I've seen a lot of videos or write-ups on what the angles should be or how to measure them. The remedy is often simplified to "adjust your control arms to change the pinion angle." Is there a good how-to or representative walk-through of what a guy actually needs to do step-by-step to adjust said control arms? Is there a consequence/benefit to adjusting the top vs. the bottom? If you have just the single adjustment on your control arms, do you need to support the axle with a jack, the frame, or both when you unhook the control arm(s) to adjust them? This is the boat I'm in - I know what needs to be done but I'm not clear on how to go about doing that thing.
What should my pinion angle be with Rough Country 6” lift?
- Thread starter the magpie
- Start date
We usually recommend adjusting just the upper arms. This is because it pulls the yoke up towards the transfer case but also pushes the axle back and away from it. This counter-action results in minimal change in drive shaft length. Here's a video showing the process.
You can use a floor jack with a 2x4 or piece of wood placed under the nose of the axle where the pinion exits to support it. Then unbolt one end of the upper control arms and use the jack to raise the pinion angle to where you want it, then adjust the control arm lengths to fit. Raising the pinion angle to just a tad higher than is needed usually works well since it will drop a bit once the control arms are reattached and the jack is removed.
@Shawn at Tom Wood's - Got it! This along with the new driveshaft I ordered from y'all this morning are gonna make the Jeep ride like new money!
@Jerry Bransford - Concise and simple direction even an oaf like me can follow! Thank you!
@Jerry Bransford - Concise and simple direction even an oaf like me can follow! Thank you!
That suggestion works as long as the change in axle position doesn't result in the creation of new interferences. Many here, myself included, would be affected by that to where both the upper and lower arms would be to be adjusted in order to roll the axle and closely maintain it's existing position. This would be done in conjunction with a full axle cycling to confirm clearances throughout the suspension travel.