Basic Do-it-Yourself Jeep JK Wrangler
Front End Alignment

31 Comments

1. another question for you eddie. i installed rock krawler’s 2.5 max travel kit. kit came with front lower adjustable arms but not uppers. the kit says to adjust the arms to X for a 2.5 kit, X for a 3.5 kit, yadda yadda. deviating from rk’s specs for the control arms for my lift to get a higher caster angle wont have any ill effect? im assuming the adjustability is probably to fine-tune suspension and their specs are just getting it as close to the ballpark as possible.

   after my install i have a slight wobble around 50-55 mph, and slight wobble when hitting a bump in the road so ill def be using your instructions to try and cure these minor inconveniences. thanks for sharing the knowledge!! 🙂

2. how can i adjust the steering wheel with stock wrangler (2 doors) for driving in highway with high speed with bout feeling to make it more stabilize ?

   am not sure if my question is clear i feel the steering wheel very light and hard to control when driving in high speed

3. if your jeep is still stock, make sure you’re not running too much air in your tires. with a set of 30″ or 32″ tires, you should be running at about 30-32 psi.

4. I’m in a confusing situation. I recently put a OME HD lift on my 2010 Jeep and I ran stock 17 inch wheels with 35 inch tires and a 1.5 inch wheel spacer, until my new wheels came in.

   The handling was the same as stock until I put on my new wheels. The new wheels are 17×9 with -12 offset. And as soon as I drove it, it pulled hard to the right and jerked around turns going left, to a point to where I felt like I would lose control.

   I got it aligned and it drives fine in a straight line but has sensitive steering, and still flighty going around left hand turns and pulls right. The air pressure in the tires are the same when I had stock wheels. We also measured and found that the tires stuck out the same on both set ups (stock wheels and wheel spacers vs. -12 offset).

   My question is, why did my handling go down the drain when I changed wheels only, but still had the same air pressure and backspacing? Also, could it be the wheel and tire combonation that is causing it?

   Thanks, Dale

5. i lifted my jeep 3.5″ (rubicon express) and got toyo mt’s 34.1″ tires. took it to tire barn for tires and alignment, but my jeep now pulls to the right. Tire Barn showed me the alignment stats and everything was good. I do have to fight the wheel a bit to keep it straight. and it seems to do it on any road, regardless of crowning or not. i had gone wheeling a few weeks ago and it seemed to make it a bit worse but not much. one guy said i prolly have mud or misc stuff in my brakes making it pull. im out of ideas…

6. I just bought a 2012 sahara unlimited and had the dealer instal a 3″ teraflex lift with 35 x 12.5 MT Baja MTZ tires. I went wheeling a few days ago and the jeep did great but now the ESC light stays on and my steering wheel is sitting at about 11 o’clock when I’m driving straight. Everything is covered under waranty through my dealer. What should I do?

7. more than likely, you bent your tie rod. if it’s not too bad and not effecting your steering stablizer, i would just leave well enough alone, re-set your toe-in and that should just about recenter your steering wheel. if it doesn’t, adjust your drag link until it is and that will take care of your esp issue.

8. Chris, you need to adjust your track bar. Not sure about the light. How much did they charge for the 3″, was thinking about doing the same, and keeping my warranty.

9. Rookie question but here goes anyway…I just purchased the 2″ leveling kit from Tera Flex for my 2013 JK.Of course it brings the spacers for the front and the rear. Somewhere in the instructions it seems to give the impression that you don’t have to add the rear spacers, (as I read it). What would happen if I didn’t install the rears? Also, if I install just the front or both will I need a realignment?

10. you don’t have to install the rears. what you have will help remove the “factory rake” out of your jeep and “level” it out. nothing will happen if you don’t install the rears. you don’t need an alignment.

11. Hi I have a 4″ lift on my 07 JK and just installed a JKS front track adjustable bar should I install one on the rear as well? Thanks

12. If you don’t have one or a relocation bracket already, yeah, you probably should.

13. I have a 2010 jeep wrangler sport. I am just stating to make changes I added a 2″ spacer lift to the springs and 33X12 tires. Now when driving it darts on the road like it is following the cracks.What should I try first. It came stock with 28X8 tires

14. If you haven’t already loosened up your control arm bolts, bounce your Jeep around and then tighten them back up to torque spec, I would start there. If you still have a darty sensation, make sure that you don’t have too much air in your tires. with 33’s, you should only have about 32 psi. If you still have issued after that, you may want to consider getting adjustable front lower control arms to add a bit more positive caster.

15. i assume you mean to loosen both upper and lower arms

16. Yes

17. 2010 jk rubicon 2 door 21000 miles. 3.5 with leveling in frnt.and trac bar brackets. new 35 12.50 17 wrangler mtx– alignment?caster and camber is out a little. do i NEED upper arms or do i NEED lower? or BOTH? anything other recommended? thanks! oh what brand or part num.is best? thanks again

18. There is nothing you can do about camber. You can adjust your caster with either upper or lower arms but both would be ideal as you would be able to set the position of your axle AND set your caster at the same time. However, this far from necessary to do. If it were me, I would just do the lowers as it is easier to do.

19. adjustable ball joints = camber ??

20. no, bent end forgings = camber. offset ball joints will allow you to correct some of this but just by a little.

21. I have a 07 jku with a 4 inch skyjacker lift 34.4 tires the track bar brackets jks quick connects up front superchip flashpaq I’m having prob with esp abs going around turns over 23 mph any help please

22. You need to make sure that your steering wheel is completely centered.

23. I have a 2008 2door Rubicon with a 3.5″ Full Traction lift and 315 BF Goodrich tires and it is loose or squirrely. I have had the alignment check a couple of times. I have replaced the rear stabilizer bar and have Rancho 9000 shocks. All these have helped but it is loose. Nobody wants to drive it because they say they are afraid it will change lanes on them? Could it be the tires?? Any ideas? Thanks. No death wobble though.

24. 2013 jeep wrangler wanders all over road and exessive play in steering wheel after 5 inch lift was installed…is it probably caster?…kit came with none adjustable control arms…what to do,almost impossible to drive…HELP

25. Hi Eddie,

    I have been reading up all write ups and after searching for the right lift kit. I decided to go with the mopar 3″ performance lift kit co-joined with teraflex.

    The installation was done by the jeep dealer over here in the middle east, but I have a slight problem with my alignment that is causing my jeep jk Rubicon 2014 2dr manual, pulling left. The only additional part I have bought with the kit is the front adjustable track bar. As the kit provides upper and lower arms already dailed in, and claims no alignment required. I’m running 33″ coopers stts as a choice of tire size for now.. I was wondering how can I know if all is dailed in correctly to fix the slight left pullast that I am facing now?

26. Below is what comes with the kit:

    Ideally rated coil springs with performance tuned, external reservoir FOX Racing Shox for improved high-speed handling and reduced fade
    Mopar / TeraFlex SpeedBump System improves compression dampening
    Front / lower axle-to-frame link arms automatically correct caster angle; no realignment required
    All four new rear axle-to-frame link arms included for optimum driveshaft angle
    Replacement link arms have factory type steel-encased bushings for superior vibration dampening and wear characteristics
    Suspension limiting straps prevent component overextension and related damage
    Includes new front / rear stabilizer bar links with sealed ends
    Works with all vehicle systems including the Electronic Stability Program

27. Hey Eddie
    So I have the 3.5 Rubicon Express lift with adjustable track bar with the caster bolts. Well I have now purchased some RK adjustable lowers and want to replace the caster bolts with these. I know that I had cut out those pieces for bolts to move, will putting these arms in be ok with those slots opened up? Also can I just pull out arm at a time and put RK arms in? Thanks for your help

28. If I have a bent track bar what will happen to my wheels?

29. Okay this is a tech question about JK steering.
    A week ago I installed adjustable control arms lower front. this morning while I was driving on the Parkway, thank god heading to the Jeep dealership I hit a bump and went into severe bump steer but heard a clunking. pulled over to inspect and didn’t see anything hanging or broken. I started to drive again and lost my steering wheel. At one point I was driving straight and my steering wheel was completely sideways. I just had the steering pump replaced in June by jeep. The steering was NOT like driving an old CJ with manual steering.

30. Hey Eddy!

    We want to see more videos of you guys, craving for it damned…

    Can’t wait!

31. Hi , I have a wrangler 2014 model. i noticed that, some times ESC and ABS is while driving and after few times its automatically off. someone know about this??