ASAP!!alignment question/1 degree=new ball joint?

[PaulJ]

Your present camber will definitely wear your tires excessively on on one edge. It would be ideal if both sides were +/- 1/4 degree or better. I adjusted mine on my '87 with eccentric bushings on the lower ball joints. These only cost $18 each but they don't seem to make them for the new XJs. You can save money temporarily by not fixing it but you'll pay in the end on tire wear.

 

[JJacobs]

Those numbers aren't really all that out of whack for a late XJ, they typically run .75-.90 or so negative camber. No, it's not ideal, but I don't think you have axle damage. Also those offset balljoints weren't that expensive last I checked-

If it was my rig I'd run it as is, and rotate every 3K.

 

[SV1CEC]

From the numbers posted, I see nothing wrong with your truck.

Before:

Camber
Left: -.9
Right: -.5

Caster
Left: 7.1
Right: 7.2

After

Camber
Left: -1.1
Right: -.9

Caster
Left: 6.0
Right: 6.2

As you can see, the difference is minimal, I am sure it is within the variences introduced by the machine.

I wouldn't bother changing the ball joints, to correct these numbers.

 

[00xj]

bump for me

 

[00xj]

From the numbers posted, I see nothing wrong with your truck.

Before:

Camber
Left: -.9
Right: -.5

The after lift left camber number is -1.1 which is out of limits.
Limit is -0.8 to 0.5


Perhaps, I'm just being to picky, buy hell tires are expensive and I've dumped about 3k into this silly "Jeep Thing" Just getting to 3inches with a few skid plates and a sye. I want to be able to enjoy it without eating tires.

I think I'm going to have the dealer put 1 degree in the left and a 1/2 in the right tomorrow. They don't know how to tell me if the axle is straight and I sure as heck can't make measurement accurate enough with a tape measure in my driveway. The insurance company says they are done with me so I don't know what elso to do. I hope my axle is straight.


Today my friends I say, "Supid Jeep, I wish I had my Oldsmobile back!"

I sure hope two weeks of fishing in Canada and summer vacation cures my mood. I leave this Saturday! See why it's ASAP.

Oh, I almost forgot my t-case is leaking. Oh yea, let's pile it all on!

 

[XJJPR]

00xj,

Do you have an alignment problem, other than the factory specs?

If not don't spend the money. If so fix it. Your specs you've posted are fine for a lifted XJ. Trying to put it back to exact factory specs is a waste of money. Expecially if your doing it just to follow the guidelines. Most if not all dealers don't have a clue what works on lifted XJs or not. Don't chase something that's not there, but fix a real problem if it exists. ie doesn't drive straight.

Your specs all look fine, the camber numbers are as close if not closer than I've seen on brand new axles from the factory!

It's your money....
Just my .02


mark
orgs mfg

 

[00xj]

no problem, just out of factory spec's

(and the stearing wheel was not pointing straight after the lift, which if I understand is no really an alignment prob)

of cource I only drove it to around the block a few times and then straight to the dealer.


thanks

 

[MaXJohnson]

Perhaps, I'm just being to picky, buy hell tires are expensive and I've dumped about 3k into this silly "Jeep Thing" Just getting to 3inches with a few skid plates and a sye. I want to be able to enjoy it without eating tires.

Today my friends I say, "Supid Jeep, I wish I had my Oldsmobile back!"

Would the Oldsmobile have less damage after hitting another car and them slamming into a ditch?

Seems to me that the issue here is not that you spent more than most of us to get to 3". The problem is that you hit a ditch and now you're wrestling with how to repair the damage.

The general tone of the advice presented: Don't worry about a few tenths of an inch. Determine if you have some real problems like tire wear or drivability. If so, deal with those problems.

 

[00xj]

Would the Oldsmobile have less damage after hitting another car and them slamming into a ditch?

Actually I some guy broad sided my Delta 88, hahah I get your point. A crash causes damage.

Seems to me that the issue here is not that you spent more than most of us to get to 3". The problem is that you hit a ditch and now you're wrestling with how to repair the damage.

I spent a bunch, I wanted to do it right and that includes alot of stuff. I'm just frustrated. If I was a mechanic, instead of a teacher perhaps this would be easier to understand. I just see numbers out of limits and my brain says, "Fix-it."

The general tone of the advice presented: Don't worry about a few tenths of an inch. Determine if you have some real problems like tire wear or drivability. If so, deal with those problems.

Well that is the tricky part. My Jeep is at the dealership right now and I need to make a decision. Unfortunatley, I lack the skills to do my dealers job and check for bent parts. So it looks like there are three roads.

1. Tell them to align it the best they can w/o adj, ball joints and see what happens.

2. Put in a left 1 degree offset. have the left side with in limits and the right within limits but at the edge.

3. Put in left/right adj. ball joints and have both sides w/in limits.


Thanks, Im sure it will all work out, things always do.

 

[Eagle]

Checking the axle for a bend that would affect camber is easy -- park it on a level floor, be sure both tires are the same size and are inflated to exactly the same pressure, and put a short carpenter's bubble on the bottom of each axle tube. They should be level. If they are not level, they should both be off the same way if the axle is straight. If they are off in the opposite direction, the axle is bowed ("cambered" either up or down.

If the numbers you posted for the "allowable" are correct, it doesn't look like your right side is at the limit at all, it's within spec. Why not do a half degree offset on the left side and bring them both to the same reading? It's symmetrical, so it'll track straight, and it's within spec, and it's half the price of doing both sides.

 

[00xj]

If the numbers you posted for the "allowable" are correct, it doesn't look like your right side is at the limit at all, it's within spec. Why not do a half degree offset on the left side and bring them both to the same reading? It's symmetrical, so it'll track straight, and it's within spec, and it's half the price of doing both sides.

Sounds reasonable. I think "allowable" is really "actual" on my sheet.

On my post lift/crash it says

Left Camber
Actual -1.1
Before -1.1
Specified Range -0.8 0.5

Right Camber
Actual -0.7
Before -0.8
Specified Range -0.8 0.5


Thanks Eagle!

 

[Eagle]

Sorry, I mis-recollected ... the right side is at the limit, but it's not beyond. Put a half degree offset on the left side and they'll be the same.

 

[SV1CEC]

Just one question, here, since we are dealing with a difference of what, .5"?

How sure are you that the dealer's alignment was done properly and his machine is within these tolerances?

Have you cross-checked it with another shop?

Rgds

 

[00xj]

Just one question, here, since we are dealing with a difference of what, .5"?

How sure are you that the dealer's alignment was done properly and his machine is within these tolerances?

Have you cross-checked it with another shop?

Rgds

The first set of after crash before lift numbers were also bad for the left side. So I'm going to assume the left side is out on any machine. I do know the dealers machine is less than two months old. I know, I know, it could still be off, but heck it sure is a pretty thing all shiny and new looking.

Thanks

 

[SV1CEC]

The first set of after crash before lift numbers were also bad for the left side. So I'm going to assume the left side is out on any machine. I do know the dealers machine is less than two months old. I know, I know, it could still be off, but heck it sure is a pretty thing all shiny and new looking.

Thanks

As I said, I would not worry too much about this difference, nor do I think you will notice such a great degradation of your tires by this. Heck I remember some years ago, when I used to do some rallying, you could see some cars with their wheels noticeably incllined inwards. And these were their daily drives as well. I can't remember by heart what are my camber settings on my XJ, I didn't pay too much attention to them, as it is not something you can readily adjust, but I remember for sure that they were not the same on the two sides.

My 2 Eurocents only.

Rgds