Alignment, or not to alignment.

[longfiredragon]

Have to ask because, well it's a wrangler, I haven't found much info. Shops say yes, but I don't trust most of them.

This it what I did. Installed a Clayton 1.5 lift, which actually gave me right at 2 1/2" of lift.

Installed both front and rear adj. Track bars. Adjusted both to center the axle.

My front LCAs I left in place. They were part of the 2" inch spacer lift I took off and they are fixed longer LCAs.

Installed Clayton adjustable front upper control arms. There i adjusted about 1/8 longer than the sheet Clayton gives you for the 2 1/2 inch lift. I do not know what the caster number is.

I adjusted the steering wheel back center.

Of course the springs,sway bar links, but talking parts that play into alignment.

So, my jeep rides and drives better than it did bran new. It goes straight down the road at every speed. Barley feel most smaller bumps. It's a beautiful thing.

So, do I need a shop to do an alignment? Or no?

Thanks

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[Apples491]

You didn't touch any of the steering while you were under there?

It sounds like it drives fine. Messing with the track bar or tie rod would be the biggest reason to need an alignment.

 

[BetOnBlack]

There is very little that can be done for an alignment. If it drives fine then you should be good. The only thing to really check would be toe. You can do that in your garage with a tape measure, 2 4' levels and bungee cord.

Not alignment really, but a adjustable track bar can center the axles left to right.

 

[Roky]

Have to ask because, well it's a wrangler, I haven't found much info. Shops say yes, but I don't trust most of them.

This it what I did. Installed a Clayton 1.5 lift, which actually gave me right at 2 1/2" of lift.

Installed both front and rear adj. Track bars. Adjusted both to center the axle.

My front LCAs I left in place. They were part of the 2" inch spacer lift I took off and they are fixed longer LCAs.

Installed Clayton adjustable front upper control arms. There i adjusted about 1/8 longer than the sheet Clayton gives you for the 2 1/2 inch lift. I do not know what the caster number is.

I adjusted the steering wheel back center.

Of course the springs,sway bar links, but talking parts that play into alignment.

So, my jeep rides and drives better than it did bran new. It goes straight down the road at every speed. Barley feel most smaller bumps. It's a beautiful thing.

So, do I need a shop to do an alignment? Or no?

Thanks

No alignment necessary…… if you want to increase your caster all you have to do is shorten the upper adjustable control arms…. You can check your caster with an angle finder like in pic……( analog or digital )

( make sure your Jeep is on level ground) 90 degrees is 6 degrees of caster….. depending on which side of 90 the needle is determines if you have more or less than 6……..or if you come across a tire shop that gives free alignment checks…. Hate to see you spend 100.00 ish just to see your caster number….

 

[longfiredragon]

No alignment necessary…… if you want to increase your caster all you have to do is shorten the upper adjustable control arms…. You can check your caster with an angle finder like in pic……( analog or digital )

( make sure your Jeep is on level ground) 90 degrees is 6 degrees of caster….. depending on which side of 90 the needle is determines if you have more or less than 6……..or if you come across a tire shop that gives free alignment checks…. Hate to see you spend 100.00 ish just to see your caster number….

Awesome, I will get one of those angle finders, because it sounds like I went the wrong way with the upper control arms.
Thanks brother.

 

[Roky]

Awesome, I will get one of those angle finders, because it sounds like I went the wrong way with the upper control arms.
Thanks brother.

Sure man, no worries….

 

[jadmt]

everyone has different beliefs but I like getting an alignment. One thing it can tell you is what your camber is. I like knowing that even tho it is not really adjustable I like knowing my axle is not smiling . Also I find it hard to set my toe without being on an alignment rack and it also tells you your thrust angle.

 

[longfiredragon]

You didn't touch any of the steering while you were under there?

It sounds like it drives fine. Messing with the track bar or tie rod would be the biggest reason to need an alignment.

I adjusted, I believe the drag link, the one that centers the steering wheel. And I adjusted both track bars to center the axle.

I did not touch the tie rod.

 

[longfiredragon]

everyone has different beliefs but I like getting an alignment. One thing it can tell you is what your camber is. I like knowing that even tho it is not really adjustable I like knowing my axle is not smiling . Also I find it hard to set my toe without being on an alignment rack and it also tells you your thrust angle.

I don't "yet" know what thrust angle is. I probably can't do toe, I'm in an RV park. No concrete pad, just dirt and gravel, and limited tools.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[JEEP4U]

everyone has different beliefs but I like getting an alignment. One thing it can tell you is what your camber is. I like knowing that even tho it is not really adjustable I like knowing my axle is not smiling . Also I find it hard to set my toe without being on an alignment rack and it also tells you your thrust angle.

Camber-Caster-Toe are adjustable

 

[jadmt]

Camber-Caster-Toe are adjustable

yes there are some ball joints and even shims that can adjust it but that is not the norm. on the other hand if they are really smiling than that is a wise adjustment to make. we used these on dana 44 in jk's https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...MI06fYqf3ahQMViR-tBh2Vuw4wEAQYBiABEgI-OfD_BwE

 

[Bill_BCNtoNY]

If you end up getting an alignment, make sure it’s a shop that knows jeeps well. I made the mistake of taking mine to the trusted neighborhood shop and they had no idea what to do. Worse, they didn’t tell me, charged me and “lost” the before/after alignment sheet. I trusted them but the Jeep drove maybe even worse that before, so I took it to the guy did my regear and he showed me how to do it right.

Paid twice, but lesson learned for me!

 

[longfiredragon]

If you end up getting an alignment, make sure it’s a shop that knows jeeps well. I made the mistake of taking mine to the trusted neighborhood shop and they had no idea what to do. Worse, they didn’t tell me, charged me and “lost” the before/after alignment sheet. I trusted them but the Jeep drove maybe even worse that before, so I took it to the guy did my regear and he showed me how to do it right.

Paid twice, but lesson learned for me!

Thanks, good advice. I do have a place that came highly recommend. Just have to make sure the right tech. Does the work.

 

[Reinen]

Getting an alignment after changing suspension parts never hurts (assuming it's a competent alignment shop). The alignment will probably only help a little bit but it can occasionally help a lot. It's a "better safe than sorry" step, even if it's just to have an alignment spec sheet which can help in the future.

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