS No. 138 low-pressure warning thresholdReport a problem with this question

20. 20. A nail has punctured a passenger tire. Where and how may the tire be repaired to industry standard?

    • A.In the shoulder or sidewall, with a patch fitted inside
    • B.Anywhere in the casing, if the injury is small enough
    • C.In the tread crown, with a plug pushed in from outside
    • D.In the tread crown, with a patch-plug fitted from inside✓ Answer

    Repairs are limited to the crown area of the tread because the shoulder and sidewall flex far too much to hold a repair. The tire must be dismounted so the injury can be inspected from inside for hidden damage, and a combination patch-plug fills the injury channel while the patch seals the innerliner. A plug installed from outside without dismounting seals neither and is not an acceptable repair.

    Source: U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association tire repair practice (repairs limited to the tread crown area, combination patch-plug installed from inside); Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Test — repair tires to industry standardsReport a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the Test Specification and Task List published in the Official ASE Study Guide for the Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) test. ASE is a mark of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence; this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by ASE. ASE certification requires passing the test and documenting relevant work experience, and appropriate vocational training may count toward that experience — confirm current requirements with ASE before testing. No question here keys a manufacturer specification: torque values, clearances, pressures and capacities differ by vehicle, so any figure a question needs is given in the question itself, exactly as you would read it off a service manual on the job. About the ASE G1 test →