Alignment needed?

[myjeep3]

I had a rear bent axle, so I end up replacing both rear and front axles. It was straight forward as I just disconnected one side of the control arms to the axles and dropped both axles.

Replacement axles are in. Do I need alignment? An alignment was done before the rear axle bent and no other part was replace at the front.
The only thing i see move up and down is the front lower control arms due to the camber bolts. Do those need adjustment? Or just tight them down?

 

[williambmac]

I had a rear bent axle, so I end up replacing both rear and front axles. It was straight forward as I just disconnected one side of the control arms to the axles and dropped both axles.

Replacement axles are in. Do I need alignment? An alignment was done before the rear axle bent and no other part was replace at the front.
The only thing i see move up and down is the front lower control arms due to the camber bolts. Do those need adjustment? Or just tight them down?

Yes you should have an alignment done.

 

[Wingback73]

It may be minor, but there will be variations in the physical location of the mounting points between axles. I don't mean inches, but perhaps small amounts due to manufacturing tolerances.

If you have factory control arms, then those cam bolts are the only adjustment, so I'd do it myself. If you have adjustable arms I'd still do it myself, but that is because I don't have any shops near me that know how to do it properly - you may choose to take it to others.

 

[myjeep3]

It may be minor, but there will be variations in the physical location of the mounting points between axles. I don't mean inches, but perhaps small amounts due to manufacturing tolerances.

If you have factory control arms, then those cam bolts are the only adjustment, so I'd do it myself. If you have adjustable arms I'd still do it myself, but that is because I don't have any shops near me that know how to do it properly - you may choose to take it to others.

I do run the factory control arms. Will search for ways to adjust the toe and straighten the steering wheel.

 

[Wingback73]

Assuming you have the factory steering as well, you are adjusting, in order:
1. axle squareness (using the cam washers on the LCA),
2. toe (using the factory tie rod bar - loosen the bolts at each end then dial in about 1/16-1/8" difference between the back of the wheel and the front. Do this with the axle up and the wheels off to make life easier), and
3. the steering wheel (through the adjustment on the drag link that connects to the pitman arm. This is done with the wheels pointed straight ahead and on the ground).

All easy enough

 

[Wingback73]

Double-post

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

I do run the factory control arms. Will search for ways to adjust the toe and straighten the steering wheel.

That needs done, well the toe in needs it and the steering wheel is a nice touch. Both are fairly easy to do yourself and the caster should only need adjustment IF your getting vibrations and you can even try that yourself. IIRC some stock TJs didn't even come with the camber bolts.

 

[myjeep3]

Assuming you have the factory steering as well, you are adjusting, in order:
1. axle squareness (using the cam washers on the LCA),
2. toe (using the factory tie rod bar - loosen the bolts at each end then dial in about 1/16-1/8" difference between the back of the wheel and the front. Do this with the axle up and the wheels off to make life easier), and
3. the steering wheel (through the adjustment on the drag link that connects to the pitman arm. This is done with the wheels pointed straight ahead and on the ground).

All easy enough

1. axle squareness: How do I know it's square?
2. toe. I reused the same tie rod bar and everything else which was aligned before. Do I still need to adjust the toe?

 

[Wingback73]

You'll know the axle is square by measuring to a common point, typically the front body mount. There are full instructions here somewhere.

I know you reused a lot of parts, but my 2 cents is that it is worth checking anyway. For all you know you didn't have the proper toe-in prior to the replacements either.

d-