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HELP PLEASE!!! Lining up UCA's

Lake919

Lake919

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Mobile, AL
Ok so I finally got the bushings pressed in, now I am trying to put the arms on and the axle seems to be all out of whack, the passenger side need to go backwards and the drivers side needs to go forward, so what do I need to do? HELP ME GURUS
 
I'll state the obvious here... Push the passenger side backwards and the drivers forward...

It might help if you told us what the actual problem is. Why exactly won't the axle move to where you want it?

It sounds like you just might need a friend or two to help push things around.

A large pipe wrench on the axle will help twist it if that's what it needs.

If it's really bound up, try ratchet straps.
 
ratchet strap on axle is a big help. Keep the LCAs attached and then whichever direction you pull will make the top roll that direction

You can hook the other end to the crossmember to roll it backwards. Finding something in front to fasten to can be harder, some people use aftermarket bumper, I use a tree
 
Thanks guys, the issue I am having is that I get the bolt lined up on one side of the upper(say the right side of ONE UCA) and then the left side is off like the uca needs to be twisted or torqued. I have ratchet straps from my 18 wheeler under there, big ass 4 inchers and it still wont move like I want
 
Do you have the frame on jackstands? otherwise the weight of the vehicle pushes down on the spring and tries to push the front of the axle down and roll the LCAs backwards/up. You don't need to relieve all the tension but you need to get some of the weight off
 
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The frame is on Stands and the axle is on a 3 ton jack. Should I let the axle just hang without the jack under there at all?
 
It needs to be unloaded enough to move around. Then its just a matter of using the jack to raise it up/down and use the straps to move it back/forth enough to get the bolt holes lined up. If it has any real weight on it you will get things like one wheel rolling forward and the other rolling backwards
 
Thanks Ehall, I will give it another go in the morning and see if I can hopefully get it all buttoned back up. I am ready to drive it again, lol
 
To twist the axle, use a jack under the knuckle or under the pinion depending which way it needs to rotate.
 
Do one control arm at a time. Don't think you'll get all the bolt holes lined up at the same time. To rotate the axle so the pinion goes down, I strap to the drivers side uca bushing mount and pull back. Remember not to torque the bolts until the full weight of the vehicle is on the tires.
 
Try a combination of a pipe wrench and a floor jack to rotate the axle in the direction you need it to move.

Place front end of the rig on jack stands (on uni-frame), letting the axle hang.
Attach pipe wrench under the axle, close to the control arm mount.
With pipe wrench attached to axle, place floor jack pad so that the end of pipe wrench handle end sits securely on the floor jack pad.
Slowly pump floor jack, rotating the axle, until mount holes line up...insert bolt...done.
 
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Thanks for all the advice guys. I went out this morning and in about an hour I completed the job. Now I have to unbolt the adjustable track bar and move the axle 3/4 of an inch towards the drivers side. Any advice there?
 
get something that is flat (like a metal rod--not a bent piece of wood) and hold against the tire, then measure the distance between the stick and inner frame

turn the steering, rock the jeep back and forth, whatever, to get the equal distance, then set the track bar and bolt it up

make sure its torqued, that is probably the one piece that will make the most problems and possibly kill you
 
YMMV, but I usually disco the track bar from the frame side and shake the front of the heep side to side and let it settle. You can measure and make sure that it is where it is if you want. This has worked well for me, just line/adjust the end to fit in the bracket and, voila!
 
Have someone turn & hold the steering wheel.

if no one is availalbe and have front tow hooks, you can use a ratchet strap around the tire. I bet you can find something else in the front to use if you don't have tow hooks. It doesn't take much.
 
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