Alingnment help??
10-03-2013, 05:06 AM
#12
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Last edited by jk.bushwacker; 10-03-2013 at 05:40 AM.
10-03-2013, 05:41 AM
#14
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That much lift you are prob not going to get a good caster angle, even stock the pinion angle is going to be extreme. Why so much lift ?
Generally you are shooting for
4.5* caster
1/16-1/8 toe IN
camber under 1* (not adjustable)
Thrust angle should be correct if the rear axle is centered and square with the frame.
*All 8 CA's.. You want your axles centered in the wheel wells. Rear pinion 1-2* below the DS.
If you settle for just uppers for the rear you can set pinion only.
*Front uppers or lowers can be used for caster. Uppers shortened or lowers lengthened.
Generally you are shooting for
4.5* caster
1/16-1/8 toe IN
camber under 1* (not adjustable)
Thrust angle should be correct if the rear axle is centered and square with the frame.
*All 8 CA's.. You want your axles centered in the wheel wells. Rear pinion 1-2* below the DS.
If you settle for just uppers for the rear you can set pinion only.
*Front uppers or lowers can be used for caster. Uppers shortened or lowers lengthened.
X2 on this, I've read that it is better to use adjustable front lowers to set your caster, not sure why, just something I've read. You definitely want to get some adjustable rear in there with that much height as you are creating some significant geometry changes there as well.
Another consideration with that much lift would be a draglink flip kit. I just swapped out my 4.5' trailmaster kit for a 5.5' Rock Krawler lift. Huge difference in the handling with the draglink flip. If I had known it would be so much better I would of installed one when I had my 4.5' kit.
10-03-2013, 09:19 AM
#15
JK Jedi Master
Exactly what lift did you get? What suspension components did you replace? What about trackbars? If you just lifted your vehicle, using control arm repositioning brackets, and didn't replace the trackbars, I return to my prior question: Exactly what are you expecting an alignment shop to align? You have the steering wheel centering, and you have the toe in (which shouldn't have changed). They can give you numbers for everything else, which you may or may not find useful in the future, but there's nothing they can align (Again: Say no if they offer camber bolts). Honest, once you really start fixing your Jeep for 4.5" of lift (control arms, trackbars, driveshafts), those numbers won't be worth a hill of beans. Really, you'll have to come up with your own numbers, because there are just too many variables for an alignment shop to understand, short of a competent 4WD shop that understands custom suspensions.
10-03-2013, 09:20 AM
#16
JK Jedi Master
The only reason I know is they have a wider adjustment range. They are certainly more expensive. Perhaps a secondary reason is to get a better built (tougher) component down there where it's exposed to possible damage from contact with a rock. The uppers are pretty protected.
10-04-2013, 01:50 AM
#17
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Well, that's why I'm trying to figure out exactly what he has. I must apologize for not knowing intimately what parts go into the making of every lift kit out there. Some come with adjustable control arms, some do not. Some trackbars, front/rear/both. Some even have new driveshafts. But, the way I am reading this, which may be a misreading on my part, the OP has brackets and stock LCAs (when OP posted a picture of the brackets, he seemed to agree with someone else who posted saying specifically that he does). Maybe we should digress and ask OP to clarify: Exactly what lift did you get? What suspension components did you replace? What about trackbars? If you just lifted your vehicle, using control arm repositioning brackets, and didn't replace the trackbars, I return to my prior question: Exactly what are you expecting an alignment shop to align? You have the steering wheel centering, and you have the toe in (which shouldn't have changed). They can give you numbers for everything else, which you may or may not find useful in the future, but there's nothing they can align (Again: Say no if they offer camber bolts). Honest, once you really start fixing your Jeep for 4.5" of lift (control arms, trackbars, driveshafts), those numbers won't be worth a hill of beans. Really, you'll have to come up with your own numbers, because there are just too many variables for an alignment shop to understand, short of a competent 4WD shop that understands custom suspensions.
Next I would be looking at correcting steering geometry in the 4" range. Before installing me Synergy flip kit the steering wheel would jerk back and forth over every bump.
I see it a lot ... "4" lift for only $500"
Anybody can throw 4" coils in a kit. Maybe bumpstops/sway bar links and most likely cam bolts for caster. Lifting a Jk over 3" introduces a slew of problems if not set up correctly IMO.
There's also comes a point where it's impossible to run stock caster and have decent drivability
Try lifting the jeep 4" (5" front and 4" rear typically) and run 5* caster. The pinion angle becomes just too much for the DS Cv Joint to handle. Some folks have no choice but to give up caster for pinion angle.. Especially if the front DS was replaced.