Re-centering Your Steering Wheel
If you’ve just installed a suspension lift on your Jeep JK Wrangler and without installing a new adjustable front track bar, your steering wheel will most likely be off a bit and it will need to be re-centered before you can safely drive it. Not centering your steering wheel will cause your ESP system to think you are in a slide and will try to compensate for it by activating your BAS. Depending on where you are when this happens, it can be an annoying experience to down right dangerous. |
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1. To re-center your steering wheel, use a 15mm socket or wrench to loosen the 2 nuts securing the turnbuckle in place on your Jeep JK Wrangler’s drag link as shown in the pic to the left. |
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2. Firmly grab the turnbuckle and then, rotate it clockwise or counter clockwise as needed while a friend watches the steering wheel (or you periodically check on it yourself) go back to center. |
| 3. Once your Jeep JK Wrangler’s steering wheel looks centered, secure the nuts and take it for a drive to verify this. This may take a few tries to get it on 100% on but that’s all there really is to it. |
Setting Your Toe-In
Contrary to what you might think, your front wheels do not sit parallel to each other but rather, if you were to look straight down on them, they would be sitting with the front of your tires pointing ever so slightly inward. This is called a "toe-in" and it is set intentionally this way from the factory to help keep your Jeep driving straight. And, if you’ve just installed a new suspension lift and a bigger set of tires, you may feel the need to have your toe-in adjusted to help compensate for the bigger meats.
Now, if you just installed a set of 33" tall tires, you most likely will NOT have to adjust your toe-in as the new Jeep JK Wrangler’s have been designed with a steering setup that has the drag link attached directly to the steering knuckle (as opposed to the tie rod as was the case on the older TJ model Wranglers) and your toe-in setting will not change from stock and this should be fine. However, if you’ve just install 35" tires, you may want to consider increasing your toe in to about an 1/8". Please note, past experience has shown these numbers to work well under these circumstances but are not guaranteed to be what you need. |
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1. Park on level ground and then with the help of a friend, measure the width between the fronts of your front tires and then compare it to the width of the back of your front tires. It is important to use the exact same measuring point front and back in order to get an accurate reading. If your tires still have a mold seam, this is a good point to measure from. Or, if you have a toe-in alignment tool (can be purchased at Harbor Freight for about $20), that will give you the most accurate measurements. |
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2. Start up your engine, turn your wheels both ways fully and then straighten your steering wheel. Using a 15mm socket, loosen the nut securing the clamp on your Jeep JK Wrangler’s tie rod as shown in the pic to the left. |
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3. Firmly grab the tie-rod’s knurled adjuster and rotate it a little bit at a time taking measurements along the way. A pair of vicegrips may be needed to help the adjuster along. For 35" tires, continue this process until the width in the front of your tires is about 1/8″ closer together than the back of them. Make sure to NOT exceed 1/8" in. Too much toe-in will cause your tires to wear funny, way too fast and in some cases, may lead to death wobble. |
| 4. Once your toe-in has been set, use a 15mm socket to re-tighten the nut securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s tie-rod clamp. Tighten this nut to 45 ft. lbs. of torque and make sure that the tie-rod does not move while doing this. |
Re-centering Your Front Axle
When you lift a Jeep JK Wrangler 3" or more, you really need to do more than just pop in a set of taller coils if you hope to maintain a good ride quality and handling. At the very least, you really need to address the shift in your axles by adjusting your track bars to compensate for the lift. And, while a relocation bracket is a great solution for the rear, I would highly recommend the installation of a good replacement heavy duty adjustable track bar up front so that you can set it precisely to where it needs to be. |
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1. In order to set an adjustable front track bar, you will first need to determine how much your front axle is off by. To do this, firmly hold a carpenters level up against the sidewall of your driver side front tire making sure that it is aligned to the center of the wheel. Make sure that the bubble in the level is centered and then, using a tape measure, measure the distance between it and the edge of your fender flare (or other pre-determined point like the spring perch). If your level is making contact with a shoulder lug on your tire, be sure to make a note of it especially if the lugs are of different sizes or are located at different points along the edge of the tire and would influence your measurement. Repeat the process on the passenger side of your Jeep (again being aware of the shoulder lugs and how they might influence your measurements) and then calculate the difference between the two sides. |
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2. Using a 21mm socket, remove the bolt securing your adjustable front track bar to the axle mount. |
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3. Using a crescent wrench, loosen the jam nut securing the rod end to the track bar. Then, rotate the jam nut all the way to the head of the rod end and measure the gap between it and the track bar edge. |
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4. With the help of a ruler for accuracy, rotate the rod end in or out until the gap between the jam nut and the track bar edge has effectively added or subtracted the length required to re-center your front axle. |
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5. Use a crescent wrench to secure the rod end jam nut in place and make sure that you still have both misalignment spacers in place. With the engine off, put your key in the ignition, make sure that the steering wheel is unlocked and then have a friend turn it in one direction or the other until you can line up your adjustable front track bar rod end with the axle mount hole on your Jeep JK Wrangler. Secure the rod end in place using the factory hardware. |
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6. Using a 21mm socket, tighten your adjustable front track bar to the axle mount of your Jeep JK Wrangler to 125 ft. lbs. of torque. |
| 7. Take your JK for a spin to work everything in and then repeat step #1 to verify that your axle is now re-centered. If not, calculate how much more or less you need to adjust your adjustable front track bar, and repeat the process until your axle is centered. |
Setting Your Caster
From the factory, your caster angle will be set at +4.2° and if you’ve just installed a 3" or taller lift on your Jeep JK Wrangler and are now running 35" tires or bigger, it is recommend that you increase the amount of caster you have to about +6°~7°. More caster will help your Jeep to drive straight, reduce or eliminate any "flightiness" or "dartiness" you might experience and it will even help prevent your ESP from activating. |
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1. Park your Jeep JK Wrangler on a level surface (or as level as possible). Then, place an angle finder on the flat base of your front axle C as shown in this pic, determine what your Jeep JK Wrangler’s caster angle is and then make a note of it. You should also place your angle finder on the ground as well and make a note of it’s angle if there is any as it will need to be taken into account when setting your caster. |
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2. Using a large crescent wrench, loosen the jam nuts on your adjustable upper control arms. |
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3. Using an 18mm socket, remove the bolt and nut securing the passenger side adjustable upper control arm to the front axle mount. Then, pull the upper control arm up off the axle mount and rotate it clockwise or counter clockwise to shorten (increase the amount of positive caster) or lengthen it (reduce the amount). Make a note of how many rotations you made. |
| 4. Because the physically length of your passenger side control arm is no longer the same as the driver side, you will not be able to bolt it back up to the axle without some help. Place the fork of the control arm over the axle mount and try to line up the mounting holes the best you can. |
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IF you determine that the axle mount needs to rotate up and fowards, place a floor jack under the pinion or base of the lower control arm mount at the axle and raise it up slowly until the holes line up. |
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IF you determine that the axle mount needs to rotate down and back, place a floor jack under the tie-rod as close to the joint as possible and raise it up slowly until the holes line up. |
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5. Once the holes line up, loosely secure everything in place with the factory nut and bolt and repeat step #3 and #4 on the driver side of your Jeep JK Wrangler making sure that you rotate the control arm in the same direction and the same amount of times. |
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6. Check your caster angle again and repeat steps #3 - #5 until you achieve the positive caster angle you are looking for. Once your caster set to where you want it to be, use an 18mm socket and wrench to tighten down the axle mounting bolts to 75 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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7. Using a large crescent wrench, tighten the jam nuts on your adjustable upper control arms and you’re done. |
That’s it! That’s all you really need to do to get your Jeep JK Wrangler aligned and ultimately all that an alignment shop will do as well. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Disclaimer: Utmost care should be taken when modifying anything to your suspension. Injury to you, your Jeep, and/or others can result from improper suspension modifications or alterations. The author is not a certified mechanic and assumes no responsibility for damage or injury. |
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In the re-centering section of the article the first picture DSC03314 shows a front track bar relocation bracket (frame mounted) that looks like it is part of a Full Traction kit but I do not see it on their site. Is it manufactured by another comany?
It’s a Full Traction drop bracket. I just have a pre-production prototype on my JK. It will be released very soon.
Eddie
Thanks for the quick response, Eddie. I appreciate it.
Doug
I have a 3″ Full Traction lift but without the upper and lower control arms. I know I cannot change the angle without them but is it possible to replace the stock arms with new adjustable arms without disconnecting everything on the axle? I would think it would be easier to set the angle while it’s on the ground and possibly less time?
Dale
Yes, but it is a bit difficult to do with all the stress being placed on the components but, with a floor jack, some heavy duty ratchet straps, a pry bar and some help from a friend, it can be done with all 4 on the floor (I have done it :))
Eddie
Thanks for the tips… worked like a charm……
So is it safe to assume that:
1) If the stock upper control arms are still in place the camber remains at the factory 4.2 degrees +/- with a 4″ lift and 35″ tires?
2)The slight “floaty” feel and ESP triggering will diminish (or be eliminated) with the installation of adjustable control arms and proper camber adjustment of 7-8 degrees?
Thanks.
Mark
Hi Mark,
1. Yes, but it’s the “caster” that will remain the same and not “camber”. Camber is only found on IFS vehicles and if your axle has camber on it, it is bent (which is very possible).
2. Yes, it will be greately diminished with +6~8° of caster.
Eddie
I installed the Black Diamond 3 inch lift which came with cam bolts. The instructions are not very clear as it just says Install the Cam Bolts from outside. But is that all or we need to rotate the washers in a certain way or install it in a given way. thanks
najeeb,
In order to use the cam bolts, you will need to knock out the tabs on your lower control arm axle mounts. This will effectively make the holes into slots and this will allow you to change your caster angle. However, I would strongly advise AGAINST installing these cam bolts as it has been my experience that cam bolts tend to come loose and shift under the strains of wheeling with larger tires. And, once you make your lower control arm mounting holes into slots, it will not be easy to return them to stock, at least, not without some welding.
Eddie
So then what do I do?. My Jk is pulling slightly to the left. I took it to an alignemnt shop and they corrected the toe in but that has’nt made any improvement. ALso my BAS, ESp and the skidding light has been on ever since
Adding cam bolts to adjust your caster will not correct a pull to the left. While there is a slight difference in caster angle is present on one side to the next to help compensate for road crown, a noticable pull to one side or another is typically caused by: 1) tire pressure differences 2) a brake caliper sticking 3) alignment off due to worn out or damaged steering/suspension components. Now, adding more caster to the passenger side might help to correct this problem on an IFS vehilce but on a soild axle, not enough caster can be added to make a real difference. For what it’s worth, I have a pull to the right and can tell you that it is being caused by the ‘C’ on my axle being slightly bent. This is creating camber on the passenger side wheel and is most likely causing my pull. Unfortunately, nothing can really be done to fix this.
Eddie
So can i just replace the front lower control arms on the front with adjustable ones and solve my flighty feel after a teraflex 3″ lift?
Hi tburk49760, adding adjustable lower control arms should help out a lot but they alone may not be enough to fix your ‘flighty feel’ as you can only add so much caster with them. Adjustable uppers may be needed to dial things in completely.
Eddie
So the caster should be around 10*? Should the 10* make the front drive shaft angle correct? I am running JE Reel 1350 shafts. Thanks
No, 10° would be way too mcuh especially if you are running U-Joint style shafts like JE Reel’s. I would think that at most, you could go to 6°.
Right now I am at 1 and it seems fine. It just looks like the drive shaft is not lined up with the differential.
I have a 4″ super lift that i installed with 35 mky baja claws and my tires seemed to shimmy when i hit a bump in the road i put a new sky jacker stearing stabalizer in and it seems to whant to stil do it a little but not as bad didnt know if i should get a dual one if that would help or if you thought it would be somthing els. thank Billy
Billy, a steering stabilizer will only mask whatever problem you really have and if I could guess, you have a loose track bar. Did you make sure to tighten the mounting bolts to 125 ft. lbs. of torque with the weight of your Jeep on the ground?
I just put a SuperLift 4′ kit on and 35 BFG MT K2s. I am experiening a slight pull to the left, more of a drift really. also some of what you guys are calling flightiness. Just doesn’t seem tight. I have verified my toe in and set my axle center. Does not seem to completely good. I don’t have adjustable uppers but I will get them if it will fix this. Can you elaborate on step 9. In the first step you have the angle finder on the wheel. In step 9 where would yo postion it on the axle? And how do you determine how much to adjust the control arm based on that angle. What math needs to be done between the measure when taken on the wheel and when taken directly from the axle? Any pics with the angle finder on the axle when dropped? Is there something else I need to check?
You might be able to help correct your drift by adding a bit more toe-in. Factory should be about 1/16″ and an additional 1/16″ might help out a lot. If not, adding more positive caster will do the trick for sure. FWIW, you can do this with your Jeep on the ground but you will need a heavy duty ratchet strap in order to pull the axle back once the upper control arm have been loosened. The best way to do this is to loop the strap on to the cross member under your transmission and then to the upper control arm mount on your axle. Working on one arm at a time, detach the arm from the axle and rotate the axle back using the ratchet strap until you get the angle you are looking for. Adjust your control arm to fit and then bolt it in place. Take a measurement of the control arm and repeat the process on the opposite side making sure the control arm there is set to the same lenght.
Eddie
So I would need to have adjustable uppers, right? If yes can I just install adjustable upper control arms in the front and leave the rest stock? Another question, I took my JK to have the toe in set and wheels balanced. The guy at the shop told me he was going to balance the wheels on the truck, I had never heard of this before. When I picked it up I asked if they added much weight to the wheels. He said no, in fact no weight to any of the wheels. I could not believe this,he sais it happens this way sometime. Can that be possible? Could this be adding to my issue?
Well, that depends on what uppers you get as you will need to shorten them less than stock. You might actually be able to do this by getting adjustable lower fronts and just lenghten them a bit for a similar effect. This would essentially be the same thing as installing cam bolts but is a better solution to them. Otherwise, yes, you can leave everything else pretty much stock.
Regarding your wheel balancing, it is possible that they just rotated your tire placement on the wheels a bit. Whatever the case might be, if you still have balancing issues, I would take your Jeep back to have them do it again.
Eddie
Yea, my kit came with cam bolts but from what I have read no one likes to use them. Just to be clear I would buy adjustable uppers. Which one, adjustable uppers or lowers would be the best solution for getting the caster corrected? If I could only afford one which is the best choice?
Hey thanks for your help by the way.
Hi have only installed and run Full Traction uppers and can tell you that you can shorten them up a little less than stock. But, after talking to some of my friends that have tried this, you might want to try getting some adjustable lowers as they would essentially give you the same results that cam bolts would.
Eddie
Thanks again for the info. After taking in all we discussed I called Superlift and asked them the same questions. They also suggested the lowers. I ordered them Friday and will install them this week. I will let you know how I make out.
On the wheel balancing, I took my JK to a reputible tire dealer and had the wheels balanced. They needed to add weights on all wheels. I guess I should have known. The JK is handling better as a result. Hopefully once I install the lower control arms and set the caster I will have it beat. Thanks again!
Several points. Trying to be helpful not nasty.
Setting Toe - Hold a piece of chalk against the tire and rotate the tire, this gives a reference that can be used for measuring.
Centering axle - A 2×4? How about a straight edge. And, against the side wall of the tire? Not an accurate reference point.
Caster - No explanation as to the relativity of the angle measured at the knuckle. This, by it self, is not caster angle. And this is a biggie. Positive caster settings should decrease with tire diameter, not increase. The increase in leverage because of the diameter change is what drives death wobble. Stock caster settings are for stock tire diameter. Notice the relationship between tire/caster amoung other vehicles with solid axles. As tire diameter increases the called for caster setting decreases. Use the TJ and JK as an example. I can provide you with the technical data on the subject if you’re interested.
The TJ drag link attaches to the knuckle. And the tie rod connects to the drag link. Your description is not quite right.
fletch, thank you for the correction on the draglink. my previous description was not accurate.
regarding your other points, the chalk for the toe-in works as well. as far as centering the axle goes, it may not be 100% accurate but then, i never claimed that it would be - my tips are just intended to help. and, as far as caster goes, have you tried driving a jk with big tires and less positive caster? have you with more positive caster? if you had, i don’t think you would be saying what you are saying now.
Yes - increase in positive caster increases the return to center forces (feels better driving). It is these forces, that not only increase with tire diameter changes, but also increase with increased caster. These forces act against the steering system components (increased wear). As these components wear, it is these high caster settings that will drive death wobble. There are a lot of things to consider, I know, but increase in caster with larger diameter tires as a general rule is incorrect.
ummm, i don’t recall ever saying it was a “general rule”, just that it will “help your jeep to drive straight, reduce or eliminate any ‘flightiness’ or ‘dartiness’ you might experience and it will even help prevent your ESP from activating”. this is accurate information and after putting over 30,000 miles on my jk with more positive caster, i can tell you that i still don’t have issues with death wobble nor do other members that i know personally who have put on over 40,000 miles on their jk. but hey, this is just what i have experienced and have seen. you and anyone else reading this article should take care to do whatever you see fit for yours.
Thanks for your responses.
My discussion became more general in nature. There has been a lot of rush to market and pressure for price points for JK suspension lift systems. It is dynamic suspension design weeknesses that leads to poor handling and flightiness. High caster is a bandaid to these design weaknesses and can lead to other issues. We all have to make compromisses.
Put 35s on a JK with a bodylift and some fender trimming, and no dartiness or flightiness with 4 degrees of positive caster.
Just trying to be helpful to a good site with lots of good info.
Check out the new JK LongArm kit from Mopar Jeep Performance. It is a RE longarm kit dubbed their own with some minor changes.
The changes to the kit are said to improve handling and work better with the ESP. Hmm.
Thanks for the write up and for having this great site.
Couldn’t drop 3 to 4 hundred on adjustable top control arms. I just removed them, chopped 1″ out of them, right at the weld, where they meet the “U” bracket, and re-welded them. Re-installed, and added plenty of caster to get this baby tracking straight again! It now drives like its on rails, 4.5 inch lift, 35 tires. Took me about two hours. Pinion angle is acceptable as well.
[...] Basic Front End Alignment Write-Up [...]
I appreciate all of the time and effort you have put into this site. You are awesome. Thanks!
I have a very stupid question: Do I need to raise the front tires off the ground to center the steering wheel? Mine needs about 1/16th of an inch adjustment max. I had a Teraflex 2″ kit installed and they centered it, but I want it perfect…its just slightly off.
not a stupid question at all and depending on who you ask, you need to do this with your tires on the ground.
Thanks, worked like a charm, and couldn’t be easier. My steering wheel is straighter than stock.
Eddie, Thanks for this clear and helpful writeup!
I’ve had the problem before (after a bumpy ride) that the steering wheel was off center and the ESP/BAS kept alarming. I have figure out how to recenter that after some head scratching.
After the ride this weekend, I had the steering wheel off center, the ESP/BAS alarming, and a wild wobble at any speed above 30 that made for a nice clatter. (it was a good ride last weekend, heh heh)
This helped me recenter the steering wheel and reset the toe-in to 1/8″ (I was surprised to find that it was 1 and 1/16″ in)
These made for a smooth ride and I’ll give it a highway ride tomorrow.
One quick question: do you have a recommended torque for the bolts that hold the turnbuckle solid on the drag link? Sorry if it is listed here, but I couldn’t find it. (Just the 45 ft-lb for the sleeve on the tie rod)
Also looks like it might be worth the invesment in an adjustable track bar since my 4″ lift seems to have my axle 1″ to the drive side.
Thanks!
Chris
45 ft. lbs. or pretty hand tight is all you need to get them on to.
Eddie
Toe in.
I’ve have a 3in lift, and went from 32in tires to 43in tires. what is stock setting on a rubicon? should I change my Toe in to 1/8th in?
Can the rear lower control arm have an affect on pulling the vehicle front end one way or the other?
jeff, even with 43in tires, your toe should only be in about 1/8″.
regarding rear lower arms, sure they can effect your jeep in this manner if one is set longer than the other but, that’s usually not very likely.
Thanks Eddie
I reset my toe in to 1/8,also check the track bars, Front/rear axel alignment, check the control arms they are the same length. It seems as if the front bearings do not have free spin. I’m down to the front brakes or the bearings.
Thanks for your help.
Jeff
If I install the Terafelx 2.5″ lift w/ shocks do I need to worry about my caster? Will I notice that flightiness or my ESP activating?
every jeep is different and everyone is different. having said that, most people are okay with the way their jeep handles after installing this lift but there are a few that have complained about flighty steering at highway speeds and the best way to address that is to install adjustable lower control arms and add more positive caster. as far as esp goes, no, this should not be a problem.
Ok, I have a stupid question. I seen someone with a Rubicon park with their front drivers wheel up on a 2′ concrete light post. I decided to try it with my JK X. I used 4 low with front sway bar disconnected and it walked right up. After doing this, my steering wheel was way off to the right. I did know how to adjust it but curious if I did damage that I can not see. Being new to the jeep arena, this was fun and neat, got lots of attention, but I do not want to tear up my jeep or make it worse by ignoring something that I can not feel/see/sense at this time.
Forgot to add that it seems to drive ok. A slight pull to the left and I mean slight. Takes 1/4 mile before it starts to go that way and a slight vibration at 60mph and above.
I have a 3in Blk Diamond lift. Just got Rock Krawler front upper and lower control arms. I see that with 35 - 37 in tires that caster should be around 6-8 degrees. But I have trxus 33s right now. What would be your suggestion on caster angle. The tires are patterned and now measure 32.25 inches.
Toe in… I went to adjust mine after adding 35″ tires… expecting it to currently be something less that 1/8″, at least based on how I’m reading the the write-up. I was surprised to find it’s currently set to between 3/8″ and 1/2″. I’m going to set it to 1/8″, but is it reasonable for it to have been set so high stock, or am I measuring it wrong? Thanks… Ralph
hey Bungee, sounds like you might have bent something - maybe your tie-rod. the factory tie-rod is weak and can bend just from the forces of wheelin.
popo343, optimaly, +6° would be nice to have but this can give you drive line vibes if you have an aftermarket shaft. +4° is bare minimum as it is what comes from the factory.
rcibera, more than likely, you have a bent tie-rod. a slight bend can cause your toe-in to increase by quite a bit.
Thanks for the reply Eddie. Is it safe for now to just adjust toe-in to 1/8″ (seems to drive well after the adjustment) or do I need to worry about checking out the bent tie-rod?
naw, i would just make the adjustment, make final corrections with your draglink and call it a day.
[...] SETTING YOUR TOE-IN WRITE-UP [...]
installed 2 ome lift on 08 x jks ajustible track bars and now it feels like tires or axels wobble back and forth when hitting bump on highway
couple of things. first, check to make sure that your track bar mounting bolts are tightend to 125-130 ft. lbs. of torque. also, if you don’t already have adjustable upper or lower control arms installed, you might want to get a set so that you can add a little more caster. that should help out.
[...] Basic do it Yourself Front End Alignment [...]
Wondering what clunking is…2008 wrangler X 8,000 miles. Over dirt/stone road I feel like a tick or play in the steering box. When parked with engine running while twisting the wheel back and forth you can feel it clunk?????? Any ideas? Dealer says it’s “common” only it was NOT “common” during the last 8,000 miles. Thanks for anyone who can help. John
I just found that the sway bar link that I have on the passenger side, front was bent and broke off. The tab where the sway bar connects to the front axle is bent about 45 degrees towards the center of the jeep. I will have to cut the bolt off to get it out, but worried about the tab. How can I go about straightening it without hurting it or the axle?
you can probably just take a pry bar to the mount and bend it back.
[...] Here is the link I’m gonna try this myself today.Project-JK.com - Jeep JK Wrangler Resource » Basic Do-it-Yourself Jeep JK Wrangler Front End Alignme… [...]
[...] Try this link Project-JK.com - Jeep JK Wrangler Resource » Basic Do-it-Yourself Jeep JK Wrangler Front End Alignme… [...]
I just installed Rancho’s 4″ Sport Lift. Included is a relocation bracket for the front track bar, as well as the back. I don’t have an adjustable track bar though…So, do I still need to recenter the front axle with the relocation bracket?
is it recommended to set the caster for a 09 jeep wrangler with a 2″ spacer lift to correct death wobble on it?
Etidie, no, the relocation brackets will recenter your axle.
dan, no, it is not necessary for just 2″ of lift.
Is the cam bolt fix really that ineffective? I realize i will have the same immediate results but in the long run will i really have that much of a problem with the bolts moving out of place? Adjustable control arms are alot more expensive than the simple cam bolt fix, is it worth holding out and saving up the money for the new control arms or will the cam bolts work ok and il just need to keep an eye on them to make sure they dont shift? I would love to do the adjustable control arms since it seems to be the best option but its just a big cost difference. Thanks for any advice you can offer. (2.5 inch teraflex lift with shocks and 35 inch mickey thompson mtz)
never said they were “ineffective”, just that if you wheel your jeep, the stresses that are placed on them WILL cause them to loosen up and move around. once that happens, your alignment will be off. now, if you just plan on driving your jeep on the street, they are very effective and will do the job just fine.
I have a TF 2.5″ coil lift on my Unlimited with adjustable front/rear trackbars and 35″ tires (4.5″ BS). The Jeep slightly drifts to the left and the the steering is a bit flighty (not terrible). I’m going to install TF FLCA’s. What caster should I shoot for? I’ve heard that 6-7 deg caster is too much and can cause problems with the drive shaft. I’m setting about 2.5 deg right now. Does this number change if I have an alignment shop set the angle using an alignment machine? It also sounds like I should adjust the toe in to 1/8″ as well. Do you agree?
i don’t know who you’ve been talking to but, if you’re still running a factory drive shaft, +6° of caster WILL NOT be a problem. factory is +4.2°.
hi i’ve put a 4″ lift in my 07 jk. sence then i havn’t been enjoying it as much as i thought cause i’m replacing parts like crazy. i went to my dealer an said i had a bad shake at 75km to 80km they looked and said it may be my control arm bushings? before i go ahead an buy these. could this be the problem? they cost 200 an they say it take 4.6 hours this is just nuts. thanks
an im running 33’s km2
hi richard, it sounds to me like your dealer doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. is the shaking continuous at that speed or, does it come and is so bad that the only way you can stop it is to come to a complete stop? if it is continuous, speed related shakes or shimmys are almost always a tire balancing problem and i would start there - NOT buy something you don’t need.
Hello Everyone,
I have an 08 Jeep JK 4 door unlimited with a 2.5″ skyjacker lift and 33″ Mickey Thompsons. The ride is really rough. I don’t do much offroading. It’s mostly on city streets. Does anyone know who I can get a smoother ride and better handling?
Thanks
james
how much air are you running in your tires. for 33’s, you really shouldn’t have more than 30 psi. if you are running that or less, most likely the spring rate of your new coils and/or old school hydro shocks are giving you a harsh ride.
Hello,
My ‘07 JKU is bone stock, except for 33″Cepek Crushers on Cragar Soft 8s. I have developed a rattle and flighty steering. Steering stabilizer is toast and there’s significant play in my tie rod. Are my TREs causing this? I’m still (barely) under warranty at 34.5 K. Should I expect any trouble from the dealership in getting new TREs? (I’ll be upgrading to a beefier aftermarket SS, since the stocker seems to be a weak point anyway
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Mike
if nothing else was added or changed before your jeep started to get flighty, i might check your ball joints. more than likely they have gone out as it’s a common problem. as far as your tie-rod goes, what would you consider significant play? so long as the movement it rotation and not up and down or forward to back, it should be fine.
what steps do i need to do with a general tire alignment,not caused by a putting on a new lift or tires?
if you have not installed lift, you shouldn’t need an alignment unless you did damage to your suspension/steering.
i have rc 2.5 coil lift and tires put on about a year ago and i had a alignment done when i got my tires…its just pullin a little to the left
Eddy, my question, would a track bar relocation bracket in the front do a good job centering the axle? why most kit sold with the rear bracket only?
you cannot install a front track bar relocation bracket unless you install a dropped pitman arm or drag link flip kit at the same time. if you do not, your track bar and drag link will no longer be parallel to each other and this will create handling issues. the rear end of your jeep does not have anything like steering components to deal with so nothing more is needed other than a relocation bracket.
Hi Eddy,
First, thanks for all you do with this cite, it provides us newbies with hope we can actually work on our Jeeps without the tires falling off in the process. My question concerns whether to purchase upper/lower or both control arms. I recently installed a 2.5 BB and 35’s, and have experienced the steering shimmy and flightiness discussed here and elsewhere. I’ve read that adjusting caster is not (likely) necessary with just 2.5 in of lift, but at 3-4 inches, it seems that caster adjustments are necessary. Given that I just added 3in larger tires and 2.5in of lift, am I crazy to think that I’ve, in effect, created approx 4in of lift? And the need to adjust the caster angle? Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this?
with a 2.5″ BB, you should not need additional caster but, adding more may help your handling. all you need are adjustable uppers or lowers to do this. uppers are cheaper by a bit but lowers are much easier to install.
Thanks Eddie. Since I’ll be doing the work myself, I’ll be going with the lower control arms for simplicity sake. One more question. Do I need to install the LCA’s in both front and back to adjust the caster angle? Or are FLCA’s sufficient? Thanks again.
you just need the fronts.