This is what I'm thinking. Luckily I got an appointment with the 4x4 alignment shop tomorrow. Hopefully they can set me straight.
Caster angle off on one side?
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
This is what I'm thinking. Luckily I got an appointment with the 4x4 alignment shop tomorrow. Hopefully they can set me straight.
OP
TrailYacht
Member
What are you showing us here Brad? Pinion angle? By that I can guess you have to little caster, still need a rack. Regardless, to straighten the wheel as Chris has mentioned just adjust your Drag link. It is the upper of the steering bars connected to the pitman arm.
Changing the axle side UCA bushings DOES change caster amount dependent on the wear of the old ones. All irrelevant to the steering wheel.
But not much should have changed on height of the vehicle or axle centering.
Can you post a picture of what you changed?
TrailYacht
Member
Yeah honestly I'm trying to get caster and whatnot. The draglink and tie rod adjustments are pretty easy to get. The guy at the shop said he would show me how it all works. Thanks everyone!
UPDATE:
So I took it to the shop and they called me back saying my steering knuckle on the tie rod end is broken. They are saying the hole is messed up because fo parts being loose for to long..... I would love to see the PO in a public setting. How in the hell can someone let issues got bad for so long...
So I took it to the shop and they called me back saying my steering knuckle on the tie rod end is broken. They are saying the hole is messed up because fo parts being loose for to long..... I would love to see the PO in a public setting. How in the hell can someone let issues got bad for so long...
OP
Wow, that would explain everything then!
If you get a chance to snap a photo of the old steering knuckle, you should post it up. I'd be curious to see how elongated the hole is.
Is this not a common thing? TBH when I installed the new Tierod Draglink and track bar everything was tight and toruqued to spec. If its not one thing its another. I just want to go off road..... Im trying not to get discoraged but damn Im really starting to lean towards regret getting this jeep.
OP
No, it's not a common thing by any means.
Usually something like that would happen by someone not torquing the tie-rod end down to the correct value, and it having enough slop in there to move around and elongate the hole.
Either way, it's an easy fix for the most part.
Im going to have to get a list of whats messed up. He said u joints and ball joints are messed up to. Should I just do everything all at once? Money is already flying out of my ears.
OP
Yes, I would do it all at once. Ball joints are cheap, u-joints are cheap, etc. Nothing in that area is going to be very costly. Even a brand new unit bearing is no more than $75.
To add to what Chris said, stick with Spicer ball joints and u-joints. You want Spicer 5-760x u-joints for the axle shafts and Spicer 706944X ball joints, both of which are upgrades to the Spicer parts the factory installed.
Don't let a shop talk you into store brands for those parts and ESPECIALLY don't let them talk you into more expensive yet crappy quality Synergy ball joints which just cause problems.
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OP
Well I did the knuckles, ball joints, and everything else a few months ago. It's not expensive at all if you use OE Spicer parts. I got it all on Amazon.
Don't let the shop try to charge you an arm and a leg for cheap parts. Nothing here is very expensive, I can assure you.
OP
Case in point: Spicer 706944X ball joints
And here's a Timken unit bearing (the recommended brand).
Also, right and left tie rod ends:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C55WLA/?tag=wranglerorg-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C59W6Q/?tag=wranglerorg-20
As you can see, nothing here is expensive. The labor would be the most expensive part, seriously.
And here's a Timken unit bearing (the recommended brand).
Also, right and left tie rod ends:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C55WLA/?tag=wranglerorg-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C59W6Q/?tag=wranglerorg-20
As you can see, nothing here is expensive. The labor would be the most expensive part, seriously.
OP
Okay so I got two sets of the ball joints and one set of theU-joints and for prime shipping thats $137.56. I have a press tool and most other tools.
Is there anything else I would need/ before looking at the driver side knuckel? Tools, beer, cold Weather gear, cool paint for the Knuckels, ect?
Would I need new ends? I just Installed new ones >4 weeks ago and only drove into town twice to get the jeep looked at.
OP