Camber off causing steering issues

[Jwhite]

Hello everyone,
My Jeep has had an issue where It doesn’t track straight. I have had it aligned many times and the shop says the alignment is not the issue. It pulls left especially at highway speeds. The axle doesn’t appear to be bent and the ball joints don’t have play. Any suggestions on what it could be? Possibly the ball joint is bent?

 

[707kevin]

ball joints don't really bend...

There should be some pretty expert replies here for you soon based on the readouts.

 

[LONGJP2]

Check if axles are square to the frame.
Assuming the frame's not bent.
Measure from the axle (front and rear) to the center skid bolt.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Just because I feel like complaining, that's the most cursed alignment sheet format I've ever seen. I'd much rather read words than decipher a cartoon icon trying to represent what the word means.

But the numbers look fine. Your camber is out of spec but not anywhere near enough to feel or even cause any tire wear.

Have you rotated tires or checked for any dragging brakes?

 

[Jwhite]

Just because I feel like complaining, that's the most cursed alignment sheet format I've ever seen. I'd much rather read words than decipher a cartoon icon trying to represent what the word means.

But the numbers look fine. Your camber is out of spec but not anywhere near enough to feel or even cause any tire wear.

Have you rotated tires or checked for any dragging brakes?

 

[Jwhite]

I have rotated tires before so I don’t believe that’s the issue . I believe the technician checked the brakes as well. It is more noticeable at higher speeds and I need to hold the wheel at 1 o clock for it to drive straight.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I have rotated tires before so I don’t believe that’s the issue . I believe the technician checked the brakes as well. It is more noticeable at higher speeds and I need to hold the wheel at 1 o clock for it to drive straight.

Is it pulling left or is it just that it goes left when you hold the wheel straight the wheel is turned when you're driving straight?

 

[Jwhite]

Is it pulling left or is it just that it goes left when you hold the wheel straight the wheel is turned when you're driving straight?

I have to hold the wheel right to go straight. I’m going to get a video of it later today. The wheel tries to center itself and then the car pulls left but I prevent that by keeping the wheel around 1 o clock

 

[Duck Doctor]

Are your front lower control arms adjustable? I had a similar issue recently because my front LCAs were slightly different lengths.

 

[Jwhite]

Are your front lower control arms adjustable? I had a similar issue recently because my front LCAs were slightly different lengths.

Yes they were professionally adjusted yesterday and caster is within .25 of each other so I don’t think that’s the issue. I think the camber on the drivers side couldn’t be the problem.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Yes they were professionally adjusted yesterday and caster is within .25 of each other so I don’t think that’s the issue. I think the camber on the drivers side couldn’t be the problem.

You say you notice it mostly on the highway, is it one specific highway that you're on mostly? Is it a divided highway crowned such that the left lane slopes to drain water into the median, vs right lane slopes to the right to drain to the shoulder?

 

[Jwhite]

Hi everyone, here’s a video of me driving.

 

[Jwhite]

Hi everyone, here’s a video of me driving.
View attachment 420377

At the end of the video I let go of the wheel and it returns to center and the car pulls left

 

[JSpike]

At the end of the video I let go of the wheel and it returns to center and the car pulls left

Looking at your alignment spec sheet, they did not fix your camber on left side it's red,
Camber and Toe are tire wear angles, caster is a directional control angle. Technically speaking a vehicle should pull to the side of least positive caster. But looking at yours would mean pulling to right. The camber needs to be addressed front and rear on left side ,these numbers mean both of those tires are not wearing correctly !
I would start with checking air pressures
Then rotate front tires side to side, then test drive. When you drive at any speed the car should go straight with steering wheel straight, that's called cleared steering.
If after checking pressures and rotating side to side does not help take it back to alignment shop and have technician go with you on a test drive, which he should have done anyway ! You want the steering cleared the camber adjusted left side front and back and the pull to left corrected.
If he can't do that they don't need to be in alignment busness.
Your tire are not mismatched ,all same size ?

 

[Jwhite]

Looking at your alignment spec sheet, they did not fix your camber on left side it's red,
Camber and Toe are tire wear angles, caster is a directional control angle. Technically speaking a vehicle should pull to the side of least positive caster. But looking at yours would mean pulling to right. The camber needs to be addressed front and rear on left side ,these numbers mean both of those tires are not wearing correctly !
I would start with checking air pressures
Then rotate front tires side to side, then test drive. When you drive at any speed the car should go straight with steering wheel straight, that's called cleared steering.
If after checking pressures and rotating side to side does not help take it back to alignment shop and have technician go with you on a test drive, which he should have done anyway ! You want the steering cleared the camber adjusted left side front and back and the pull to left corrected.
If he can't do that they don't need to be in alignment busness.
Your tire are not mismatched ,all same size ?

I agree with you on the camber. The problem is camber is not adjustable so I will have to figure out why the numbers are out of spec. I am taking the car to another reputable Jeep shop and hopefully they figure out what’s wrong.

 

[Jwhite]

If I were to adjust the right lower control arm half a turn to try to increase the caster to match the left side more, is it fine to do with the car on the ground or will the axle roll backwards and prevent me from reinstalling it?

 

[NskLJ]

If I were to adjust the right lower control arm half a turn to try to increase the caster to match the left side more, is it fine to do with the car on the ground or will the axle roll backwards and prevent me from reinstalling it?

If I were to adjust the right lower control arm half a turn to try to increase the caster to match the left side more, is it fine to do with the car on the ground or will the axle roll backwards and prevent me from reinstalling it?

Drive the vehicle on a level road and let go of the wheel does it actually pull one side or is the wheel just off? If the wheel is off adjust the draglink to center the wheel.

 

[Jwhite]

Drive the vehicle on a level road and let go of the wheel does it actually pull one side or is the wheel just off? If the wheel is off adjust the draglink to center the wheel.

Like you said it varies on the roads I drive. The Jeep definitely pulls left when I let go of the wheel. I assume it would only help adjusting the front right lower arm half a turn longer to Match the left sides caster closer.

 

[NskLJ]

Like you said it varies on the roads I drive. The Jeep definitely pulls left when I let go of the wheel. I assume it would only help adjusting the front right lower arm half a turn longer to Match the left sides caster closer.

With a solid axle you really cannot adjust side to side caster with the control arms. A adjustable ball joint would be needed. Here is what one looks like, I’m sure you could source on from other venders. This one seem a bit pricey. You can rotate the ball joint to adjust caster and camber. The joints are usually available in different degrees of adjustments such as 1/2, 1, 1 1/2 degrees.
https://www.extremeterrain.com/jeep...2ZsOsfZG3oKrIQtpJ_0aAuLrEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Jwhite]

With a solid axle you really cannot adjust side to side caster with the control arms. A adjustable ball joint would be needed. Here is what one looks like, I’m sure you could source on from other venders. This one seem a bit pricey.
[URL]https://www.extremeterrain.com...2ZsOsfZG3oKrIQtpJ_0aAuLrEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds[/URL]

I will have the shop measure the lower front control arms to confirm they are identical in length. It’s possible the right side is half a turn short because 1. The caster is lower on that side 2. The right side grease fitting is facing up and the left side grease fitting is facing down.