Alignment off after 4.5" lift

Alright so I went to get an alignment from a shop and the only thing they adjusted was the toe. Results -> http://imgur.com/a/iJGQM I tried to get them to adjust the upper control arms to get my caster in spec but they said it wouldn't really help the caster much and would mostly affect the pinion angle. They said I needed adjustable lower control arms to change my caster. Is this right? Also when I installed the upper control arms I wasn't able to get them the same length. The driver side is longer than the passenger side. I figured NBD because I would just get it fixed when I got my alignment but after talking to them I kind of feel like I'm on my own on fixing my alignment now. Also I'm not really sure if my adjustable track bar has my axle completely centered as I just connected after the control arms where installed. Does anything in the results stick out as needed to be fixed and how? Lift kit is Rubicon express RE6130.

did you at least get a the print out of your alignment after they stole your money?

the LCA is adjustable at the frame side mount. make sure they are even and then adjust the arm as needed (if they are adjustable as well) at 4.5", you should be able to dial in good enough caster, but they are correct in it being a balance between castor and pinion angle. i got 6* on 4.5" springs and short arms. was good enough for me.

i would be talking to RE about the different length uppers though.

This is the print out http://imgur.com/a/iJGQM

They got your toe right. You can adjust your caster if it's wandering. If not, I'd leave it alone. I've run 4* with no issues, though more would be nice.

I'm always surprised by how few folks align their own Jeeps. It is kind of nice to have someone do the caster if you don't have a real flat driveway. Other than that, I've had really good luck with a measuring tape and some pipes propped against the wheels with jack stands. I've had shops check my work.

It is idiotic to say that something will change your pinion angle and not your caster angle on a solid axle. Also, changing either the lower or upper control arms will change it. I'd do whichever puts the axle in a better spot, but it will hardly matter.

The first thing I'd do is get your axle centered. Get both the left and right the same front to back.

Next, you can mess with the caster if you want. Lots of us have less than the ideal amount of caster, because with more lift, you can end up with a pretty bad pinion angle otherwise. Still, because you know what it is now, just use a stand alone angle finder and add a couple more degrees than you have. If you want. I've got a little over 4 degrees. It isn't great. But it is drivable.

Then, check and see if it is centered side-to-side. If it isn't, set on the ground (must be at ride height) disconnect the track bar, center the axle with ratchet straps, and adjust the track bar to match.

None of those things will change the toe. But changing the front-back and the side-to-side position of the axle will change the steering wheel center, the latter to a big extent. Luckily, recentering the steering wheel is pretty easy.

Also, none of this is rocket science or has to be done to really high tolerances. Many people drive Jeeps with an axle off a bit to one side. I got mine centered by measuring the center of the tire to the frame rail and calling it a day. I centered it front to back by measuring from the same holes on the rails. It works pretty well and is better than either of my Jeeps were when I bought them from guys who had not done it themselves.

Good luck,

Paul

Alright so I was able to get the caster adjusted. Don't know what the alignment tech was talking about as I was able to adjust the caster with the upper control arms. Although I was able to adjust it there was a limit to how much caster I could get with them. I was able to move caster from 3.8 to 5.4. This was as much caster as I could get with the adjustable Rubicon express short arms. If I could do it again I'd spring for the adjustable lower control arms. But 5.4 degrees is enough to satisfy me. What i did was jack the axle up slighlty and placed u shaped jack stands undeneath it. Then to spin the axle I placed a breaker bar between the coil spring perch and the axle and used a floor jack to torque the axle to spin. If I needed to spin the axle the opposite way I wedged my breaker bar in the passanger side shock perch then jacked up the breaker bar. Also if I could do it again I would have done all the alignment myself. It really wasn't that bad. Now onto centering the axle...