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Adjustable Control Arm Lengths??

98GhostXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Redwood City, CA
I have a 4.5" lift and have installed Rough Country Adjustable control arms. When I did the install I followed the measurments I found on the forum, but now that I have but on the 33's, it is very clear that the axle is still a bit back in the well. I was wondering if anyone that has these control arms and have their axle centered in the well, would take their measurements and post them in this thread. I could just drop each arm and spin them each an equal amount, but I want to do it once and not mess with the alignment any more than necessary If anyone has any ideas on the best way to do this I open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance.
 
I have a 4.5" lift and have installed Rough Country Adjustable control arms. When I did the install I followed the measurments I found on the forum, but now that I have but on the 33's, it is very clear that the axle is still a bit back in the well. I was wondering if anyone that has these control arms and have their axle centered in the well, would take their measurements and post them in this thread. I could just drop each arm and spin them each an equal amount, but I want to do it once and not mess with the alignment any more than necessary If anyone has any ideas on the best way to do this I open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance.
You can lengthen the arms but it will most likely mess up the alignment. You also need to keep the front pinion angle aligned right, it's as critical as the caster.
Turning each arm out the same amount might work but how will you know if you do not check?
BTW, you can do your own alignments with simple hand tools and a cheap level gauge.
http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAlignment.htm
http://tinyurl.com/28nsu54
It really isn't difficult. As often as Jeeps seem to need alignment due to mods, crashes or whatever, it’s a good skill to have.

If you move the axle forward, cycle the suspension, checking the front axle cover for clearance between it and the track-bar and track-bar bracket.
Your sway bar end may hit the springs. You can make or buy sway-bar lowering mounts. They lower and move the sway-bar forward, allowing the ends to clear the spring.
http://www.rubiconexpress.com/Jeep/XJ/Product.aspx?folder=XJSBD&part=RE9921
 
are your coil springs bowing towards the driver and pass?
 
You need longer UCAs to push the axle forward. If you try to do it by extending the LCAs alone, it will mess up your pinion and caster angles--the axle will rotate down as it tries to move forward.

and one way to verify this is too confirm that your coil springs are bowed towards the rear of the jeep.
 
Both upper and lower control arms are adjustable, and yes my coils are bowing backward. I had it aligned after I did the lift, but before the 33's were on. I was hoping if I do the same to the uppers as I do to the lowers, I won't mess the angles up and I will get the tires more centered in the wheel wells. I'll look at the link above and take the advice that it would be good to know how to check and adjust the alignment myself.
 
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then you need to extend the uppers out a little bit more. You want the coil springs to be pretty much strait up and down
 
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