HELP! Alignment issues.......

Ted Z · Oct 1, 2003

I finished everything and went for a test drive.....

Kinda squirrely on the road, wanders areound a little and not too stable feeling.......

Specs: 6-7" lift with new long arms.

I checked my toe in, Seems just about right.... What about caster? I set the angle of the front diff cover to 87.5* which is what GoJeep.com Alignment recommends.....

PLEASE HELP, I NEED TO LEAVE TOMMORROW MORNING!!

Ted

Speed_racer · Oct 1, 2003

Everytime you put on a lift you HAVE To get a front end alignment. period .

Sorry man!

GSequoia · Oct 1, 2003

How does everything feel on tightness? With wondering I'd be wordering about a few thing. Trackbar, ball joints, and TRE's.

Have a buddy turn the wheel back and for a bit (just enough to ever so slightly turn the wheels) and while he's doing that grab onto every joint and what-not under the front end and feel for any slop.

Sequoia
(Hit me up in AIM if you want, CorporateSequoia)

Rev Den · Oct 1, 2003

You could try a little more caster....Just a thought.

Rev

Ted Z · Oct 1, 2003

Checked all........ Everything is tight.

Added a little more caster and it's getting better.

Do I need a steering stabilizer???? Don't have it on right now.

juicexj24 · Oct 1, 2003

I would YES to that question. Juice

RCP Phx · Oct 2, 2003

Tire size affects the amount of toe-in required(in inches only).The larger the tire the more the toe-in!

XJJPR · Oct 2, 2003

More caster.

I don't think you have it right.

mark

PS mine is the same way but I'm not driving it, hope you aren't.

Yucca-Man · Oct 2, 2003

Did you throw new tires on after the lift? What size and how wide is the rim? Thinking that a too narrow rim can cause some meandering... Ditto to the above though.

Lincoln · Oct 2, 2003

Of course he's driving it Mark.

Ted, tip it back to about 83* and see what happens. I don't think 2.5* is nearly enough (did I add right?).

Also make sure your just not getting used to it. Everytime I free up some bind or go to a plusher ride I think somethings wrong. It's just different.

Later,
Lincoln

GSequoia · Oct 2, 2003

I'll give you one thing...stock castor is about 4.58*...

Duane · Oct 2, 2003

a 87.5 degree from horizontal works out to a Caster of 5.5 degrees positive---more than you will be able to have at that lift and still be kind to your front DS. Soft springs, soft shocks etc can lead to the tipsy feeling. How did you get to 6-7 inches of lift. all spring or did you use spacers? Springs for a shorter lifts will have a softer spring rate than a full spring for a bigger lift. if spacers are used to get lift out of a softer shorter spring (especialy at higher lifts) the spring rate remains soft and the higher center of gravity will cause more of a tipsy wandering feel.

just some thoughts!! let us know how it works out.

Lincoln · Oct 2, 2003

Oops, I forgot the knuckles were tipped back some from the pinion tangent.

See Ted some day's I shouldn't even bother.

Did you end up adding a fourth link? That would get back some stability also. Using heims or JJ's I bet you would get quite a bit back.

I would still try more caster. You might be getting a little axle steer (whatever it's called) too. Say you compress the left front and the axle moves slightly forward it would cause some wandering.

The links for Coils cause that to an extent. I had gotten used to driving (rear steer) and didn't notice how bad it was until I used the bags to stiffen the rate a little.

Lincoln

Eagle · Oct 2, 2003

RCP Phx said:
Tire size affects the amount of toe-in required(in inches only).The larger the tire the more the toe-in!

How do you figure that? And how can it affect toe-in in inches but not in degrees?

Toe-in is toe-in -- it should be zero to 1/16th irrespective of tire size. Why should larger tires need more toe-in, especially when the target is zero anyway?

:confused1:

RCP Phx · Oct 2, 2003

In the "old" years,toe was measured in inches.This really equated to a "degree" that the manufacturer intended for that vehicle.This was way before what people do with tires/rims today!For the same "angle" you will have more "offset/displacement" for a larger "radius". "does that make sense"?

KarmirXJ · Oct 2, 2003

Ted Z said:
I checked my toe in, Seems just about right.... What about caster? I set the angle of the front diff cover to 87.5*

I dont think this is something you want to 'eyeball' just about right doesnt really cut it... why dont you just take it down to an alignment shop instead of trying to fiddle with it and giving yourself a headache. put on a steering stablizer. At higher speeds the woundering will be close to uncontrolable. put the stabilzer on and take it to a shop ASAP. I have lifetime alignment at my local franchies tire shop. just cuz I bought my tires over their they are happy to see me every month for free alignment

most shops charge $40-$60.

most of them dont eyeball

, they use their laser machine gizmos so its worth the money.

HELP! Alignment issues.......

Ted Z

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Speed_racer

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GSequoia

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Rev Den

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Ted Z

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juicexj24

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RCP Phx

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XJJPR

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Yucca-Man

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Lincoln

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GSequoia

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Duane

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Lincoln

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Eagle

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RCP Phx

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KarmirXJ

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