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trackbar question
- Thread starter bretto
- Start date
Wiley Coyote
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Anchorage, AK
In a word, no. Having the front axle shifted to one side in and of its self will not cause the vehicle to pull to one side. Mine has been this way for over a year and it drives/steers just fine. I assume you just did a lift? If you did and haven’t had the vehicle aligned, now would be a good time. As you lift the vehicle it will change the angle that the tie rod/draglink connects and will cause it to pull to one side. It also messes up the toe in. It’s not hard to align an XJ if you have the right equipment. If you are trying to do it in your garage with hand tools and a floor jack it becomes an exercise in frustration.
Wiley Coyote
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Anchorage, AK
bretto said:
XJs use that wonderful inverted y steering set up. The tie rod and draglink connect to each other (instead of directly to the axle like most other vehicles). You have to adjust the tie rod and draglink simultaneously to get the wheels centered and the toe in set correctly. It’s a trial and error kind of thing; adjust the tie rod to get the toe in set right, then adjust the draglink to center the wheels, now go back and readjust the tie rod again, then check the draglink. Repete mulitple times until everything is set correctly. That’s why it’s a major pia to do it in your garage. It’s much easier to adjust everything while it’s on an alignment rack, plus the machine shows you when you are centered – much faster than using a tape measure.
redrill your hole at the axle to let the stock tracbar work. aligning tires is easier then he makes its seem. once you have the body over axle center and the toe in dead set, exenting/shortening the draglink only moves the pitman arm(do this while the vehicle is on)-making the wheel to center.
I just can't think what would cause a pull to the right other than having a bent housing or having a different wheelbase length between left and right sides. Camber is set unless you get different offset balljoints and caster can be changed with shims or adjustable arms. It pulls only after I put some spacers under the coils. I guess it may be combination of having the axle shifted over maybe my toe is off. If I think about it, lifting won't change toe though.
Brett
Brett
Last edited:
6" lift now...was at 4.5. I already had the stock tracbar mount redrilled. I am now in the process of getting an adjustable trackbar installed but as of now I am on the stock tracbar and the axle is shifted to the driver. I will measure the toe when I get home.
so no alighnment after you put spacers in??????? thats part of the reason
and stock/short arms setup on 6'' is steep IMO. get some TNT long arms or some kinda homemade longarm set up-RE drop or somehing.
4.5'' CA's- up to +6'', you cannot change the castor enough to compinsate for the extra 1.5-2'' with just a shim
and stock/short arms setup on 6'' is steep IMO. get some TNT long arms or some kinda homemade longarm set up-RE drop or somehing.
4.5'' CA's- up to +6'', you cannot change the castor enough to compinsate for the extra 1.5-2'' with just a shim
I have longer arms from RE that come with their 3.5 lift. Probably shorter than desired but they will due. And you are talking about alignent...what are they going to align? Toe? I can figure that out. They won't fix camber or caster. I guess they could give me readings. I was saying in general, a shim will change castor, I agree by no means will it compesate for inches of difference.
Brett
Brett
longer arms for 3.5'' lift??? those are like .25-.5'' over stock size if i remember- but you have 6'' of lift. the shop can adjust castor if you got adjustable arms, but again you are sitting too high to be running arms off the stock mounts.......... your wheel base is def. off from having too short of lower arms,pulling the wheels back-and castor def. off and your toe in- set it to 1/8-1/4" toe in
Wiley Coyote
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Anchorage, AK
I meant the wheels pointing straight ahead with the steering wheel centered. I should have explained that better.bretto said:
bj-666
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Rhode Island
Wiley Coyote said:
what are you talking about. to adjust the toe you adjust the draglink so you pass side tire is straight and so is you wheel then you adjust the tie rod bringing the toe within spec no need to adjust and check a million times.
Wiley Coyote
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Anchorage, AK
On an inverted y steering set up, lifting the vehicle will change the toe in. The draglink goes from the pitman arm to the passenger side knuckle. The tie rod goes from the drivers side knuckle to the draglink (about a foot from the passenger side knuckle). As you lift the vehicle it alters the angles between the pitman arm and the draglink; the draglink and the passenger side knuckle; and also the tie rod and draglink. Trust me, the toe in will have to be reset. It took me a couple of hours on an alignment rack to get the wheels centered, steering wheel centered and the toe in set correctly. The problem is as you adjust the draglink to get the wheels and steering wheel centered it alters the toe in adjustment. You have to go back and forth a couple of times till you find the right combination of draglink and tie rod adjustment that gets everything centered. Like I said, it can be done in a garage, but it is a major pia. It is much easier to just get the toe in and wheels centered and not worry about how the steering wheel looks. It’s not correct, but a lot of people do it. Next time you see a lifted Jeep go look and see if their steering wheel is cockeyed. :laugh3:bretto said:
Wiley Coyote
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Anchorage, AK
You don’t have to check it a million times, but you do need to adjust it more than once to get the steering wheel straight (assuming you got the toe in correct the first time and none of your adjustments altered it). If you PM me your email address I’d send you the Wheel Alignment section of a Factory Service Manual. I would post it here, but they get kind of upset about it.bj-666 said:
I see...yeah with lifting and with the dumb inverted-y the drag link essentially pulls the drivers tire inward as the drag link's angle changes. I had to draw a pic. That may explain my tire wear on the outside edge and the pull to the right.Wiley Coyote said:
Thanks
Brett
