Hey guys just wondering how to adjust the camber on my 2000 cherokee i have around 7-8 inches of lift (i know too much) and the bottoms of my tires stick out a little more than the top and i'm worried about them wearing quick. any suggestions? thanks
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Adjusting the camber
- Thread starter Poker315
- Start date
94xjstud
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- San Jose Ca
You can't adjust your camber unless you have adjustable balljoints. Most likely is that your ball joints are bad and need to be replaced.
old_man
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Loveland, Colorado
Don't trust your eyes. You are looking at the tire and not the rim. If you have toe in or toe out, the tire will deform as you drive and make it look like your camber is off. Before you go messing with it, take it to a shop and get a real alignment or do some measuring using the rim to rim spacing at the top and the bottom (not easy). It will be easier to jack up the front end and put the axle on jack stands. Then you can take a look at the tires when they are off the ground and you should get a better idea.
As far as adjusting it, pretty much the only way is to change to a ball joint with an offset.
As far as adjusting it, pretty much the only way is to change to a ball joint with an offset.
WB9YZU
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Madison, WI
As noted, Camber is fixed on a solid axle.
Both Camber and Caster is adjusted by adjusting the pinion angle - See FSM
The big problem with high lifts and short arms is that your pinion rotates up quite a bit and shoots your camber and caster in the foot.
Likely, to get an acceptable camber, you will have to sacrifice some on your pinion angle.
If you have adjustable control arms, adjust the bottom ones out (equally) so the pinion is closer to a stock angle, then your caster, and camber should be much closer to stock.
The stock adjusters on the Lower control arm mounts on the frame may help, but not all that much.
Both Camber and Caster is adjusted by adjusting the pinion angle - See FSM
The big problem with high lifts and short arms is that your pinion rotates up quite a bit and shoots your camber and caster in the foot.
Likely, to get an acceptable camber, you will have to sacrifice some on your pinion angle.
If you have adjustable control arms, adjust the bottom ones out (equally) so the pinion is closer to a stock angle, then your caster, and camber should be much closer to stock.
The stock adjusters on the Lower control arm mounts on the frame may help, but not all that much.
- Location
- San Diego
edited a little
Last edited:
WB9YZU
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Madison, WI
That's pretty rude, and incorrect. Rotating the axle adjusts both caster and camber. Aftermarket Adjustable ball joints allow one to separate that relationship slightly, but that does not change the fact that when you adjust the pinion angle both caster and camber change
XJosh95
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Green Bay, WI
Not trying to bust balls, Ron, but you're both correct and incorrect. You are correct in saying that the camber changes as caster is adjusted, but the camber itself is not adjustable. The changes noted in camber when adjusting caster are minimal, especially when the OP has very large tires (as I assume he would with as much lift as he says he has). Adjusting the camber may bring camber back to within spec, but nothing major to note of.
If your camber is out and your ball joints and wheel bearings are tight, chances are you've got a bent axle tube. A good alignment shop will have the equipment to straighten the axle tube and put your camber back in spec. I tend to agree with old_man though, if you haven't had it on an alignment machine chances are it just looks out but isn't really. The front tires on mine look like they're leaning in at the tops badly but the alignment machine (and even tire wear) tells a different story.
- Location
- San Diego
so if your camber is off a. alignment shop is going to say just to adjust your caster/pinion angle? i highly doubt it. im not talking semantics here. sure the camber changes at a minute level when changing caster, but not enough to compensate for camber that is visually off, let alone off enough to cause uneven tire wear or any other problems. here in the XJ world, poor camber is fixed but changing the ball joints or is caused by a more serious problem of a bent axle tube.
krawlingxj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- reno nv
I too doubt that adjusting your caster will fix your camber The only real way to adjust camber is adjustable ball joints.
jeeperjohn
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Temecula, CA
To eliminate the trade off of castor versus camber at higher lift heights many folks cut and rotate the knuckles. This restores proper castor and Ackerman angle while allowing for a proper pinion angle.
