How to align your Jeep Wrangler TJ

Alright, I will. Thanks for the help!

I assume in order to really fine tune it I would need to do some kind of Chalk testing or driving over a puddle and watching how the tread shows up?
26 is what everyone on here runs there 33 load C tires at. A load E could go even lower because of the stiffer sidewalls. Start at 26 and find your way to a better world between 26-22.
 
26 is what everyone on here runs there 33 load C tires at. A load E could go even lower because of the stiffer sidewalls. Start at 26 and find your way to a better world between 26-22.

Ill start to dial it down to try and find that sweet spot. I've read a few articles and from what I gather, while the lower pressure can provide a smoother ride that it also creates more heat and in turn, wears the tires more. Are there any reasons that I would really want to be at 22psi vs 26psi? Im sitting at 28psi now and from 46psi its a huge difference. If I'm simply sacrificing precious MPG and causing more tread wear for a lower PSI why wouldn't I stay at 28psi?
 
Ill start to dial it down to try and find that sweet spot. I've read a few articles and from what I gather, while the lower pressure can provide a smoother ride that it also creates more heat and in turn, wears the tires more. Are there any reasons that I would really want to be at 22psi vs 26psi? Im sitting at 28psi now and from 46psi its a huge difference. If I'm simply sacrificing precious MPG and causing more tread wear for a lower PSI why wouldn't I stay at 28psi?
You want to run the RIGHT psi for your tires and load. By RIGHT I mean what will give you the best life from the tires and even tread wear. Everyone I know with a TJ says that range for a 33” load E tire is 24psi unloaded and 26 fully loaded. :)
 
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The other day while on my way to work a deee decided to commit suicide. There was no damage to the Jeep thanks to my front bumper but it did seem to knock it out of alignment. Thanks to this thread I decided to try it myself and wow was it easy to do. I did it with a tape line and help from the wife. I’m definitely gonna invest in the tubing tho because I can see that would be even better.
 
Just ordered the Longacre plates. So I will try it both ways and see how it goes. I have a lot of projects coming up,(SYE, Currie Control Arms, on order) so it maybe be a few weeks. plus we are starting to get into triple digits, but I have purchased all of the parts for upgrade my steering to the zj stuff, so when I get to it, I will measure it on the jacks without the wheels, then I will adjust it, and then recheck it with the plates and see if there is any differences.


OK I wanted to update this thread from what I said I was going to do above.

Since this post I have made some changes. Instead of the zj front steering, I opted to the Currie sync, but that didn't make any difference for the alignment. And now I have 33 inch tires.

So I did the alignment as was directed at the beginning of this post. I actually adjusted it. Then I put the tires on, and tied up some other loose ends. I then drove the TJ around the block and parked it in the same exact spot, and with the tires on, I measured with the Longacre toe plates, and it was right on the money.

So based on this I think you can do it either way, and it will be same or really really close. I will probably use the toe plates, so I don't have to lift the Jeep and pull the tires, but If they are already off, I will probably do it the other way, but I am pretty comfortable with either way.

I will say if you had the toe plates you could just check it really quick like during an oil change after a good wheeling trip.

Not trying to sell you anything, but just in case you are interested here are the exact plates I used.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VAOHB2/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Looks like they are $64 now, I paid 58 a few months ago. I would still buy them at $64

Cheers
 
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OK I wanted to update this thread from what I said I was going to do above.

Since this post I have made some changes. Instead of the zj front steering, I opted to the Currie sync, but that didn't make any difference for the alignment. And now I have 33 inch tires.

So I did the alignment as was directed at the beginning of this post. I actually adjusted it. Then I put the tires on, and tied up some other loose ends. I then drove the TJ around the block and parked it in the same exact spot, and with the tires on, I measured with the Longacre toe plates, and it was right on the money.

So based on this I think you can do it either way, and it will be same or really really close. I will probably use the toe plates, so I don't have to lift the Jeep and pull the tires, but If they are already off, I will probably do it the other way, but I am pretty comfortable with either way.

I will say if you had the toe plates you could just check it really quick like during an oil change after a good wheeling trip.

Not trying to sell you anything, but just in case you are interested here are the exact plates I used.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VAOHB2/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Looks like they are $64 now, I paid 58 a few months ago. I would still buy them at $64

Cheers

i have been very tempted to get a set of these. I am doing my steering in about 3 weeks or so.
 
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OK I wanted to update this thread from what I said I was going to do above.

Since this post I have made some changes. Instead of the zj front steering, I opted to the Currie sync, but that didn't make any difference for the alignment. And now I have 33 inch tires.

So I did the alignment as was directed at the beginning of this post. I actually adjusted it. Then I put the tires on, and tied up some other loose ends. I then drove the TJ around the block and parked it in the same exact spot, and with the tires on, I measured with the Longacre toe plates, and it was right on the money.

So based on this I think you can do it either way, and it will be same or really really close. I will probably use the toe plates, so I don't have to lift the Jeep and pull the tires, but If they are already off, I will probably do it the other way, but I am pretty comfortable with either way.

I will say if you had the toe plates you could just check it really quick like during an oil change after a good wheeling trip.

Not trying to sell you anything, but just in case you are interested here are the exact plates I used.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VAOHB2/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Looks like they are $64 now, I paid 58 a few months ago. I would still buy them at $64

Cheers
i have been very tempted to get a set of these. I am doing my steering in about 3 weeks or so.
Why not just make some toe plates out of 1/2" or 3/4" ply? Cut some grooves in the side and wallah, cost about 5 minutes of your time. I just use two sticks
 
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Why not just make some toe plates out of 1/2" or 3/4" ply? Cut some grooves in the side and wallah, cost about 5 minutes of your time. I just use two sticks
Let me know if you want some measurements or better pictures
 
Let me know if you want some measurements or better pictures
Thank you friend. Woodworking I'm good at, Mechanic work, I'm still working on. Re-gear next, what I consider the ultimate Jeep challenge, but I'll have help from experience.
 
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So I have my 1998 Jeep Wrangler 'loaded' into Amazon... when I click on the link to the ones @ac_ bought.. it says DOES NOT FIT YOUR 1998 JEEP WRANGLER... haaa haaaa, jeez man.
 
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Thanks for this Thread. Saw it this morning and used it today with some scrap metal I had on hand. I started with almost .5 in off, really drives nicer now and the new tires are quieter. Used it on a new to me last week 98 Wrangler 4.0 5 speed that needed some fleshing up with little things. It was really driven 10K miles in the past 15yrs by a friends mother who decided to finely get rid of it. I happened to be standing in the right place at the right time and took advantage of it. All stock, rarely driven in the rain, 61k miles.

Again thanks for posting this easy, inexpensive alignment info.
 
Thanks for this Thread. Saw it this morning and used it today with some scrap metal I had on hand. I started with almost .5 in off, really drives nicer now and the new tires are quieter. Used it on a new to me last week 98 Wrangler 4.0 5 speed that needed some fleshing up with little things. It was really driven 10K miles in the past 15yrs by a friends mother who decided to finely get rid of it. I happened to be standing in the right place at the right time and took advantage of it. All stock, rarely driven in the rain, 61k miles.

Again thanks for posting this easy, inexpensive alignment info.
Well there is more where that came from! Enjoy and welcome!
 
hey ac glad you finally tried them out, like i said earlier in thread , i used these plates for 15 years without fail, true to 1/16th" about the dude that wants to make them out wood, i don't recommend it as the wood will warp with a little moisture
 
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Thanks for this Thread. Saw it this morning and used it today with some scrap metal I had on hand. I started with almost .5 in off, really drives nicer now and the new tires are quieter. Used it on a new to me last week 98 Wrangler 4.0 5 speed that needed some fleshing up with little things. It was really driven 10K miles in the past 15yrs by a friends mother who decided to finely get rid of it. I happened to be standing in the right place at the right time and took advantage of it. All stock, rarely driven in the rain, 61k miles.

Again thanks for posting this easy, inexpensive alignment info.
Same here. I picked up my 2002 Wrangler 5-speed 4.0 with 58k original miles, bone stock. Older couple owned it and it was definitely a mall crawler (leather seats were a giveaway). It was a fluke that I found it as I was at my friend's house actually doing the planning on swapping out the 2.5 and all of it's components on my 1990 YJ. His neighbor had the jeep and he insisted I checked it out, which I reluctantly did because I loved my other jeep. Drove it home the next day :D

As soon as I get home I'm going to try this alignment out. Since I put the 33's on I know it's needed adjusted but I was procrastinating spending the money to get it done. Now I see how easy it will be to do in my driveway.
 
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Holy toe-out Batman! I finally got around to this tonight and the fronts of my fronts were 1/4” farther OUT than the rear of my fronts. I managed to get the front exactly 1/16” farther in than the rear using the square tube method :) Thanks for the awesome write up!

Front
7711592F-A0D3-45B3-834F-DEB88990D21F.jpeg


Rear
972C27C2-D1D9-47F0-9932-EC09C42E6B67.jpeg
 
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Holy toe-out Batman! I finally got around to this tonight and the fronts of my fronts were 1/4” farther OUT than the rear of my fronts. I managed to get the front exactly 1/16” farther in than the rear using the square tube method :) Thanks for the awesome write up!

Front
View attachment 55357

Rear
View attachment 55356

I'll bet it drives better after that!
 
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