Easy way to level my mj?

[Jeepcom23]

I have 1991 2wd MJ, I was wondering if there is any easy..and safe way to level the tuck out.

 

Thanks!

 

-Cody

[Pete M]

Picking up the frontend? Or rear?

[Geonovast]

If you're referring to the back end being up a little higher, they're supposed to be that way. That way, if you've got a couple hundred pounds of stuff in the bed, it won't get all squatty.

 

Personally, I like the look of the rake.

[jpdocdave]

i personally like a level look, but i plan to tow and haul stuff in the bed so i'm gonna leave it alone.

 

mine is a big ton 4x4 and a 2" budget boost in the front would make it sit level by my calculations, and i almost did it. a 2wd, or non big ton will be a little different. i'd say a 1" spacer or maybe a 1 1/2 inch spacer would do the trick. and if you do it and the front is a half inch higher or so, then you can put shackles on the back worst case.

[Pete M]

You could grab a couple pairs of coil isolators (the rubber things at the top of your coils) from junkyard MJ/XJs. Keep in mind that any change in height can change the tow setting or your alignment.

[Geonovast]

You could grab a couple pairs of coil isolators (the rubber things at the top of your coils) from junkyard MJ/XJs. Keep in mind that any change in height will change the tow setting or your alignment.

 

:banana:

[Pete M]

[jpdocdave]

You could grab a couple pairs of coil isolators (the rubber things at the top of your coils) from junkyard MJ/XJs. Keep in mind that any change in height will change the tow setting or your alignment.

 

:banana:

 

your steering wheel will change, but the actuall toe doesn't thats set by the tie rod link from left knuckle to right knuckle, doesn't change w/ height. the drag link adjustment does change, thus making your alignment off. jeeps are a little different than other vehicles when it comes to alignment having just one tie rod adjustment, then a drag link adjustment that centers the steering wheel.

 

i did my 2" bb on my xj in the shop, aligned it a few weeks earlier, drove it on the rack when i was done and nothing changed, that i can't believe, but the readings were still dead nuts on, and it drove the same :nuts:

[Pete M]

As you go up in height with an inverted Y steering, the pitman arm raises up, angling the drag link up and raising the connection point with the drag link. This shortens the theoretical "drag link" measurement between the knuckles and pulls in the tires. The more you lift, the more the toe changes (as well as the more the steering wheel rotates over). Inverted T systems don't change the toe. :thumbsup:

[jpdocdave]

this doesn't have to get very involved, and you are right about the drag link. but the tie rod is from one knuckle to the other in a straight line. as the suspension goes up the drag link gets shorter, and it will pull the pitman arm, gear box, and steering wheel with it, but the tie rod link doesn't change. the tie rod link is one straight rod parrallell to the axle right in front of it obviously, the length of that rod doesn't move. one side of the toe cannot change without the other mirroring it.

 

it even takes other mechanics a while to completely figure that out. but that the only way to effect toe w/ one tie rod adjustment is the tie rod link.

 

with the lift your wheel will be off, it could be upside down, but your actual toe is still zero, or wherever it was before the lift. the tires will still be pointing straight, they will not get toed in or out, but the drag link/steering wheel can be all over the place.

 

when you do an alignment on a jeep you set the toe to zero, no matter where the steering wheel is, upside down or whatever. then after the toe is zero, you adjust the drag link just to center the wheel, the drag link has no effect on toe. i really didn't mean to ramble on, sorry.

[Pete M]

You are correct, lengthening the drag link does not affect toe. :thumbsup: But raising the truck does. The "drag link" connection isn't quite a straight line and gets more crooked as you lift the Jeep.

 

[jpdocdave]

i'll go with that, i've been staring at the computer all day w/ the flu. :ack:

 

if you look at those angles though, it takes more to change the tie rod than the drag link. and for whatever reason a 2" lift didn't even change my drag link, and i don't know how thats possible.

[Pete M]

Because at stock height, the 2 bars are pretty close together. Raising it just a bit won't change it much. But raise the truck 5" and you've got serious problems. That's why I said "can" change your toe. It is a possibility. Plus trucks as old as ours can have other wear issues that can complicate things as you lift. Never underestimate the power of slop to either mask or exacerbate a problem. :thumbsup:

 

Sorry, this is the best pic I could find of a stock system at stock height. :(