Alignment Tips?

[DaveK22]

I have an 03 Wrangler TJ with a newly installed 3.5" lift kit. Running new 33's on 15" wheels. I've gone a few hundred miles since doing the lift and decided I should probably get an alignment.

Any tips or suggestions? Or trust shop to do whatever is required. Thanks in advance.

 

[TJ_2000]

Check out YouTube for how to videos.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

I'm not sure what you'll find on YouTube, it could be pretty good or it could be a waste of time depending on what they know and what they do on the video. The same can be said about whatever shop you take it to, the added risk with these is that money is spent with the time.

I'm not saying to avoid YouTube, just make sure it seems legitimate.

As for shops, my suggestion is to try and talk with other local Jeep guys and find out who did good (or bad) alignments for them. Actually you may get lucky and those guys may be better than YouTube and your local shops.

 

[dbbd1]

Doing the toe is say enough on your own. Caster, with adjustable control arms? I'd go to a jeep shop or other recommended shop.

 

[tworley]

The toe can be adjusted easily using this thread
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-align-your-jeep-wrangler-tj.85/
As for caster, it will be whatever it is if you don't have adjustable control arms. If you have adjustable control arms then you want as much caster as you can possibly get before experiencing vibrations. I have found that if you let the axle hang to full droop, you can turn the driveshaft by hand and feel it "catch". That is the ujoint binding. Set the pinion angle to however low you can get it before you feel that "catch" at full droop.

 

[DaveK22]

I should add that my jeep experienced a few incidents of death wobble recently. I brought it to the shop that did the lift kit...they said there was one bolt that was metric & they replaced with standard due to some play. I’ll fond out tonight exactly which bolt.

They’re confident that was mostly the problem but also recommended the alignment. I thought I saw a thread one time about upgraded bolts involved with the alignment?

 

[dbbd1]

The LCA bolts are metric but going to the ever so slightly larger 9/16" is supposed to take up the slop.

 

[dbbd1]

As for caster, it will be whatever it is if you don't have adjustable control arms. If you have adjustable control arms then you want as much caster as you can possibly get before experiencing vibrations. I have found that if you let the axle hang to full droop, you can turn the driveshaft by hand and feel it "catch". That is the ujoint binding. Set the pinion angle to however low you can get it before you feel that "catch" at full droop.

Nice tip, thanks.

 

[DaveK22]

So I learned a lot from this thread. Now I understand "toe in" and how it's a key part of a TJ alignment. I found out today that my toe in is 2"! Luckily I have only a few hundred miles on the new rubber so I can get it fixed asap. I'll move the rear wheels to front as part of the alignment.

I saw on youtube a ref to 1/16th to 1/8th toe in for a lifted jeep. Since I'm running 33's, thinking 1/8th might be more appropriate?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

1/16" is fine. Make sure the Jeep is on the ground when setting the toe-in.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

I'm surprised you've been able to drive more than a few hundred feet with 2" toe in without feeling something is wrong.

The difference in toe in based on tire size is hardly the thickness of the lines on the tape measure.

 

[Goatman]

I think if you get the toe under 1/4 inch you'll be happy, but as posted earlier, the closer to the 1/16 you get the better. 2" is huge. Even a hat wagon will track like crap with that.

 

[DaveK22]

I'm surprised you've been able to drive more than a few hundred feet with 2" toe in without feeling something is wrong.

The difference in toe in based on tire size is hardly the thickness of the lines on the tape measure.

Well, the jeep is new to me (12/18) & driven very little due to the infamous Northeast road salt. Lifted in January 2019 and just started driving in March once roads cleared.

One thing I learned is that an alignment is a MUST after doing a lift kit & larger tires. The shop that did my lift said “you should” do one. At the time it drove fine so it wasnt really on my mind.

The irony is the Death Wobble brought this all to light...but that didnt happen for a few hundred miles AFTER the lift was done. We think a metric bolt was too loose on one of the arms which was likely the primary cause of the death wobble or maybe the combo of both. I drove it home from the lift shop with new bolt and still having the 2” toe in problem...no death wobble. I already have an apt for the alignment and wont drive u til then.