In need of alignment?

M

MattXJ7

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Hermosa Beach, CA

• Apr 21, 2008

• #1

alright, well my friend was driving behind me the other day, and he noticed that my car was dog tracking...idk if thats the term used for what im trying to explain, so i drew a diagram in paint


the car drives in a perfectly strait line, and i cant notice it from driving..but two people have said it does this..

my question is, would an alignment job fix this?

thanks,

-Matt

 

mojojojo

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Gresham, Oregon

• Apr 21, 2008

• #2

i don't know man ? looks like your wheels are bent to me ?






























j/k you need to figure out if it's the front or rear or both, before you do anything. is it lifted ? after market CA's ? OEM axles ? stock ?

 

B

Blaine B.

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Northwest Indiana

• Apr 21, 2008

• #3

I'd be thinking it was in the rear instead of the front.

Almost like the axle is at an angle instead of perpendicular with the vehicle.

 

8

88manche

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Portland, Oregon

• Apr 21, 2008

• #4

Either that or one axle is centered and one isn't.

 

M

MattXJ7

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Hermosa Beach, CA

• Apr 21, 2008

• #5

2wd. [FONT=ARIAL, HELVETICA][SIZE=-1]4.1/2 inch lift kit. by rubicon,1/2 coil spacer in front





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mojojojo

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Gresham, Oregon

• Apr 21, 2008

• #6

adjustable control arms ?

 

B

Blaine B.

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Northwest Indiana

• Apr 21, 2008

• #7

Measure from the center of the front hubs to the center of the rear hubs.

Report back with measurements.

 

CJCOffroad

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Redondo Beach CA

• Apr 21, 2008

• #8

He has the RE fixed arms for the 4.5

 

M

MiNi Beast

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Fruitport, MI

• Apr 21, 2008

• #9

Front axle centered?

 

A

anotherjeff

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Winston Salem, NC

• Apr 21, 2008

• #10

This is off Tire Racks web site:

'On a solid rear axle vehicle, this requires a thrust angle alignment that allows the technician to confirm that all four wheels are "square" with each other. Thrust angle alignments also identify vehicles that would "dog track" going down the road with the rear end offset from the front. If the thrust angle isn't zero on many solid rear axle vehicles, a trip to a frame straightening shop is required to return the rear axle to its original location.'

Thrust angle aglinments here run about $40-$50 You probably don't need a frame shop, but a good alighnment tech should be able to determine the problem. The tech that did my alignment after the lift even centred my front diff with the Adjustable tracbar.

 

JNickel101

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Alamogordo, NM

• Apr 21, 2008

• #11

I want to know how you adjust the thrust angle on a rear leaf sprung axle....

 

8

89xj

NAXJA Forum User

Location

aston,pa

• Apr 21, 2008

• #12

looks like the trackbar is not at the correct length and the front axle is not centered.

 

A

anotherjeff

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Winston Salem, NC

• Apr 21, 2008

• #13

JNickel101 said:

I want to know how you adjust the thrust angle on a rear leaf sprung axle....

Click to expand...

If you find out you let me know as well, but knowing the thrust angle is important for 1. setting the front toe and centering the steering wheel and 2. determining if there is a problem with the rear.

If this problem wasn't there before the lift was installed a good alignment shop should be able to fix whatever is wrong as well as center the front diff with the trac bar.