Haha just installed new tires so I won't be the guinea pig in this one! I might try it when they are almost "dead" though. hahaYou could be the first! Test it for us
Excessive tire wear, poor steering, probably unsafe overall.
Thanks!
How to align your Jeep Wrangler TJ
- Thread starter Jerry Bransford
- Start date
Thanks!
You'd notice it in the handling, @Vasq is right. Even being slightly toe'ed out you can feel it once you've really paid attention to how a TJ can actually drive pretty well. Don't buy into the "it's a jeep thing" where they are just ratty junk boxes that are fun off road!
This is exactly the conversation a had a few minutes ago with a guy, in a local wrangler group. He said: It's a 30 years old Jeep, who cares about this little adjustments?
An other one said: This vehicle's suspension was designed at WW2, who cares about toe in, I set it in toe zero and I am good to go.
In my personal view, I enjoy "tuning" and fixing every detail in this vehicle. I know it is a Jeep, but that doesn't mean it should not be set up right.
I want to align it on my own as soon as possible, but I am waiting to get the ZJ tie rod in order to not do it twice. haha
It's worth it to do it right, in my opinion. If for nothing else than to extend tire life, but it does also make it more pleasant to drive. Not everyone cares to, and it's their rig so they can do that
My built Jeep drives like a dream, and I have two other stock Jeepās to compare it to.
Justahman
New Member
Thanks for this idea using 2 4ft levels. Worked great although did have āfunā getting the adjustment made. Blaster and Heat are truly your friends.
Prospect62
Member
Seems like this method is extraordinarily dependent on you perfectly centering your square tubing (or levels or toe plates or whatever you use) with the center of the hub by eyeball, whether the tire is on or off the Jeep. You're going to great pains to accurately measure with tape measures, etc. when it all really boils down to you 100% accurately eyeballing the center of tubing to the center of the hub anyway.
Seems the only way to eliminate that requisite "eyeballing" is by using those toe plates that bolt to the wheel studs mentioned in this thread. And those are interesting because they're only like 12" long, they do NOT simulate the actual tire size (33, 35, etc) which we have been told is a required step.
I can see where it would be very easy for someone to be 1/16" off when clamping down their square tubing. Just sayin. I am going to try this myself. Hope it works.
Seems the only way to eliminate that requisite "eyeballing" is by using those toe plates that bolt to the wheel studs mentioned in this thread. And those are interesting because they're only like 12" long, they do NOT simulate the actual tire size (33, 35, etc) which we have been told is a required step.
I can see where it would be very easy for someone to be 1/16" off when clamping down their square tubing. Just sayin. I am going to try this myself. Hope it works.
Not really. If you are off center by inches vertically on the tire it wont change the toe measurements much. I think you might be overthinking the process.
Prospect62
Member
No I mean laterally. The lateral (horizontal) position of the bars must be identical. Eyeballing it could get it pretty close but we're talking about 1/16" making a difference here.
are you able to mark the center of your square tube? Should make the eyeballing easier
Prospect62
Member
Yes of course, and accurately. The eyeball part is getting that centerline on the tube perfect with the center of the hub on both the driver and passenger sides.
Laterally it doesn't make much difference. The tubes are the same length so the change at the front is the same as the change at the rear. Like I said, overthinking. Really, it works.
Really, it doesn't matter. If you move the bar on one side forward and back the distance between the front and rear sides changes the exact same amount canceling out the difference. No point in adding extra steps to a simple process and adding extra work for everybody else reading about how to do this.
Prospect62
Member
I see what you're driving at. All I'm saying is that with such tight tolerances, getting these marks exactly at the same point within 1/16" seems not really possible. Obviously this method works to a degree, especially when you have toe that is 3/4" from where it should be, like some people have posted about.
Again, that thing that bolts on like a wheel seems like the only real way to be 100% accurate.
Prospect62
Member
What I am saying is that if the bar on the driver's side is even 1/16" fore or aft of where the bar on the passenger side is, your toe measurements and therefore your subsequent toe adjustment will be completely inaccurate. That's the point I'm trying to make. Sorry if I've confused anyone.