88AMComanche Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Ive been quite content with how my truck sits, up until the last few weeks. Now, everytime i see it....it bugs the sh*t outta me that it doesnt sit LEVEL. as far as the front & back goes. I have about 5" travel in the wheelwell in back, but only about 3" travel in the wheelwell in front due to the weight of the engine.....and time I'm assuming. So, as much as I was against doing any kind of lifting or heigth adjusting before....now i am thinking of buying those metal "push-turn in" little blocks from the parts store for the springs. Id just be happy with the front end an inch higher, just so it doesnt look so "slanted" or "front heavy" a friend of mine ,a jeep fenatic, said....I can just put those in the springs for a bit of lift and it doesnt effect steering or alignment at all since its solid axle. / Anyone know if this is true or not? Its not that I want the truck Higher.......I just want the front end to look somewhat even with the back. ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philbert001 Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 If you use those "Peanut" spring stiffeners, they will raise the front end, Temporarily. They will however, cause your front springs to break down, and sag much quicker, because as the spring compresses, it's putting all that force on the point where the stiffener sits, instead of distributing it evenly around the spring. your best bet for a cheap, easy inch or two, is a set of urethane spring spacers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 You CANNOT change the front height AT ALL without affecting your alignment. The fact that it's a solid axle does not negate that. You will have to do at least a toe adjustment after and height change - up or down. It's rather easy to do yourself: http://www.4x4xplor.com/alignment.html Also, your truck is supposed to have a rake. The back's supposed to sit a little higher than the back. It'll appear to be more than it is, because the rear flares are further away from the tire than they are in the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88AMComanche Posted May 30, 2011 Author Share Posted May 30, 2011 The part about the front being solid axles & not effecting alingment has me puzzled. It doesnt SEEM like it would effect it ...........BUT, as far as the springs weakening from the little twist in spacers DOES make sense. I can see how it would weaken them a bit over time. / I have a friend at work with a cherokee & he raised the front just a bit so it sits more level & all us dudes say the same thing ...........Looks good. Makes it look "right" somehow. As far as I know he did not use the twist in block spacer things, he did something else. Not sure what but something. Knowing him, it was a quik fix :bowdown: You CANNOT change the front height AT ALL without affecting your alignment. The fact that it's a solid axle does not negate that. You will have to do at least a toe adjustment after and height change - up or down. It's rather easy to do yourself: http://www.4x4xplor.com/alignment.html Also, your truck is supposed to have a rake. The back's supposed to sit a little higher than the back. It'll appear to be more than it is, because the rear flares are further away from the tire than they are in the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 It makes sense because of how the steering is set up. There isn't a single bar that simply attaches one wheel to the other. The draglink goes from the steering box, to the right wheel. The tierod the goes from the draglink to the left wheel, however, where it attaches to the draglink is not the same spot that the draglink attaches to the right wheel. When you lift the truck, it pulls up on the draglink, changing the angle that the tierod intersects it at. If you go up, the angle gets smaller, and the wheels pull in. If you go down, the angle gets bigger, and the wheels push out. It's a simple fix after the height change, all you have to do is turn the tierod until your toe-in is readjusted properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88AMComanche Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 That is super cool helpful advice. Thank u. I suppose theres no wauy of knowing how much Towin or out would be needed,for an inch increase in heigth. Right now i can go down a flat road & let go & it stays striaght quite a ways before gradually starting to slightly vere one way or the other. don't wanna mess that up. Id GUESS that an inch increase would need about a half a turn of the tow...OUT? or In? It makes sense because of how the steering is set up. There isn't a single bar that simply attaches one wheel to the other. The draglink goes from the steering box, to the right wheel. The tierod the goes from the draglink to the left wheel, however, where it attaches to the draglink is not the same spot that the draglink attaches to the right wheel. When you lift the truck, it pulls up on the draglink, changing the angle that the tierod intersects it at. If you go up, the angle gets smaller, and the wheels pull in. If you go down, the angle gets bigger, and the wheels push out. It's a simple fix after the height change, all you have to do is turn the tierod until your toe-in is readjusted properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 If you read the link I gave you, it'll explain how to do it pretty easily. It's not a hard thing to adjust. There's no guesswork, it's all done with measurements. Shouldn't take you too long to do, especially if you've got some help. I did a toe-in adjustment on a co-worker's XJ once on a 15 minute break the day after I put a knife in my left arm. If you're hard-pressed to lift the front, I really hope you'll stay away from those spring stiffeners. If you're going to "fix" something that isn't broke, please don't "fix" it the wrong way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philbert001 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 It'll need to go toe out, and the best way to do it yourself is to run a tape measure right under your control arms, and measure from center of tire to center of tire, or inside to inside, or outside to outside. Wherever you can get an accurate measurement. Then, move to about the same level in front of the tires, and take a measurement. more than likely, the front measurement will be shorter, (Toe in). adjust the tie rod out until both measurements are the same, good to go. then, adjust the drag link as needed, til the steering wheel is centered going straight down the road! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 They're not supposed to be the same. The front just be pointing in a tiny, tiny bit. I believe the front of the tires are supposed to be 1/32 - 1/16th of an inch closer than the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philbert001 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 They're not supposed to be the same. The front just be pointing in a tiny, tiny bit. I believe the front of the tires are supposed to be 1/32 - 1/16th of an inch closer than the back. I believe you're right there, but in a truck with 20 year old components, and the amount of margin for error that is inherently gonna be there in slop, you aren't gonna get her dead on, so dead even is enough to keep from chewing tires off, and keep her going straight down the road! If you tape measure it, then drive around the block, she'll be off again, Guaranteed! (Unless you replace EVERYTHING!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88AMComanche Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 :dunno: Hmmm ......Pondering now wether or not to even mess with it at all. BUT, The info is helpful in the way of maybe i can check it as it is and make sure my tow in & tow out are correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philbert001 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 It never hurts! Besides, tires aint cheap, big, or little! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 But your Comanche being a pick up truck, designed to carry loads in the back, the rear is SUPPOSED to be higher than the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philbert001 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 But your Comanche being a pick up truck, designed to carry loads in the back, the rear is SUPPOSED to be higher than the front. Yeah, but he is right. something DOES just feel right about them sitting level! Even with the lift mine has now, the front sits about 1.5 inches low, and I bought springs to make it level, (Or hopefully nose up, just a touch!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I like the rake. Level I can understand, but nose up? :ack: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 To reduce or eliminate the front end rake on your truck you can do spacers above the front coils, add a few of the factory isolator pads above the front coil springs, or replace the coils with some V8 ZJ coils. Then drive your truck to your favorite tire shop and get an alignment. I also do not like much, if any, rake on an MJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88AMComanche Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Very true .....Eventually i will carry something fairly heavy in the back. But so far, nuthing more than 3 lil bags of groceries. But your Comanche being a pick up truck, designed to carry loads in the back, the rear is SUPPOSED to be higher than the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88AMComanche Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Whats Rake? if it means the front higher than the back, then i don't like rake either. To reduce or eliminate the front end rake on your truck you can do spacers above the front coils, add a few of the factory isolator pads above the front coil springs, or replace the coils with some V8 ZJ coils. Then drive your truck to your favorite tire shop and get an alignment. I also do not like much, if any, rake on an MJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88AMComanche Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Id just like it to sit a bit more level ...when you look at the bottom line of the body (pinchweld) It has a slight forward slant. a tiny bit is fine but the difference between the front & back is a bit much. If I LOST an inch in the rear, or Gained an inch in the front, it would look better IMO Whats Rake? if it means the front higher than the back, then i don't like rake either. To reduce or eliminate the front end rake on your truck you can do spacers above the front coils, add a few of the factory isolator pads above the front coil springs, or replace the coils with some V8 ZJ coils. Then drive your truck to your favorite tire shop and get an alignment. I also do not like much, if any, rake on an MJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philbert001 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I like the rake. Level I can understand, but nose up? :ack: Well, mine is lifted quite a bit, and since ALL the weight is up front, that's where it needs the most suspension/travel off road. Kind of the Baha look. And I'm not talkin a lot. maybe just to where both wheel flairs look level. (Which, as you said earlier, since the rear flair is mounted higher, level flairs= nose up, just a touch!) By rake, they are talking about the angle of the body. In this case, they are saying nose down rake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88AMComanche Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 No noes up for me. level is my goal. I like the rake. Level I can understand, but nose up? :ack: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philbert001 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Level at the rocker, or at the flairs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philbert001 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Don't be hatin on the nose up! Look at the top of your screen! The comanche club logo is nose up, and it looks good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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