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

49 Comments

1. 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?

2. It’s a Full Traction drop bracket. I just have a pre-production prototype on my JK. It will be released very soon.

   Eddie

3. Thanks for the quick response, Eddie. I appreciate it.

   Doug

4. 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

5. 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

6. Thanks for the tips… worked like a charm……

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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?

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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°.

17. Right now I am at 1 and it seems fine. It just looks like the drive shaft is not lined up with the differential.

18. 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

19. 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?

20. 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?

21. 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

22. 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?

23. 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

24. 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.

25. 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

26. 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!

27. 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.

28. The TJ drag link attaches to the knuckle. And the tie rod connects to the drag link. Your description is not quite right.

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. Thanks for the write up and for having this great site.

35. 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.

36. I appreciate all of the time and effort you have put into this site. You are awesome. Thanks!

37. 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.

38. not a stupid question at all and depending on who you ask, you need to do this with your tires on the ground.

39. Thanks, worked like a charm, and couldn’t be easier. My steering wheel is straighter than stock.

40. 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

41. 45 ft. lbs. or pretty hand tight is all you need to get them on to.

42. 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?

43. Can the rear lower control arm have an affect on pulling the vehicle front end one way or the other?

44. 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.

45. 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

46. 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?

47. 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.

48. 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.

49. 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.