3" lift, positive camber... What length LCA to build?

Best I could find in the searches was 16.25" LCA for a 4.5" lift.

87 RENIX XJ

Pulled a lift out of a cash for clunker rig. It didn't have the control arms. It's a 3" lift full springs and I've got some serious positive camber going on now. I know my upper balls have a little play but this is rediculous. My TJ is up 3" and has no camber problems.

I was going to buy some replacement adjustable bushings and build my own arms but I'd like to know what length it should be for the 3" lift. Then I'll replace the upper joints and see if I need the eccentric lower balls.

I'll post a picture when I get home.
Thanks
-Paul

Well unless you managed to bend your axle while you lifted it it shouldn't have any camber.

With 3" of lift, the stock LCAs should be close. Lots of folks don't run aftermarket LCAs with a 3" of lift because the cheap kits don't come with them.

There is a caster/pinion angle adjustment on the rear LCA mounts. Equal adjustments on both until the pinion is in-line with the driveshaft, or a bit below. Make lemonaid here; a perfect in-line DS/Pinion angle may result in too much caster, so you may need to have the pinion slightly down to achieve good results.

If your ball joints are bad, don't bother adjusting anything until that is resolved. Camber on a beam axle is fixed at the factory, as is caster. However, as these items are fixed, but are the same parts, when you rotate the axle, your Caster and Toe-In have an affect on your Camber.

SO...
Replace Ball joints.
Adjust LCAs for best Caster.
Adjust your Toe-In.
---> Then
Recheck your Camber.

If your Camber is still further out of adjustment than you like, there may be some Camber issue but not much, there is an excellent article on the MADXJ.COM site on how to use adjustable ball joints to correct Camber and Caster issues.

Good Luck!

Ron

^This.

Although adjustable balljoints are a total pain to mess around with. I've found just roatate your tires frequently and live with it unless it's super severe.

Well OP, are you talking about caster or camber?

http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAlignment.htm

Definitely positive camber. Didn't seem to be this bad at stock height. Had a little positive but barely noticable.

I'm trying to duplicate the RC 3" II kit. So I've setup everything just need LCA's. Quad has replacement bushings for aftermarket arms $20 and arm. I can build the arm around those no problem. Would like to put the length proper if I can. There is some coil arc that would also be taken care of.

Picture doesn't really do it justice but it looks like 2-3º. Seeing both wheels makes the difference in the visual. I wouldn't have thought a slightly worn ball joint could cause THAT much grief.

He has camber issues not caster.

http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/Suspension_Steering_Axles_and_Brakes/Control_Arm_Chart.htm

check out that link it gives lengths for lca and uca for diff heights

also if the toe is off and you lift the vehicle it will turn that toe into camber because of the caster angle will be off. think of it this way with it sittin normal and you have your tires toes in just a lil (which will happen when you lift if you dont get a alignment) and when you lift it with out changein your control arms it rotates the axle a lil and turns that toes into camper due to the caster bein a lil off now due to the axle rotating.

Makes sense. That chart is awesome. I'll fix the balls and see if I've got too much toe in now. It's amazing how even just a 1/4" can change things. Too bad the stock arms aren't easy to extend!