Front Axle Fell Off Jack

[Jhawth]

Doesn't caster angle determine camber on a solid axle?

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[gato]

OP. I doubt you damaged anything. If you thing your Jeep has too much camber, don't bother with alignment shops. Buy a cheap digital angle finder ($19 on Amazon), park on level ground, place the angle finder on your rotor (both sides) and note camber and cross camber (difference in camber between the two sides).

Looking at the pictures and the descriptions, I doubt very much that you did any damage. If you installing a lift, most likely the distance from the bottom of your axle (ball joint stud or brake rotor) when suspended to the ground is likely under 10" and there was only the weight of the axle itself (no vehicle weight).

Think about it - we sometimes drop for 2 or three feet with the axle holding thousands of lbs and bottom out the suspension. I'd check the rotor on the side the hit the ground and visually inspect the ball joint stud and retorque that ball joint. Then if it drives fine, it is good to go.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

Doesn't caster angle determine camber on a solid axle?

Not sure why you think that.

 

[EndarSpire125]

Thank you all for the input! I tried to get it to a shop yesterday to have it checked out but everyone seems to be backlogged by about a week around me. I'll have the alignment checked just to be sure as soon as I can but in the meantime i'll just drive it as is. There isn't any damage that I can see to the brake rotor or lower ball joint bolt, so i'm thinking the camber issue is probably just me being paranoid. I'm planning on adding the longer LCAs when I get a chance so maybe by the time those parts show up an alignment rack will open up.

 

[californiajeeping]

Good afternoon!

This is my first post and the forums have been a huge help with my 2020 JL 2 door. I recently installed a Rubicon suspension from a 4xE. While I was installing the front parts, the axle slipped off the jack. The jeep was supported by jack stands but the axle hit the concrete. I can't be sure but I think it ended up resting on the lower ball joint bolt. I also noticed after I got finished putting everything back together it looks like the jeep has negative camber in the front (top of the tire is more inboard than the bottom). Is this normal? I drove it from Houston to Corpus Christi on Monday and it seems to drive just fine. Is the angle of the wheels normal? is there anything else I should look at? Thank you so much in advance.

Put a 3’ level vertically up against all 4 tires and compare. And you can get just an alignment report for $20 without adjustments at most tire shops.

 

[VKSheridan]

Hey OP, try this and let us know your thoughts: It‘s a $3.00 app called iALIGN that uses your phones angle detection. Calibrate it off a plumb or level and get to work.

 

[Jhawth]

Not sure why you think that.

Thought I read that somewhere, so was just trying to confirm / deny

 

[EndarSpire125]

I'll do what I can to get some measurements for y'all. I've actually got to drive it from Corpus Christi to Houston this afternoon (218 miles) so it might be a hot minute.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

Thought I read that somewhere, so was just trying to confirm / deny

No worries. I think the picture I posted clears that up. Cheers.

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