Alignment needed with these symptoms?

[nU7OuxIx]

I picked up my JLU Rubicon back around May-ish of this year. I ordered it and received it with maybe 10 miles on it so everything was new. Things have been awesome but I've struggled with expressway driving. At first going over 55 was challenging. It felt like it wandered a bit and if I hit a pothole I would lose control. Since then, I have 3k miles on it and things are better but now going over 70mph it feels kind of wonky. My YJ does the same thing, so I just thought maybe it was a Jeep thing.

I lowered the PSI from the 42psi when delivered to 37psi and that helped a lot. I lowered it even more to about 34psi and that helped even more. I attempted a chalk test but was unsuccessful and gave up because I couldn't see the wear. What I did find with the chalk test was that it looked like there was inner tire wear with it on the front tires.

I ended up purchasing a digital tire depth gauge and checked the tires at 37 psi. They read .453 outer and .438 inner. I drove about a thousand miles and tested again at 34psi. They are showing about .441 outer and .434 inner. To me, it looks like they are wearing but they are still wearing unevenly and more on the inner.

Do you think I should take it back to the dealer for them to check the alignment? Should I just go to firestone to pay the 100-some bucks for a lifetime alignment instead? The dealer is painful just because it's a drive to get there and I'm not sure if they will try to diagnose the issue further than the alignment and end up screwing something else up and making it worst.

Just trying to get some input back on the tread depth and my chalk wear to see if an alignment is needed, even though the Jeep was brand new.

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[Roky]

I picked up my JLU Rubicon back around May-ish of this year. I ordered it and received it with maybe 10 miles on it so everything was new. Things have been awesome but I've struggled with expressway driving. At first going over 55 was challenging. It felt like it wandered a bit and if I hit a pothole I would lose control. Since then, I have 3k miles on it and things are better but now going over 70mph it feels kind of wonky. My YJ does the same thing, so I just thought maybe it was a Jeep thing.

I lowered the PSI from the 42psi when delivered to 37psi and that helped a lot. I lowered it even more to about 34psi and that helped even more. I attempted a chalk test but was unsuccessful and gave up because I couldn't see the wear. What I did find with the chalk test was that it looked like there was inner tire wear with it on the front tires.

I ended up purchasing a digital tire depth gauge and checked the tires at 37 psi. They read .453 outer and .438 inner. I drove about a thousand miles and tested again at 34psi. They are showing about .441 outer and .434 inner. To me, it looks like they are wearing but they are still wearing unevenly and more on the inner.

Do you think I should take it back to the dealer for them to check the alignment? Should I just go to firestone to pay the 100-some bucks for a lifetime alignment instead? The dealer is painful just because it's a drive to get there and I'm not sure if they will try to diagnose the issue further than the alignment and end up screwing something else up and making it worst.

Just trying to get some input back on the tread depth and my chalk wear to see if an alignment is needed, even though the Jeep was brand new.

There’s really nothing to adjust except toe, on a stock Rubi, so alignment is waste of money IMO. You should get you some Mopar lift front lower control arms if you’re gonna rock it stock. They’re a little longer and will eliminate the wandering at speed issue. They’re identical to stock except longer , so no issues with warranty, as long as you don’t volunteer any information……

 

[nU7OuxIx]

There’s really nothing to adjust except toe, on a stock Rubi, so alignment is waste of money IMO. You should get you some Mopar lift front lower control arms if you’re gonna rock it stock. They’re a little longer and will eliminate the wandering at speed issue. They’re identical to stock except longer , so no issues with warranty, as long as you don’t volunteer any information……

Thanks for the reply!

I've been reading about the LCA for awhile and that's crossed my mind.

I'm just wondering if there's too much negative camber since I'm seeing a bit of wear on the inside of the tires.

 

[Roky]

Thanks for the reply!

I've been reading about the LCA for awhile and that's crossed my mind.

I'm just wondering if there's too much negative camber since I'm seeing a bit of wear on the inside of the tires.

Check toe, it may be out, don’t know how, but worth checking. A 1/16” toe in has been working great for me. I’d check torque on ball joints too, can’t imagine they’d be worn this quick but not being torqued properly from factory, is a possibility. Shit slips through the cracks sometimes…….

 

[supermike]

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$35 x 2 best $80 you will spent if you trying to keep it stock.

 

[word302]

Thanks for the reply!

I've been reading about the LCA for awhile and that's crossed my mind.

I'm just wondering if there's too much negative camber since I'm seeing a bit of wear on the inside of the tires.

There’s no way to adjust camber on your Jeep. Like Roky said check the toe and ball joints. Get longer control arms to get yourself a bit more caster.

 

[nU7OuxIx]

Check toe, it may be out, don’t know how, but worth checking. A 1/16” toe in has been working great for me. I’d check torque on ball joints too, can’t imagine they’d be worn this quick but not being torqued properly from factory, is a possibility. Shit slips through the cracks sometimes…….

There was a TSP (I think) about certain 2021 JL's where the ball joints aren't torqued down all the way. I checked my tie rod/ball joint and while I didn't retorque it, there were no signs of anything loose. So yes, it is an issue.

 

[nU7OuxIx]

There’s no way to adjust camber on your Jeep. Like Roky said check the toe and ball joints. Get longer control arms to get yourself a bit more caster.

At this point, I think the best bet is to bring it back to the dealer and have them take a look at it. I can explain that the tire wear is uneven and request an alignment.

I tried aligning my YJ by hand using angle iron and I got it close but not exact. I ended up taking it into a shop and have them professionally align it.

 

[LittleDog]

There was a TSP (I think) about certain 2021 JL's where the ball joints aren't torqued down all the way. I checked my tie rod/ball joint and while I didn't retorque it, there were no signs of anything loose. So yes, it is an issue.

Wait, "certain 2021" ball joints? I thought every and all pre-2020 JLs were suspect. Just tightened mine a short while ago and no more clicking.

 

[nU7OuxIx]

Wait, "certain 2021" ball joints? I thought every and all pre-2020 JLs were suspect. Just tightened mine a short while ago and no more clicking.

Possibly. I was trying to find the place where I was reading it. I remember is was a TSB and it said 2021's built between x and x date may need their ball joints re-torqued. Then somebody was questioning the torque value. Where I saw that is beyond me, either facebook or here.

I don't recall the specific tsb and dates but thought 'oh man, mine falls in that range'.

EDIT: Found it! It's TSB 02-004-21

 

[LittleDog]

Possibly. I was trying to find the place where I was reading it. I remember is was a TSB and it said 2021's built between x and x date may need their ball joints re-torqued. Then somebody was questioning the torque value. Where I saw that is beyond me, either facebook or here.

I don't recall the specific tsb and dates but thought 'oh man, mine falls in that range'.

It's usually a slightly different issue, specifically, clicking noises at low speed/end of lock turns.

Get a torque wrench and some cutters and get under the jeep, there's just enough clearance without jacking up the stock jeep.

The stock cotter pin is a pain to remove, get a new one and just cut the old one off and pull it to save twenty minutes of your life.

Tighten the castle nut to 30-37 ft/lbs, + 1 detent, and replace the cotter pin.

Doing only the lower ball joint fixed my clicking. You'll probably have to remove the wheel for the uppers. Higher torque value for those.

@nU7OuxIx check the drag link and tie rod. Toe-in was what fixed the majority of my initial steering problems.

 

[word302]

At this point, I think the best bet is to bring it back to the dealer and have them take a look at it. I can explain that the tire wear is uneven and request an alignment.

I tried aligning my YJ by hand using angle iron and I got it close but not exact. I ended up taking it into a shop and have them professionally align it.

We keep trying to tell you there’s nothing to align other than toe. Literally nothing else is adjustable. If you want to pay someone to adjust your toe we’ll go right ahead, but caster is likely your handling issue.

 

[gato]

OP doesn't sound that there is anything wrong with your Rubicon. All recirculating ball Jeeps/vehicles are a little flighty.

If you had too much camber, you'd feel tramlining where the Jeep tries to grab the ruts in the road (like middle lines where the heavy trucks ride). Your tire pressures should be around 31 PSI (below 30 you will get a warning, unless you use a programmer like a Tazer). Try that and you will see a world of difference in steering and ride comfort at the penalty of ~1MPG.

Most modern light vehicles have recommended tire pressures that are set for EPA/fuel-economy, not ride or handling.

 

[gato]

As for the ball joints, my only stopped clicking when the bottom ones were ~60 ftlbs and the top were at ~80ftlbs. Both me and the tech at the dealer took shots at it. Fingers crossed they will remain quiet.

I found out that all my steering linkage (tie rod and drag link ball joints were loose). tightening the tie rod ones made a world of difference on reducing shimmy and wandering.

Give it a try - 47 ftlbs on the tie rod ball joints - 21 mm.

 

[nU7OuxIx]

We keep trying to tell you there’s nothing to align other than toe. Literally nothing else is adjustable. If you want to pay someone to adjust your toe we’ll go right ahead, but caster is likely your handling issue.

Understood. Part of me thinks it's OK because my YJ does the same thing. My car story is I had a WJ and didn't have a single issue. Then I got rid of it and drove Subaru Impreza sports for 15 years. I bought a rusted YJ to fix for fun, then got rid of my Subaru and bought the JLU. I'm wondering if I'm just used to driving low to the ground sports tuned small cars and I'm not used to how the Wranglers drive.

Talking to other Jeepers it sounds like some have issues with this and others say that it drives fine. Being that my Jeep has that steel steering box instead of the aluminum one makes me think everything is fine and it's just me. But now since I'm seeing uneven tread wear makes me wonder if there is something weird going on with it. Don't know what it could be, if anything, that's why I'm asking.

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