Camber changes every time I'm at alignment shop

[Iwanttofightfiatchrysler]

So in my quest for Lifted JL steering perfection I've been in and out of alignment shops several times in the last month or so to have the computer set my toe-in. I've noticed that every time I get out of the shop my camber measurements are slightly different. Could this be balljoint related? I've not adjusted the balljoints at all recently. What would cause my camber to change?

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[garykk]

It would be nice if your pics were right side up and clear?

 

[Iwanttofightfiatchrysler]

It would be nice if your pics were right side up and clear?

I have flipped them

 

[Remorseless]

Camber's not really adjustable on a solid axle Jeep. IMO, I'd chock this up as measurement error on the part of the alignment tech.

 

[commbubba19]

odd how greatly your caster changed as well. tire temps similar? worn bushings maybe?

 

[Remorseless]

odd how greatly your caster changed as well. tire temps similar? worn bushings maybe?

It'd take a hell of a lot of abuse to wear out bushings that bad in a '21 already. And with how far off some of those caster readings are, I'd expect the Jeep to feel like it's falling apart coming down the road if it's changing that much.

 

[commbubba19]

that's why i questioned tire temp/psi. could effect it a 'little'.

 

[Iwanttofightfiatchrysler]

odd how greatly your caster changed as well. tire temps similar? worn bushings maybe?

Each of these three alignments were done after I changed something in the front end suspension. My 7+ caster one was done after putting 33's on and pushing the LCAs out a little

 

[roaniecowpony]

The sine of 1 degree is .017". If you said your tires were 30" diameter, 1 degree difference would be .51" (1/2").

If you said your balljoints are about 10" apart, they would have a total of about 1/3rd of the amount of the tire movement or about .17" (almost 3/16").

These inspections indicate something like your ball joints or hubs are worn out, wheels are loose or their machine has a serious lack of repeatability.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Each of these three alignments were done after I changed something in the front end suspension. My 7+ caster one was done after putting 33's on and pushing the LCAs out a little

If you calculated the geometry of how much effect rotating the axle, to add the couple extra degrees of caster, has on camber, the answer would be effectively no change.

 

[Roky]

The same tech at the same shop can rack your Jeep and run the alignment 3 times and you’ll get 3 different readings 99 percent of the time. There’s a reason why “in spec” or “out of spec” is a range and not a specific number. If it’s driving good and no tire wear then don’t worry over it, get out there and enjoy it…..

 

[roaniecowpony]

The same tech at the same shop can rack your Jeep and run the alignment 3 times and you’ll get 3 different readings 99 percent of the time. There’s a reason why “in spec” or “out of spec” is a range and not a specific number. If it’s driving good and no tire wear then don’t worry over it, get out there and enjoy it…..

Agree with you that measurement (any kind of measurement) has variability. But, the measurement machine should be more repeatable than the difference we see in those measurments

 

[Roky]

Agree with you that measurement (any kind of measurement) has variability. But, the measurement machine should be more repeatable than the difference we see in those measurments

Not when a human is involved……lol. The machine is repeatable, but how it gets racked, and how the sensors are placed on the wheels are not an exact science…..

 

[garykk]

In your first post you mentioned in and out of shops. We’re these different shops that did the alignment?

 

[The Last Cowboy]

It's fine if you don't have any vibrations or vagueness.

That having been said, the OEM ball joints are crap. If and when you replace them, make sure to use a higher quality, all steel ball joint. And if one OEM ball joint goes bad, the others aren't far behind, so do them all at once.

However, "don't fix what ain't broke"

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