Leaf springs don't usually need them.
I was thinking those control arms looked awfully flat and springy.
When did the TJ's front axle control arms get their eccentric cam bolts back?
- Thread starter Jerry Bransford
- Start date
I was thinking those control arms looked awfully flat and springy.
MountaineerTom
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Manufacturers put a standard bolt on the assembly line that sets the initial alignment. It's more cost effective. If you want to adjust alignment you need to install eccentric bolts.
My 05 LJ apparently didn't come with cam bolts either. Just some fat washers that the bolt rides in the middle of. As the bolts were rust welded to the inside of the bushings, I had to cut them to remove the control arms. Also the bolts were about a half inch longer than the other lower control arm bolts. Those fat washers lock the bolts in the middle of the horseshoe slot.
I’m planning on doing this soon; do you remember what bolts/washers you needed? Was there a hardware kit with the new arms?
I used Moog stock replacement suspension parts as my Pavement Princess LJ isn't lifted and I couldn't find a replacement for the factory bolts I had to cut. I was thinking about replacing them with some 9/16" grade 8 bolts and bought a pair of 4" long ones with nuts and washers. But I would have had to drill the fat washers out to fit the 9/16 bolt which were a hair too big to fit the washers. What I ended up doing was to use the shorter bolts from the frame end of the control arm on the axle end with the fat washers. The end of those bolt was just sticking out about 1/8" from the nut when tightened down. And I applied a liberal dose of locktite to each nut. The 9/16 were used on the frame end of the control arms and were a great fit.
I have a 9/16 drill bit and drill press and if I had a spare set of fat washers or knew where I could get them, i'd have been more willing to drill out the holes in the fat washers and see how they'd have fit. The 9/16 grade 8 bolts came from Lowes who had them in a 4" and a 5" length. I used the 4" as the 5" would have been about a half inch longer than the stock bolts that I cut.
Thanks for the info; I haven’t had to deal with much rust on mine, so perhaps I can reuse the original bolts and washers.
I hadn’t planned on using the cam washers, but maybe I should consider it. I have a 2.5” spring lift so maybe it wouldn’t hurt. On the other hand, i have no vibes right now so maybe I’m better off letting sleeping dogs lie.
Interesting question. I've had my 99 since March of 99. It was a factory by me that I speced out at dealer and had them order it in for me. Tomorrow I'll go out to the garage and have a look.
OP
If your steering has good return to center after completing a turn and it seems to track well on the highway your caster is very likely fine. And the larger the diameter tire you're running the less caster that is needed.
Could using the cam bolts on later TJ/LJ be a factory build solution to a slightly misplaced control arm bracket IF there was a problem??? That would explain the relative rarity of their inclusion.
No, they would return the faulty axle assembly to Dana, make them replace them, and then recall by lot number out of the factory to have that batch returned and replaced. That is not anything Dana wants any part of.
Wasn't thinking about the axle but the placement of the welded control arm mounts on the frame. The universal belief seems to be that all TJ/LJ's vary somewhat in their construction. If the mounts were installed by a person, not a machine, there easily could be some variance with a few far enough out to need adjustment. Assume that Jeep has gone to the accuracy of robots for the current vehicles but don't know that was the case with our frame's welded on appurtenances. With all the turmoil in ownership of Jeep/Chrysler at that time, not investing in the latest in technology may have been the case. Anyway it's just speculation on my part.
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That would be fine if they built the housings, they didn't, Dana did. The part that Jeep makes varies. The parts they don't make don't tend to vary much at all.