PDA

View Full Version : need an alignment in/near san diego

big black xj
November 14th, 2007, 15:26
89,lifted and on 33's.....
Anyone care to reccomend a shop thats worth a flip?
cal
November 14th, 2007, 15:44
It takes 3 minutes

http://www.make-my-own-house.com/images/measure.jpg

http://www.quadratec.com/jeep_knowledgebase/article-48.htm
GrimmJeeper
November 14th, 2007, 15:46
hey i have that same tape measure, its been dropped twice from 4+ stories, run over by a f450, fallen out of a moving pickup and picked up the next day on the way back to the job site, and its still kickin!
cal
November 14th, 2007, 15:47
Not to mention you did your front end alignment with it.

in my driveway. ;)
GrimmJeeper
November 14th, 2007, 15:50
Not to mention you did your front end alignment with it.

in my driveway. ;)

as i remember it was in the street.

:D
cal
November 14th, 2007, 15:55
same diff. Give the OP an idea of how easy it was, and how much he'd be wasting cash going to a shop.
nick86
November 14th, 2007, 16:20
the only thing a shop will do is set the toe. do it yourself.
cal
November 14th, 2007, 16:22
the only thing a shop will do is set the toe. do it yourself.

They usually try and sell you offset balljoints too.. which if you wheel your rig as hard as i do, you probably don't want. I've never actually seen one break but a LOT of people seem to feel they are weak.
GrimmJeeper
November 14th, 2007, 16:39
big black... seriously it takes 5 mins with a tape measure.. just loosen the locknuts on each tie rod end (the ones that go into the knuckles in the wheels) and rotate the bar to set toe in to around 1/8 ". pick a spot in the tread pattern to measure from front and back, and see what the difference is. you want the number on the front to be 1/8" smaller than the back. rotate the bar a couple times and measure again, to see if you are turning the right way. once you get it pretty close to 1/8 tighten the locknuts back up and you are good to go!
big black xj
November 14th, 2007, 18:15
right on...
Im gonna give it a shot tommorrow after work.
01_XJ
November 14th, 2007, 20:42
Sweet. i'm gonna do that tomorrow too. an alignment was on my list of things to do soon.
markw
November 14th, 2007, 21:18
Just measure from the same point in front and back of the tire, have someone hold it. Shoot for about 1/8" toe in.
socal billl
November 15th, 2007, 06:30
the only thing a shop will do is set the toe. do it yourself.
I just had mine aligned at a shop yesterday.My caster was off and they shimmed the lower arms to adjust. (And they tried to sell me adjustable ball joints,lol)
The shop was New Century Tire in Westminster.
mikedashg
November 15th, 2007, 13:56
Tired of people telling me just do a tape measure. I've checked my toe and it's fine but it still pulls. Yes, it's probably ball joints.

If someone IS looking for a shop that does more then just your toe, this guy comes highly recomended by many people...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=roger+daniel%27s+alignment+santee%2C+ca&btnG=Search
XJ858
November 15th, 2007, 19:29
Try Milo Jhonson in Escondido, any search will bring up the address. Good shop as far as modified rigs go, plus he will set caster to any spec you want. Of course if you don't have adjustable arms, then ya you are just throwing money away.
cal
November 15th, 2007, 19:32
Of course if you don't have adjustable arms, then ya you are just throwing money away.

Look at your lower control arm pockets. There is an adjuster at the frame end, and shims go behind them to adjust caster. My jeep is a little bent, so I have .250" behind one side and not the other to keep an equal wheelbase.