How to align your Jeep Wrangler TJ

Stu-RedBaron said:
I have a 1999 TJ 4.0 sport with a 3.5 lift on 31x10.50.15 wheels. What figures should I be looking to set the tracking (toe in and out etc).
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You must have missed reading the top/first post, that information is on the second line followed by everything else you need to know. :)
 
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Thread like this are the reason that I love the DYI area. I learn this from my father long time ago. Seeing that others are able to learn and do what we always have been told is and highly specialized job from someone that took some appreciated time to share his ideas and tips, fuel me to more encourage my step son to learn how to do great things with his hands following simple task instructions.
This time we don't clamp the tape measure as I was teaching him the importance to measure accurately.
It was a cold day so he get motivated pretty quick:pancarta:
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I do cross true this write up while researching my ZJ tie rod and drag link conversion and many memories comes true quickly. The same works very well for me.

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Jorge Bolivar said:
Thread like this are the reason that I love the DYI area. I learn this from my father long time ago. Seeing that others are able to learn and do what we always have been told is and highly specialized job from someone that took some appreciated time to share his ideas and tips, fuel me to more encourage my step son to learn how to do great things with his hands following simple task instructions.
This time we don't clamp the tape measure as I was teaching him the importance to measure accurately.
It was a cold day so he get motivated pretty quick:pancarta:
View attachment 12953

I do cross true this write up while researching my ZJ tie rod and drag link conversion and many memories comes true quickly. The same works very well for me.
Click to expand...

Nice! I use this method every time I do suspension / steering work on my TJ. I've gotten so good at it, that I can probably do it in a total of 15 minutes or less. Beats paying the guys at your local shop to "align" it for you.
 
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Inspired by you guys to align tonight. I did a BB a couple months ago and did not align afterward. Kept thinking I should take it in, but it drove fine. I'm glad I did it myself. Easy with my wife as copilot. Only took 15 min. I was toed in more than an inch. Now at 1/16". Thanks @Jerry for a great write up.
 
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I'm proud to say that I've never paid for an alignment on my TJ... ever!

Once you figure out how to do this, aligning it is so simple that you'd feel like a fool paying someone else to do it for you.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
Here's how to check and adjust your own toe-in that also includes how to center the steering wheel. Using the info at http://www.4x4xplor.com/alignment.html, set your toe-in so the fronts of the tires are 1/16" to 3/16" closer together in front than in the rear. This is done by loosening the clamps that hold the tie rod to the tie rod ends, then rotating the tie rod until you get the desired amount of toe-in. Use a tape measure to measure the distance between the tires at the front and rear.

If the tie rod is too tight to turn using pliers or vise grips, spray the ends with something like Liquid Wrench or PB-Blaster (no, WD-40 is not a suitable substitute) and use a pipe wrench on the tie rod to break it loose from where it is seized to the tie rod ends. Better yet, entirely remove the tie rod and put some Antiseize on its threads so it will never seize again.

For an easier and more repeatable way of measuring your toe-in than measuring between the tires, use a pair of 1" square aluminum tubes as in the below photos and use them to measure between. Center and hold the square tubes to the rotors with spring steel clamps after marking them at points equal to the diameter of your tires.

Using just a little care, your toe-in setting will be just as accurate as an alignment specialist can produce using an alignment rack. Plus you can be done in 5-15 minutes from start to finish, quicker than you can even drive to the alignment shop. Not to mention you can do this on your own for free vs. the $70-90 an alignment shop charges for something that is far easier to do than most people would ever guess.

This is all that an alignment shop can do to your TJ, this is the sum extent of an alignment where a TJ is concerned. Neither your caster angle nor your camber angle is adjustable without aftermarket parts so without those, only your toe-in is adjustable. There is no real need to waste your money by paying an alignment shop for an alignment since all they're going to do is set your toe-in and center your steering wheel. Both of which are too easy to do for anyone here to pay for.

Make sure the front of your TJ is supported by either a jack or jack stands placed under the front axle. The front axle must be supporting the weight of the vehicle, the Jeep cannot be supported via the frame for this.

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The above two photos courtesy of Mrblaine, a true guru of all things jeep.

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How do you straighten the wheel once you are aligned? I just had to replace the toe rod, so I bought a HD Currie kit with the tie rod and drop link, I measured the length of the old ones to try to match up for less needed adjustments, but everything was still way off. Your method for aligning worked amazingly well, but my steering wheel thinks I am in nascar! (Permanent left turn)

Thanks for the great write up!!!
 
Nuggsfan said:
How do you straighten the wheel once you are aligned? I just had to replace the toe rod, so I bought a HD Currie kit with the tie rod and drop link, I measured the length of the old ones to try to match up for less needed adjustments, but everything was still way off. Your method for aligning worked amazingly well, but my steering wheel thinks I am in nascar! (Permanent left turn)

Thanks for the great write up!!!
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The drag link (which you called the drop link) has a short adjustment sleeve on it that is there specifically for that purpose, to straighten the steering wheel.

If the steering wheel is rotated to the left when you're driving straight, that means the drag link is too long. Turning the adjustment link so the front of it moves upward will pull the two halves of the drag link closer together to shorten it. Do this in small steps and take quick test drives up & down your street testing it after each adjustment until it is straight. No need to tighten its two clamp bolts for the short up & down your street test drives. Once it is straight, make sure to tighten the two clamp bolts.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
The drag link (which you called the drop link) has a short adjustment sleeve on it that is there specifically for that purpose, to straighten the steering wheel.

If the steering wheel is rotated to the left when you're driving straight, that means the drag link is too long. Turning the adjustment link so the front of it moves upward will pull the two halves of the drag link closer together to shorten it. Do this in small steps and take quick test drives up & down your street testing it after each adjustment until it is straight. No need to tighten its two clamp bolts for the short up & down your street test drives. Once it is straight, make sure to tighten the two clamp bolts.
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Totally worked as you said it. Thank you so much for your help there. I found this forum today by accident, but I am glad I did.

I also made my aluminum bars like the ones in the photos. I had 1/2" aluminum C channel and cut them to be able to check with 35s and/or 37s. Your Superb write up made it stupid proof! Thanks again!

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I marked center and end points for both tire sizes!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Nuggsfan said:
Totally worked as you said it. Thank you so much for your help there. I found this forum today by accident, but I am glad I did.

I also made my aluminum bars like the ones in the photos. I had 1/2" aluminum C channel and cut them to be able to check with 35s and/or 37s. Your Superb write up made it stupid proof! Thanks again!

View attachment 14155
View attachment 14156
View attachment 14157

I marked center and end points for both tire sizes!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Hold onto those for as long as you have your TJ. It will make it a breeze to dial in the alignment anytime you mess with the suspension / steering. I've gotten it down to an art!
 
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