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Best method to set a perfect wheelbase?

M

muddeprived

NAXJA Forum User
Location
PA
I got a slight left-hand pull. I'm getting replacement joints for my RC long arms and they are sending me a replacement crossmember as well so i want to use this time to get the "perfect" wheelbase set since I have to disconnect the arms from the xmember. Usually I just measure from center of hub to center of hub but it's not entirely accurate since you can't really tell if the steering is perfectly straight and if it's not the measurements won't come out right.

What is the best method in measuring and setting the wheelbase on both sides? Should I use the axle tubes instead? I heard that aligning the front axle to the rear axle would correct pulling issues sometimes. How is that done?


Thanks


Chris
 
Why not measure from the hub-to-hub on both sides and average it out? You can't be that far off if the wheel is reasonably centered. I think you are over-thinking this; or am I under-thinking it?

Seems to me that there is no "perfect" on most 4-wheelers. It's all a compromise.
 
the_weirdo said:
Why not measure from the hub-to-hub on both sides and average it out? You can't be that far off if the wheel is reasonably centered. I think you are over-thinking this; or am I under-thinking it?

Seems to me that there is no "perfect" on most 4-wheelers. It's all a compromise.
Click to expand...

I do tend to over-think things. :)

It's hard for me to get the tires straight cuz I have to back into a small driveway and pull forward into a garage so I only have about 15 feet to straighten it. When I eyeball the tires when doing the alignment, they never seem to be straight when compared to the rear but when measuring my wheelbase it's 1/8" longer on the driver's side, yet I have a pull to the left.
 
Any Costco/Walmart parking lots in PA?
 
flat ground wheels straight measure center hub to center hub 101.4.that's specs for stock xj, helps having someone hold one end of tape lol.
 
might want a rear end aligment first... if your thrust angle is off your not going to wear tires any more than if it was perfectly strait but if your measuring from the hubs i would imagine that your measurments would be off if the rear was not in alignment.

just some thoughts... idk if the info is helpful or relevant.
 
Can't do a rear end alignment on an XJ, there is nothing adjustable.

Somewhere (think it was on gojeep's page) I read that the rear axle is actually installed slightly skewed on XJs to counteract the crown of the road, but I'm not sure if this is true. If I was going to skew it I'm not sure which direction I would do so, since it'd either counteract the crown while driving on normal roads and make the effect worse when in the left lane on the highway, or vice versa.
 
like i said, i didnt know how useful the info was.

when i had an alignment done years ago they did quotes before and told me the rear thrust angle was off. even gave a price to fix it. i didnt understand how they would, we just had gotten done installing the lift and i didnt recall anything being "adjustable" by any stretch of the word. because tire wear wouldnt be affected, i didnt put any more thought into it.

they front came out fine, and is still true to this day. though i find it a bit odd now. this was a shop that the local offroad distributor (ETA) sent all of their customers vehicles to be aligned at. hmm...
 
kastein said:
Can't do a rear end alignment on an XJ, there is nothing adjustable.

Somewhere (think it was on gojeep's page) I read that the rear axle is actually installed slightly skewed on XJs to counteract the crown of the road, but I'm not sure if this is true. If I was going to skew it I'm not sure which direction I would do so, since it'd either counteract the crown while driving on normal roads and make the effect worse when in the left lane on the highway, or vice versa.
Click to expand...

It may not be adjustable in the aspect of turning a screw/bolt,but it can be adjusted!
 
RCP Phx said:
It may not be adjustable in the aspect of turning a screw/bolt,but it can be adjusted!
Click to expand...
now that you've proved me wrong in as few characters as possible, care to actually enlighten us as to HOW it can be adjusted without the use of a welder and/or modifications to parts, i.e. by an alignment shop?

I see no way to do so, since the leaf spring is bolted into the frame at the front end, and the center pin only has one spot to go on a stock axle housing.
 
kastein said:
now that you've proved me wrong in as few characters as possible, care to actually enlighten us as to HOW it can be adjusted without the use of a welder and/or modifications to parts, i.e. by an alignment shop?

I see no way to do so, since the leaf spring is bolted into the frame at the front end, and the center pin only has one spot to go on a stock axle housing.
Click to expand...

Offset center pins and eccentric spacers(an old dirt track trick),most "old school" spring/collision shops could get them,whether you can still buy them I dont know,but you can make them easy enough.Also most axles have enough "slop" in the factory pin fit to get about +/-1* which is pretty radical when talking about thrust angles.
 
muddeprived said:
Yup I got a walmart lot right across the road from here.
Click to expand...

Yep, I do a lot of things in Walmart's parking lot when I need a large flat area. Do, however, be aware of approaching vehicles and the location of your toes if you are laying down and wrenching.
 
joe_peters said:
Yep, I do a lot of things in Walmart's parking lot when I need a large flat area. Do, however, be aware of approaching vehicles and the location of your toes if you are laying down and wrenching.
Click to expand...

LOL I thought you were gonna share some kind of secret to aligning a jeep at walmart. :roflmao:

I usually go to my mother's air conditioned garage with a nice flat cement floor. It's nice not having sweat running into my eyes.
 
I tape a string to the rear center of the tire, pull it across the rear tire centered horizontally, till it just touches the front part of the tire and stretch it to the front tire it should touch front and rear sidewalk of the front tire, and the rear tire at the same time if the wheels are straight, and the front axle is centered under the vehicle.

Also I jack the jeep up and put all jack stands so all the wheels are off the ground to they aren't flexing the side walls giving you skewed measurements.
 
muddeprived said:
LOL I thought you were gonna share some kind of secret to aligning a jeep at walmart. :roflmao:

I usually go to my mother's air conditioned garage with a nice flat cement floor. It's nice not having sweat running into my eyes.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the shop is full of deadlines waiting for parts so I was laying outside on a piece of cardboard pulling my bumper--and sweating my buns off.
 
Ok I figured out a way. What I did was I put zip ties tight around the rear axle tube as close to the drum backing plate as I could. I slipped the end of the tape measure into the zip tie so it would hold it in place for me and then i extended it to the middle of the bottom ball joint stud. I measured both sides this way and both came out exactly the same and then I measured from the same rear spot to the top ball joint zerk fitting. Driver's side was only 1/16" longer but both pretty much the same. I concluded that the axles were in sync but I still get this left hand pull. It's so weird. I thought it was my brakes so I put the jeep on jack stands and spun the tires while the jeep was running and they all spun effortlessly and then I put it in 4wd and let em all spin and there was no drag.

I'm lost on what can be causing my left pull now. Any ideas?
 
muddeprived;245018274 I'm lost on what can be causing my left pull now. Any ideas?[/QUOTE said:
Here's a few ideas
Worn control arm bushings
Misalignment
Dragging brake caliper, damage brake line or hose
Contaminated braking lining
Other worn suspension parts- ball joints, TRE
Damage control arm mounts

Get an infrared thermometer and measure the brake temperature, after several stops, to see if the brakes are dragging on one side.
Click to expand...
 
lazyxj said:
Here's a few ideas
Worn control arm bushings
Misalignment
Dragging brake caliper, damage brake line or hose
Contaminated braking lining
Other worn suspension parts- ball joints, TRE
Damage control arm mounts

Get an infrared thermometer and measure the brake temperature, after several stops, to see if the brakes are dragging on one side.
Click to expand...

Control arms are like new. Got a somewhat new long arm kit.
Alignments set
brake lines and hose all new
all steering components replaced within the last 6 months, including bearings and BJ's.
Control arm mounts brand new (LA xmember)

I'll check the brake temps next time I take it for a spin but I'm doubting it's the brakes cuz I tested this a few times so far.
 
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