alignments

[Oizarod115]

is it worth it to take the ole truck to the shop for an alignment?

70 bucks is a mighty hefty charge to loosen a couple bolts and turn a couple rods don't ya think?

 

(i think mine might be toed out 1/4" which would be the culprit of some wobble-ation)

 

orr should i just do it myself with the tape measure and "good-enough" it

[Eagle]

If it's a trail vehicle that sees limited highway miles, DIY. If it's your daily driver and gets a lot of miles, have a shop do it and you'll save the cost in tire wear.

 

BTW -- 1/4" out of spec on toe-in won't cause DW. Insufficient caster might, though.

[feerocknok]

I agree with Eagle on tire wear. Bad alignment that looks okay can really wreck tires.

 

The main reason I have a shop do it is for camber, caster, and just to have the truck track straight. I hate when I let go of the wheel and the truck flies off the road. :headpop:

[DirtyComanche]

I find it odd how you can't just get a toe-alignment. I got one for $17. That's all that matters, the rest can be figured out with an angle finder and a tape measure.

[Weezel]

just got my mj back from an alignment and it is dead on drives and steers like a dream!

 

W

:Canadaflag:

[Oizarod115]

well mine tracks fine, no problems there, and I'm not lifted so i think the stock CA's should be doing fine with the caster and stuff.

but a 1/4" toed OUT is a 1/2" off in toe not 1/4 and from what ive heard that definately can cause problems?

 

it won't see trails for a while until i can borrow my brothers tools and get the u-joints fixed... DD

[Hot Rod Jeep]

If it's a trail vehicle that sees limited highway miles, DIY. If it's your daily driver and gets a lot of miles, have a shop do it and you'll save the cost in tire wear.

 

BTW -- 1/4" out of spec on toe-in won't cause DW. Insufficient caster might, though.

 

I agree, if it's just a trail rig save a few bucks and just do it yourself. But for a daily driver I'd want it done right. 8)

[Eagle]

but a 1/4" toed OUT is a 1/2" off in toe not 1/4 and from what ive heard that definately can cause problems?

???????

 

1/4" toed out is 1/4" toed out. The factory spec is zero to 1/16" toe-in, so there's no way that 1/4" toed out is 1/2" out of spec. And the only problem it'll cause is rapid tire wear, and some "twitchy" steering response. It won't cause death wobble. Been there, done that. When I took the lift out of the '88 MJ I was finishing up just before a trail ride up the road in MA. I completely forgot that changing the vehicle height 4" would affect the toe-in. Drove it up there and immediately noticed the twitchiness, plus I could hear the tires squeaking on corners.

 

Once at the campground one of the other guys had a tape rule and we measured it. It was considerably toed out. Worse, the sleeve was so rusted that we couldn't make it turn, so I had to drive it home like that. Total of a few hundred miles. Visible tire wear, funky steering ... but no death wobble.

[Pete M]

Maybe he was adding 1/4" out for each side? :hmm:

[Oizarod115]

no, i had been told by the 4x4 shop owner up the street that XJ/MJ's are supposed to be toed IN 1/4" and that only 242t-case XJ/MJ's were supposed to be dead on. therefore 1/4" toed OUT would be 1/2" away from 1/4" IN...

that make more sense?

 

and we got new steering put on my brothers XJ (one ton) and the shop didnt have the tools to do alignments and we drove it a total of 2 1/2 miles home and it wobbled worse than anything ive ever seen in my entire life, only stopped when he slowed to 25- mph. do a DIY alignment and the wobble was gone... soooo thats what led me to beleive that wobbles can be caused by out of alignment.

[Eagle]

no, i had been told by the 4x4 shop owner up the street that XJ/MJ's are supposed to be toed IN 1/4" and that only 242t-case XJ/MJ's were supposed to be dead on. therefore 1/4" toed OUT would be 1/2" away from 1/4" IN...

that make more sense?

Makes perfect sense ...

 

Except that the owner of that shop doesn't have a clue.

 

The newer FSMs give the specs in degrees, which is more accurate because it isn't affected by tire size. However, since I own mostly older ones, I have the '88 FSM here for reference.

 

Spec is:

....................................... Set To..................OK Range

Toe:

Right Wheel .......................... 0 ................... 1/32 IN" to 1/32" OUT

Left Wheel ............................ 0 ................... 1/32" IN to 1/32" OUT

[Oizarod115]

ohh ok. I'm not confused anymore. my brother explained it to me a little bit.

they were talking about nig tires, not stock ones.

thanks

-nick