Hi everyone. I just got my Jeep back from the shop. They installed a 2.5 inch lift with all 8 adjustable control arms. I wanted to know if the alignment looks okay? I wish the caster angles were a little closer but was wondering if it will be fine.
Do my alignment specs look okay?
- Thread starter Jwhite
- Start date
They look fine. The left and right caster angles will always be a little different from each other, that's how they're designed. The right side caster angle is a little less so it will tend to pull the vehicle away from oncoming traffic if the driver becomes incapacitated.
They numbers look good. Next time you can check your own alignment. It's very easy to do.
LONGJP2
TJ Expert
I wish someone would do a thread about a do it yourself alignment.
OP
OP
Does anyone have an idea why the camber on the left front is off? I’m not too worried because it’s a slight amount but it would be nice to fix it eventually.
Lift height doesn't really affect it but tire size affects how much caster angle is required. The bigger the tire the less caster angle that is required.
The camber angle could be caused by either a bad ball joint or a bent axle housing. It can usually be adjusted back into spec with adjustable ball joints.
OP
My ball joints and U joints are pretty old so next summer when I get the brakes done that will be when I get all of that fixed. I assume it’s worth buying adjustable ball joints when the time comes?
So obviously if the shop installed adjustable arms they set the length and this was just the last printout when they set the toe in my opinion. For those that say just do it yourself, with adjustable arms there's a little more to it. It's not just setting the toe so maybe the correct link might have been how to set the length of your adjustable control arms for the DIY?
LONGJP2
TJ Expert
Are offset ball joints considered adjustable?
In other words, can they be installed a certain way to get a desired amount of camber?
Or just max/min.?
In other words, can they be installed a certain way to get a desired amount of camber?
Or just max/min.?
You can rotate them however you want, they are just offset. It's just a hole after all.
(the offset is fixed and you get a different part number for different degrees offset if that's the question, you can rotate them to combine caster and camber changes)
(the offset is fixed and you get a different part number for different degrees offset if that's the question, you can rotate them to combine caster and camber changes)
LONGJP2
TJ Expert
Edited above but ya, you pick the circle that gives you the change you want to both. If you only want one degree on caster you get a one degree joint. If you want a combination of caster and camber you get something in between and do the maths.
Yes, they are just offset a specific amount. Depending on how they are turned in the hole, the add or take away caster and camber or some combination thereof.
Actually Jerry most vehicles you want less caster in the left side to compensate for the crown in the road so the vehicle drive straight down the road.
Until you get on a freeway that is 5 lanes wide of flat concrete, or the crown in the road surface is more or less than the cross caster can handle. Or you get on the 247 from Boone road. Not sure what they did out there but every trip back from the lake bed my truck pulls hard to one side right after the intersection. Catches me by surprise until I remember it always does it in that area.
Yes you do run into a few roads like that but the majority of roads have crown in center and factory specs will have left side usually about a 1/2 degree less to compensate. But on a solid front axle no way other than adjustable ball joints to adjust side to side caster. I used a set to add caster when I had my axle out. I think I got a couple years out of them on 35’s