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LIfted XJ with alimnet issues

X

Xjforme

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Hills Of Washington
I have a 00 xj that has a black dimond 3" lift on it with newer 30x9.5x15 Yokohama Geolanders. I new to this form so don't shoot the newbie for ask this. I'm having alimnet issues! I had the my XJ aliened when it came back from the shop after the lift was put on and it has been vering to the right. I had the alimnet rechecked and was assured the aliment wasn't out of wack. They suggested getting my tires rotated, which I did and it didn't help. Any suggestions on what next?
 
Xjforme said:
I have a 00 xj that has a black dimond 3" lift on it with newer 30x9.5x15 Yokohama Geolanders. I new to this form so don't shoot the newbie for ask this. I'm having alimnet issues! I had the my XJ aliened when it came back from the shop after the lift was put on and it has been vering to the right. I had the alimnet rechecked and was assured the aliment wasn't out of wack. They suggested getting my tires rotated, which I did and it didn't help. Any suggestions on what next?
Click to expand...

Oh man, I don't know what to do with this post...

First off, try searching with the spelling "alignment".

Secondly, if your truck is "aliened" then you have serious issues, someone call the Border Patrol.
 
They may have done a 2 wheel alignment instead of 4 wheel. Get out your trusty tape measure and start measuring to make sure the front and rear axles are parallel. Also make sure the new track bar is adjusted to center the front axle.
 
Xjforme said:
I new to this form so don't shoot the newbie for ask this. I'm having alimnet issues!
Click to expand...


Don't worry about the newbie bullsh!t here, this isn't PBB. Just steer left when it verse right, DUH!!

Oh a serious note:

Here's a question, did they straighten your steering wheel? You know, once you start driving a lifted vechicle, having a straight steering wheel is a whole new concept. It bothers some more than most, but it is possible that they did and well, they never get it on the first try, it really depends on which way the wheel apply pressure on the box and if you have any slop in the sterring shaft, etc. If its really bad, you definately have something either loose or out of wack under there.
 
I have the same mild pull to the right and this is the conclusion that I have come to.

on average, most roads are sloped from the center line to the each side. If your suspension becomes more flexible, your XJ will try to lean to the right because its higher off the road, and the suspension now will allow it. When you lean while driving, your XJ's front steering stablizers and all steering bars lean with it, thus pulling you to the right.

You could adjust your alignment to the left which will compinsate the difference (Mabey. Never tried it.)

Oh, and this will cause your tires to wear funny, but that always gives me and excuse to buy a new, bigger tire.
 
Another thing to consider is it could be the tire itself. Even though they may be brand new tires or you never had a problem before doenst necessarily mean anything. My dad has an 03 silverado with the duramax. My dream truck!! But anyway he rotated his tires one day just to keep them wearing properly. No alignment issues then. but when he rotated them he found that it pulled to the left. It turned out to be the inner belt within the tire itself. I dont know the exact science behind it. But it had something to do with the radial belt or the metal band inside the tire. so maybe a band in your tire is out of wack and you may not feel it in the rear of the jeep but you can notice it up front. just my $.02
 
My first thought was that the trac bar is off. Do you have an adjustable one? If you do make sure the body is centered over the axle.
 
joecool said:
My first thought was that the trac bar is off. Do you have an adjustable one? If you do make sure the body is centered over the axle.
Click to expand...
DING DING! My thoughts. Lift or not, it shouldnt drift like that.
The other DING DING! goes to the user who suggested the *4 wheel alignment*. Get an adjustable track bar and find another shop to do a 4 wheel alignment.

If thats not it, then shoot me! (J/K!!!)

Good luck, keep us posted!
Andrew
 
first of all a 4 wheel alignment is for vehicles with -AN ADJUSTABLE REAR AXLE-like front wheel drive cars or rear drive cars that have an independent rear suspension set up and trucks-um like ford exploders and such.an xj has a solid rear axle NO SUCH ADJUSTMENT EXISTS!!!so i know the alignment tech will love you if u ASK for a "4 wheel alignment" just because your xj is 4 wheel DRIVE does not mean 4 wheel alignment.when the alignment equipment is hooked up the rear wheels will have a sensor to keep the front in check with the rear-like a box if you will.it will show on the print out what the rear is at-if it is way off the vehicle will dog track down the road-other problems exist.
 
The other question to ask is has the vehicle ever been in even a minor accident? Mine was rear ended 2 years before it was lifted. All the body shjop did was install a new bumper. I never noticed anything wrong until I lifted it. Turns out the frame is slightly bent on that side causing the Jeep to be 1 " higher on one side over the other. I notced it when I realized that the rear axle was not parallel to the bottom of the bumper.
 
I know this sounds stupid, I will bet money on it though, its those exact brand tires I have seen it on three trucks and it makes no sense at all right after the geolanders were put on they pulled to the right. I replaced ball joints rotated tires adjusted torsion bars (the first vehicle was a suburban) and couldnt figure out what was going on. then another truck came in with the same problem same tires only it was a ford with a solid axle and i had a set of wheels and tires that i could swap and it instantly fixed the problem. I know that is your problem i had the suburban aligned at three places and replaced hundreds of dollars of unneeded suspesion components.
 
Xjforme said:
I have a 00 xj that has a black dimond 3" lift on it with newer 30x9.5x15 Yokohama Geolanders. I new to this form so don't shoot the newbie for ask this. I'm having alimnet issues! I had the my XJ aliened when it came back from the shop after the lift was put on and it has been vering to the right. I had the alimnet rechecked and was assured the aliment wasn't out of wack. They suggested getting my tires rotated, which I did and it didn't help. Any suggestions on what next?
Click to expand...
OMFG, that's hilarious!
Thank you for the laugh, really!
 
markaboo929 said:
first of all a 4 wheel alignment is for vehicles with -AN ADJUSTABLE REAR AXLE-like front wheel drive cars or rear drive cars that have an independent rear suspension set up and trucks-um like ford exploders and such.an xj has a solid rear axle NO SUCH ADJUSTMENT EXISTS!!!so i know the alignment tech will love you if u ASK for a "4 wheel alignment" just because your xj is 4 wheel DRIVE does not mean 4 wheel alignment.when the alignment equipment is hooked up the rear wheels will have a sensor to keep the front in check with the rear-like a box if you will.it will show on the print out what the rear is at-if it is way off the vehicle will dog track down the road-other problems exist.
Click to expand...
This kind of alignment will also tell you if the track bar is off.
IOW, is the entire front axle aligned (not just parallel) with the rear axle.
In the box, so to speak.
 
Xjforme said:
Thanks for the info guys and for the guys who got on me about my spelling, Just because I didn't get my edumacation doesn't me you have to be an ass.
Click to expand...
Lack of edumacation is no excuse for that travesty (look it up) of a post.
If you can find this web site, you can find any number of dictionary or spell check sites.
At the very least hit the "preview post" button before the "submit post" button and try to read what you expect us to.
 
I didn't read anything but the first post.

I had the same issue, my Jeep pulled hard to the left even after a new alignment. So I changed my front tires out with my new ones and sure enough no more pulling. So you may need new tirez.
 
I took my wifes xj to go get an alignment done. When I walked and said what it was doing. The shop guy told me that jeep rarely need an alignment. Try rotating the tires and see that does. Sure enough that fixed it from veering to the right. About a week after that I thought I had the DW, ended up that I had a bad belt on one of the tires. Couldn't tell by looking at it while it was on or off the rim. But after I switched all four tires with the 4 tires on my jeep it stopped. So if it was me, I would look at your tires first.
 
Re: LIfted XJ with ALIGNMENT issues

I started with a 3" lift and had the same problems. Get an adjustable track bar with a reinforced drop down bracket. That helped with drifting and really stabilized the front end. Also, it's really hard to find someone who actually knows how to align a lifted truck. Chain shops will constantly try to put your rig back to the factory specs they have in their computer, book or whatever, when that will never be possible. I finally found a guy who knew what he was doing and my jeep rides better than stock, steering wheel strait and all. Long story short- it may be the tyres but it's most likely the alignment. Find a good shop...

my $ 0.02
 
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