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HELP PLEASE! Removed Lower Control Arms now Axle not aligned

mchulse

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Austin, TX
Hey Guys,
I thought I would take on my lower control arms this weekend as the bushings were in pretty bad shape. This was a mistake. I'm on day two and now realize why the arms weren't going back in. The entire front axle shifted 3 inches towards the driver side and now they won't line up (boy will I need an alignment after this botched job). :doh:

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can realign my front axle just enough to get the control arms back on so I can take it to an alignment shop? I've tried jacking the axle up just a little ways then moving the jack, no success. Any help would be greatly appreciated so I can go to work tomorrow.
 
Is your rig lifted? Do you have an aftermarket track bar?
 
Nope, not lifted. My jeep is 100% (gulp) stock. I'll unbolt the trackbar and see if that will help.

Any issues I should be aware of with that getting realigned once I pull the bottom bolt?

Thanks for your help
 
If you have some ratchet straps you can attach one end to the axle and the other end to some where on the frame on the other side of the jeep and use it to pull the axle over. I have done this before to pull the axle rearwards when replacing my lower control arms.
 
Unbolt your track bar, this will let you slide the axle over.

HTH
Best advise; especially if you've jacked up the Jeep to work on it. Track bear causes axle to move side-to-side as the suspension cycles--even with stock lift.

Afterwords re-attach track bar with Jeep setting on axle, at ride-height.
 
jack the jeep up, put jackstands under the frame, then jack the axle up and push it to where it needs to be. or pull the trackbar as mentioned above, then start the jeep and turn the wheel. without the trackbar the whole body will shift left and right from the force of the power steering. get it where it needs to be then turn it off and crank the wheel to lock it in place.
 
If you have some ratchet straps you can attach one end to the axle and the other end to some where on the frame on the other side of the jeep and use it to pull the axle over. I have done this before to pull the axle rearwards when replacing my lower control arms.

This would be the best and safest method.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies!

I'm gonna give the racheting strap method a shot and if I need more wiggle room to work with I'll unbolt the trackbar and give it another shot.

I'm guessing the proper method for doing these lower control arms, for future reference, is to do one at a time?

(Just for reference, I currently have the Jeep on stands on the frame just behind the lower control arm mounts. The wheels are off and the jack is supporting the axle.)
 
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I think once you get everything bolted back up, you won't need an alignment. The track bar and the 4 control arms will settle into where they need to be and hold the thing in the proper position.
 
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I think once you get everything bolted back up, you won't need an alignment. The track bar and the 4 control arms will settle into where they need to be and hold the thing in the proper position.

correct.... unless you had adjustable control arms, and or trackbars, theres no way to get those controls arms back in, without going back to the same orientation as stock...


you shouldnt need an alignment, unless you needed one before. do a driveway alignment ala go-jeep.
 
For the Win!
Unbolt your track bar, this will let you slide the axle over.

HTH

Removed the track bar, used a couple of ratcheting straps and the thing was back together in no time! Boy this was a PITA job. From burning the old bushings out to re-positioning the axle. I think if I had this weekend back I'd probably just deal with the old bushings.

It was never too bad out of alignment but I've put on new leaf springs, trackbar bushings, sway bar bushings, and now control arm bushings so I figured it wouldn't hurt. I'll do a driveway alignment and hope for the best. Worst comes to worse I'll drive it down to the shop.

Thanks again everyone for your help! Couldn't have made it to work tomorrow without it party1:
 
This would be the best and safest method.

Don't agree. The track bar causes the axle to shift. As long as the track bar is installed, you can push and pull all you want; but the axle won't change positions unless you raise or lower the axle relative to the frame. Trying to force this is not safe. He probably has two issues if the coils are still installed. One is the axle rotating when he removed BOTH lower control arms at the same time. Second is the shifting of the axle relative to the frame, if he lowered the axle while using jack stands on the frame; this will automatically result in the axle moving to the driver's side. He needs to remove the track bar at the axle, if he can (if the axle did rotate, removing the track bar now, will be a bitch). If the axle has rotated (coil springs still in place), he needs to rotate the housing by using a bottle jack and a very large pipe wrench. Then remove the track bar (only at the axle needed).
 
Thanks guys, I torqued the track bar down to 74 lbs/ft but I'll pull the bolt off and add some loctite when the thing is running again (died on me during the test drive for no apparent reason, I think it hates me). Any other suspension parts that need loctite?
 
Thanks guys, I torqued the track bar down to 74 lbs/ft but I'll pull the bolt off and add some loctite when the thing is running again (died on me during the test drive for no apparent reason, I think it hates me). Any other suspension parts that need loctite?

I put a little on every bolt I install,
It prevents lots of headaches in the future!
 
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