How can I perform a "garage alignment" on my jeep?

96 XJ, Rubicon Express 5.5" long arm lift, 33" tires.

My jeep pulls to the right real bad. I'll usually have to have the wheel turned about 1/4 of the way to keep it straight.

The outside tread on my driver side tire is worn way down compared to the rest of the front tires.

When looking at it, it almost looks like my driver side tire is angled so it's sticking out a tiny bit, sort of like \ instead of like |.

Steering is stock, but I do have a new factory steering box. I'm not looking for it to be perfect or anything but what can I do to make it not pull so bad???

Adjust the drag link to center the wheel and then the tie rod sleeve to adjust the toe in.

I use an adjustable shower bar to measure. A lot easier than trying to hold up and read the tape measure.

Josh

XJensen said:

I use an adjustable shower bar to measure. A lot easier than trying to hold up and read the tape measure.

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Great idea! Now I won't have to find a second person to help me out every time.

I always like to center the steering wheel first, then wrap a ratchet strap around it and hook it to the bars under the seat, give a a few pounds of pressure DON'T OVERTIGHTEN IT. That way you don't have to worry about it while working underneath. Then straigten the passenger tire, I use a long tube placed against the outside the tell when it's straight enough.

But if you're pulling real hard to a side you may have a bad ball joint or unit bearing, after you jack it up push on the tires and see if anything's loose. Could also be thrust angle, which means adjust your track bar. Easiest way I found to measure that is stand a 2x4 against the inside edge of the tires (make sure they're pointed straight first) and measure to the frame

I have never seen a straight 2x4. ^^

i just use a tape measure by myself and never have a problem, my tires are wearing evenly and thats all i care about out of it. i redo mine every once in a while since dirt plus crawlin throws it off a bit after a while

rocknxj said:

I have never seen a straight 2x4. ^^

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Doesn't matter as long as you turn it the same way on each side so it's all symmetric

Here is my 'home brew' wheel alignment method. I have 2 perfectly straight alum bars, 1" square and about 10 ft long.

I use bungees to strap 1 end of each bar across each front tire, with about 8' of bar sticking out front, both bars leveled with a digital level.

i then measure right in front of the tires, and also at the tips of the bars, and adjust accordingly. When those 2 readings are identical, there is zero toe out or in. that is all you can adjust on a solid axle vehicle unless you have adjustable control arms to adjust caster.
I like that idea of strapping the steering wheel - I'll have to do that next time.

In my experience, whenever a vehicle pulls to one side or the other, it is not an alignment issue, it is a worn component issue like ball joint as previously suggested. In fact my F250 currently pulls to the right and I know I have a worn ball joint there. I just am not going to replace it as I will soon be swapping out the TTB for a kingpin D60.
It seems to me that if you have good components on both sides and you are toed in or out too much the vehicle will want to go from side to side, without actually favoring either one. If the vehicle favors one side it would seem likely that a worn component there has altered caster on that side, causing the pull.

to anyone thinking about trying this, i just did and it wasn't bad at all! the only problem i had were a couple of seized bolts but my little propane torch and PB blaster took care of that. straightened my steering wheel too!