bjoehandley
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- WeGo, Chi-Town, Ill
I'd be looking at longer control arms and then make sure the caster is set correctly.
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positive camber after lift
- Thread starter avnsteve
- Start date
winterbeater
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Royal Oak, Michigan
Tie rod ends adjust toe. Control arms adjust caster. Camber is only adjustable through special steering knuckles. Only thing we don't know is the condition of the ball joints.
WB9YZU
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Madison, WI
Adjustable Ball joints can be used to adjust camber. I recomend going to MADXJ.com for write up on those.
When you affect change to the axle geometry, you affect all the settings, not just toe, and not just caster, but also camber.
Why?
Because in the course of lifting the vehicle with stock control arms, the axle rotates the bottom back. This changes your caster, which in turn changes your toe in, and your camber [because it is based on the location of the ball joints, which you moved a few degrees by rotating the axle].
Getting the caster "correct" on a lifted XJ is a matter of making lemonaid.
The FSM wants the pinion in-line with the front drive shaft and that is adjusted via the adjustment ponts on the LCA body mounts. Drivability will call for restoring the caster to somewhat closer to factory specs, which rotates the pinion down and out of optimal DS alignment.
What most people do, is get longer LCAs to "fix" the caster, and live with the fact that the front DS/Pinion are no longer straight on, but a degree or two off. They also don't worry about the camber.
Jeep had a factory option, the Up Country package, which was 1 inch over stock. All components are the same as a non-optioned Jeep, and the DS/Pinion alignment is set per the FSM. You are 1.5" inches over UC package "Stock". If you want, you could go with a bit longer LCAs, but I would simply stop looking at your axle if your toe in specs are right, the pinion is at or slightly below the front DS line, and the Jeep drives well.
Ron
When you affect change to the axle geometry, you affect all the settings, not just toe, and not just caster, but also camber.
Why?
Because in the course of lifting the vehicle with stock control arms, the axle rotates the bottom back. This changes your caster, which in turn changes your toe in, and your camber [because it is based on the location of the ball joints, which you moved a few degrees by rotating the axle].
Getting the caster "correct" on a lifted XJ is a matter of making lemonaid.
The FSM wants the pinion in-line with the front drive shaft and that is adjusted via the adjustment ponts on the LCA body mounts. Drivability will call for restoring the caster to somewhat closer to factory specs, which rotates the pinion down and out of optimal DS alignment.
What most people do, is get longer LCAs to "fix" the caster, and live with the fact that the front DS/Pinion are no longer straight on, but a degree or two off. They also don't worry about the camber.
Jeep had a factory option, the Up Country package, which was 1 inch over stock. All components are the same as a non-optioned Jeep, and the DS/Pinion alignment is set per the FSM. You are 1.5" inches over UC package "Stock". If you want, you could go with a bit longer LCAs, but I would simply stop looking at your axle if your toe in specs are right, the pinion is at or slightly below the front DS line, and the Jeep drives well.
Ron
avnsteve
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- South Austin or North San Antone
Ron,
That's a great reply, thanks. Everything is good (handles well, no vibes etc) but i can tell the tires are wearing oddly, so, I'll be doing both ball joints and LCAs, probably homebrew (just because)
That's a great reply, thanks. Everything is good (handles well, no vibes etc) but i can tell the tires are wearing oddly, so, I'll be doing both ball joints and LCAs, probably homebrew (just because)
gump
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- two harbors, mn
I've actually found that quite a few of the Jeeps issues have been made better by simply not looking at them anymore and just driving it. 
winterbeater
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Royal Oak, Michigan
OK, adjustable ball joints too. What we need is a number for the camber. You need to actually measure it.
