I'm still trying to work out some alignment issues but have a question ... If I were to make the passenger side LCA longer than the drivers side would that make the Jeep pull left, right or have no affect?
I'm still trying to work out some alignment issues but have a question ... If I were to make the passenger side LCA longer than the drivers side would that make the Jeep pull left, right or have no affect?
One of the more common myths out there, lowers set wheelbase, uppers set pinion and it just isn't true. You can NOT change the lower arm length to move the axle forward or back in the front or rear without also changing the pinion angle. The reason for that is the brackets are below centerline so if you push the lowers longer, the pinion will also lower front or rear.Lowers are for moving the axle back and forth. Extend or shorten both the same length to move your axle forward or backwards. Only reason that you would make them a different length is to square your axle to the opposite axle. If your axles are not parallel with each other then yes your jeep will pull to the left, right or be bouncing all over the road.
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Very first thing to do with any pull to one side is make certain the steering wheel is perfectly centered with the axle centered. The steering gear has to be centered or there will be some slight steering output because it thinks it is getting a slight bit of steering input. Start there and report back.I'm still trying to work out some alignment issues but have a question ... If I were to make the passenger side LCA longer than the drivers side would that make the Jeep pull left, right or have no affect?
One of the more common myths out there, lowers set wheelbase, uppers set pinion and it just isn't true. You can NOT change the lower arm length to move the axle forward or back in the front or rear without also changing the pinion angle. The reason for that is the brackets are below centerline so if you push the lowers longer, the pinion will also lower front or rear.
You can NOT extend the uppers to fix pinion angle and not change the wheelbase. The LCA brackets are below centerline so as the pinion rotates upward, the axle moves to make the wheelbase longer.
My apologies sir, it is absolutely nothing personal and the vast majority of the time when I reply to something, I do not read who said it. In places that have signatures, my most common and favorite is "knowledge does not equal understanding".Dang dude. You mic dropped on me again. I’m goin to throw out some sound advice one and you better approve.
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My apologies sir, it is absolutely nothing personal and the vast majority of the time when I reply to something, I do not read who said it. In places that have signatures, my most common and favorite is "knowledge does not equal understanding".
That has to do with my experiences with a lot of products over the years that were designed by those who see something, make their copy of it but have no understanding of the nuance of the problem they are trying to solve with said product so they tend to overlook the things that make the product the way it is.
Most notable is M from a 3 letter company. I designed the Savvy aluminum trail door. There were many aluminum trail doors that have graced my driveway from several companies over the years and the three things they all had in common as problems I set out to solve.
They were all bent out of one piece of aluminum or one piece with a small welded in section at the armrest bend.
To understand the consequences of aluminum and the bending issue, you have to know that high strength aluminum alloy sheet will break if you try to bend it in a tight bend. Second problem is due to the top rail not being flat and rises up toward the windshield frame, there is a weld there or some goofy brace and it either looks like crap or the weld breaks. Third problem is the use of the crappy Bestop soft door latch.
So, since we play in the rocks, I made the door have a 6061 T6 main panel and I designed a separate bent top rail out of weaker aluminum that can be bent with tight corners and then I had a forming die built that put the bend in it to make it raise from flat under your arm up to the windshield frame. I used a commercial latch and mounted in only on the inside. (trail doors don't have uppers)
The design was "borrowed" except that they used 5052 which is a softer, weaker, and much cheaper alloy. But, they made a similar top rail and bolted the main panel to it. They fully missed the why of the two piece design by using the weaker lower panel. I did it because we need a stronger door when you get it against the rocks. If you don't do the stronger panel, there is absolutely no need to make a 2 piece door, just bend it up out of one piece since the weaker aluminum can be bent that way without breaking. Knowledge does not equal understanding.
By that print out. Have you checked ball joints?? I would work on my toe and my thrust angle. Squaring the rear to the frame fixes the thrust angle. Then square front axle to rear.
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Correction, it pulls right not left, and by pulling I mean that if I take my hands of the wheel at say 40 MPH, on a non-crowned road, I would be off the road in a couple of seconds.
That is roughly correct for amount of cross caster needed.Ball joints seem fine, but maybe the front right needs an offset ball joint?
Should I find the the rear is not square today, how would I square it?
Ball joints seem fine, but maybe the front right needs an offset ball joint?
Should I find the the rear is not square today, how would I square it?
I don't use a tape measure. I use a long stick and a framing square with a couple of clamps. Put the end of the stick (I use aluminum) against the forward edge of the rear axle tube parallel to the ground, lay square against stick, vertical end of square gets lined up in center of middle t-case skid bolt and clamped in place. Carry that over to the other side, check it and make both sides the same.I square my rear axle ( and I’m sure there are many ways to do it) by hanging plumb bobs off each end of the rear axle. Then I take a tape measure and hook it to the front of the skid plate facing the front axle. I measure each side then I make control arm adjustments until they are money. Then I hang plumb bobs on the front axle and measure between the front and rear. It’s a delicate process on which axle to move and how to make sure what your moving doesn’t mess up another item like pinion angle.
I chose to move the front because I can get away with the pinion angle not being dead on because of the longer drive shaft and caster. I wanted the rear pinion angle spot on. Make the adjustments you need your good. My thrust angle was all out of wack after my lift was installed. I fixed all that and got the front and rear axles dailed in, and the ride so much noticeability improved. I have good pinion angle and no inferences and full bump. I could probably even shave off some of my bumpstop extensions and still be find.
Let me know what you come up with I’m interested to see how it all shapes up
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