Do it your self Alinement
Moderator: Club Officers
Do it your self Alinement
Brother needs to aline his xj and the shops he has taken it to say they can't. he has adjustable upper and lower control arms and trackbar. Any help?
1987 MJ, "Trowmanche v2.0"
1998 Cummins
2012 Jeep Compass (Mals)
1998 Cummins
2012 Jeep Compass (Mals)
-
CRAWL3R TJ
How big are the tires and what type of lift? I took my TJ in with 4.5" lift and 35's and didn't have a problem getting it aligned. I had mine done at Roanoke Spring Works since it is only a few blocks from where I work. I believe I had my last alignment done at Sears with the 35's.
Otherwise use a tape measure and if you want to set the caster you will need an anglefinder to set on the upper balljoint.
Here's a link that might help: http://www.stu-offroad.com/steering/align/align-1.htm
Otherwise use a tape measure and if you want to set the caster you will need an anglefinder to set on the upper balljoint.
Here's a link that might help: http://www.stu-offroad.com/steering/align/align-1.htm
hmm, we forgot to do this while he was here. there may be a reason the shop says it's not alignable, but it may just be they don't want to touch a lifted vehicle. chances are that it can be worked-around. I figured out the work-arounds for TTB and never took it into a shop for an alignment again. it steered and wore perfectly for many thousands of miles on my own tape-measure alignments.
first off, what are the symptoms? odd tire wear, drifting to one side, and/or un-centered steering wheel?
first off, what are the symptoms? odd tire wear, drifting to one side, and/or un-centered steering wheel?
The Rescue Ranger: in pieces and scattered about the yard.
it's a Y-link, right?
even if the draglink (from pitman arm to pass knuckle) didn't have enough adjustment with the lift, it should still be able to be aligned to where there is proper toe-in and no tire wear issues. I assume toe is the source of the fast wearing, unless you're seeing an uneven wear pattern across the width of the tire. if it's wearing the inside of the tread, you're looking at play in the front end and parts needing replaced, then an alignment.
that aside, there should be an adjuster on the tierod (between knuckles). loosen up the pinch bolts and adjust it using a tape measure on the front and rear edges of the wheels.
another method that might be slightly more accurate if you have 2 people, is to jack the tires off the ground so that they'll spin, and then scribe a mark around the tread of the tire using a nail or screw held in place while the tire spins. it will put a faint line in the rubber that you can measure to and that is true around the whole tire.
shoot for about 1/4" toe-in, meaning the measurement between the fronts of the tires are less than in the back. also make sure everything in the front end is tight- balljoints, tierod ends, wheelbearings. if there's play, there's no point in aligning it.
once you get the toe-in set, you can use the adjuster on the drag link to center the steering wheel.
even if the draglink (from pitman arm to pass knuckle) didn't have enough adjustment with the lift, it should still be able to be aligned to where there is proper toe-in and no tire wear issues. I assume toe is the source of the fast wearing, unless you're seeing an uneven wear pattern across the width of the tire. if it's wearing the inside of the tread, you're looking at play in the front end and parts needing replaced, then an alignment.
that aside, there should be an adjuster on the tierod (between knuckles). loosen up the pinch bolts and adjust it using a tape measure on the front and rear edges of the wheels.
another method that might be slightly more accurate if you have 2 people, is to jack the tires off the ground so that they'll spin, and then scribe a mark around the tread of the tire using a nail or screw held in place while the tire spins. it will put a faint line in the rubber that you can measure to and that is true around the whole tire.
shoot for about 1/4" toe-in, meaning the measurement between the fronts of the tires are less than in the back. also make sure everything in the front end is tight- balljoints, tierod ends, wheelbearings. if there's play, there's no point in aligning it.
once you get the toe-in set, you can use the adjuster on the drag link to center the steering wheel.
The Rescue Ranger: in pieces and scattered about the yard.
-
yotacowboy
- Posts: 581
- Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:28 am
- Location: b'burg
- Contact:
a white paint pen or chalk is easier. jack up a tire, measure across the tread, divide by 2, place a jack stand in front of the tire at that measurement (half the tread width), rest the paint pen or chalk on the jack stand, then while the chalk is touching the tire, spin tire. lather rinse repeat.Piney wrote: another method that might be slightly more accurate if you have 2 people, is to jack the tires off the ground so that they'll spin, and then scribe a mark around the tread of the tire using a nail or screw held in place while the tire spins. it will put a faint line in the rubber that you can measure to and that is true around the whole tire.
for tires over 35" its been my experience that VERY little toe-in it needed. i'm running my front tires dead-dick-on straight. no toe-in/out.
'91 Reg. Cab Yota DD: DOA 22re RV, .060 over,270 cam,ported,Thorley Tri-Y,2.25 cat,Flowey 40,SAS'd,Locked,Longed,Pig'd,Bumpered,Slidered,Sky wide axle,5.29's,Duals,Sky Tcase skid,37" Iroks,2.5" BS blk steelies,Allpro Hy-steer,HighAngle D-lines
i typically shoot for less versus more as well. 1/4" at the tires would be about 1/8" at the wheel lip, and that's what I usually end up with.yotacowboy wrote:for tires over 35" its been my experience that VERY little toe-in it needed. i'm running my front tires dead-dick-on straight. no toe-in/out.
The Rescue Ranger: in pieces and scattered about the yard.