Post Lift - ALIGNMENT ISSUES - Fixed!!!

PBrug · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:43 pm

I just spoke to the guy doing my alignment and was told that he was able to get everything into spec with the front wheels (straight up and down, etc...), but the KJ will not track straight down the road unless the steering wheel is slightly to the right. He said when he sets it so that the steering wheel is straight, it throws everything else off. He has spent several hours on it and can not figure out why it will not track straight.

I know nothing about this stuff, but thought from what most have said here that the addition of Al's A-Arms would help correct alignment issues.

I was looking to find out:

Is this a normal issue post-lift?

Could it be caused by too much lift, wheel & tire combo, etc???

Is there anything he can check on the alignment to posibly fix this problem?

I'd hate to be fighting my KJ while going down the road all the time.

The only thing I can think of is to take it somewhere else to have it looked at, but the guy I took it to came with high recommendation form people I know.

Thanks

elephantrider · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:50 pm

i have the coil lift as well, and my kj was aligned perfectly, no issues, so i would take it somewhere else for a 2nd opinion, just to be sure...

PBrug · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:54 pm

jasonk wrote:

i have the coil lift as well, and my kj was aligned perfectly, no issues, so i would take it somewhere else for a 2nd opinion, just to be sure...

Jason, do you have any additional clevis lift or Al's A-Arms? I'm wondering if my combo of Rusty's Strut Plates and 1/4" clevis would change anything.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:56 pm

Could have some early symptoms of the "death wobble".Yes Al's arm's will help alot,the factory UCA's you can get into spec but your at the outer limits of the specs.Your tires could also be at fault,I know my MT/R's will follow any groove on the road.Have a 4x4 shop that does installs look at the alignment,they are used to the extremes and may be able to help.You also may need to let the lift settle a little more then have it redone.

PBrug · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 2:15 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

Could have some early symptoms of the "death wobble".Yes Al's arm's will help alot,the factory UCA's you can get into spec but your at the outer limits of the specs.Your tires could also be at fault,I know my MT/R's will follow any groove on the road.Have a 4x4 shop that does installs look at the alignment,they are used to the extremes and may be able to help.You also may need to let the lift settle a little more then have it redone.

I was wondering about the tires. I have BFG KO's, which I bought used (1,500 - 3,500 miles on the tires) from a member of LOST, and had a friend balance them at a local shop. I assume he did a good job in balancing them, but could unbalanced tires cause this tracking to the left, or would they just cause a wobble?

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:08 pm

When Im going straight down the road, my steering wheel is turned to the left.. Its was like that before and after the lift.. Ive had two alignments also and its the same.

KJ04 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:46 pm

Were the tires you bought marked as to which positions they came off, L.F., R.F., ect..
May just be a tire that had been under inflated and developed a wear pattern on the front end. Try rotating the tires around and see if it helps.

PBrug · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:05 pm

Thanks to all that replied so far.

I'm going to pick up the KJ now, and will get as many deatils as possible. As of now I'll probably just wait a while and let the lift settle a little, then try again somewhere else.

The tires I bought were marked from where they came off of, but I put them on in different positions.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:56 pm

KJ04 wrote:

Were the tires you bought marked as to which positions they came off, L.F., R.F., ect..
May just be a tire that had been under inflated and developed a wear pattern on the front end. Try rotating the tires around and see if it helps.

Mine actually pulls to the left more with my newer tires. I put the stock tires back on and its not pulling as hard.

The newer ones only have around 1k on them.

elephantrider · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:07 pm

PBrug wrote:

jasonk wrote:

i have the coil lift as well, and my kj was aligned perfectly, no issues, so i would take it somewhere else for a 2nd opinion, just to be sure...

Jason, do you have any additional clevis lift or Al's A-Arms? I'm wondering if my combo of Rusty's Strut Plates and 1/4" clevis would change anything.

i do have four conduit washers on each side up front and three spring isolators on each side out back, so the lift equals 3", or a bit over that..

i also run goodyear mt/r's, 245 / 75's

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:07 pm

Just remember also the bigger tires are heaver,which strains the PS rack more, and are harder to balance.For your size of tire if you have more than 3.5oz of wieghts close together on one rim,they may need to break the bead and turn the tire(only the tire) 90-180 degress and rebalance.This may also help with the problem.Now if you had 33" or bigger good luck keeping the weights to a minimun on those suckers.

DaveKJ02 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:11 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

Now if you had 33" or bigger good luck keeping the weights to a minimun on those suckers.

I wish I had that problem.

PBrug · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:25 pm

OK here's an update:

I first took the KJ in last Friday for the alignment. They worked on it and got it so that the tires were all straight (caster, camber, toe, I think are they words used) but the KJ was still "pulling" to the left. It was the end of the day Friday and we got some snow on the roads, so the guy doing it said he would continue to mess with it this week. They told me that I could take the KJ home, but would need to bring it back for them to finish, which was fine by me because it was only 1 - 2 miles from my house. When I drove it home that day, it was pulling to the left for sure.

I took it back today. They continued to work on it and the guy called me today, just before I first posted. From what he told me on the phone, I thought he said it was still "pulling" to the left, but that was not the case. They were able to get everything in spec as far as tires being straight and the KJ tracks pretty good. Seems like it's straight to me, better then before for sure. But the only problem now is that while the KJ is tracking fairly straight, it does so with the steering wheel slightly to the right. I don't have to fight to keep the KJ going straight, but the wheel needs to be to the right a little.

So I guess I'll give it a little time then rotate (maybe re-balance) the tires, and take it back in for a second opinion.

tjkj2002 - I checked and do have 1 tire (front left) that has 3.5oz on the outer rim. Not sure what I have on the insides, because I haven't checked yet. Maybe this is causing some problems.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:57 pm

So they do not have your steering wheel centered? Since you have to keep it over one way while driving. They should be able to adjust it so when you are going straight your wheel will be centered. Back in the old days you could just pull off the steering wheel and put it back on straight! :lol:

Customers never knew..............

PBrug · **Posted:** Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:27 pm

tommudd wrote:

So they do not have your steering wheel centered? Since you have to keep it over one way while driving. They should be able to adjust it so when you are going straight your wheel will be centered. Back in the old days you could just pull off the steering wheel and put it back on straight! :lol:

Customers never knew..............

Yes tom that is correct. My KJ seems to be tracking fairly straight, and I don't have to fight it to keep it going straight, but the steering wheel is turned slightly to the right while going straight. It is slight, but definately to the right.

The guy that did the alignment said that he was NOT able to center the steering wheel while also keeping everything else in spec??? He said if he straightened the steering wheel, other things were off. I really have no idea about this stuff, and the guy doing it is a friend of a friend, so I truely believe he was trying to get it right.

PBrug · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:01 pm

Problem Solved!!!

After having the above mentioned post-lift alignment issues I decided to give the KJ some more time to settle before taking it back in for a recheck of the alignment. After a few more weeks and 500 miles I felt the lift had settled, and my KJ seemed to be pulling a little more to the left then before. Before I set up another appointment to check the alignment, I decided to have the tires rebalanced and have them switched front left to right and right to left. I took it to Sears to have the tires done. When I got in the KJ to drive home, it was like a different vehicle. The pull was gone, as was the slight wobble I got when breaking, and the wheel was straight while the KJ was tracking straight done the road. Either Sears gave me a free alignment, which I highly doubt, or the tires were so off that they were causing all my problems. Had the KJ checked today to be safe, and it was still in spec. I'm happy. :lol:

So if your having alignment issues get your tires checked as well.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:38 pm

Cool glad you got it all worked out!

Tom

PBrug · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:15 pm

tommudd wrote:

Cool glad you got it all worked out!

Tom

Thanks Tom.

I was really amazed with the results of rebalancing the tires and having them switched from side to side. I had a feeling they were out of balance a little but I thought at best that it would just pull to the right instead of to the left, telling me I had a pulling tire. I really have no idea how it completely straightened things up. I guess that doesn't really matter, as long as it's good.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:43 pm

I just pulled your lift pictures up and relooking at them, trying to talk myself out of a set of Moabs, but man yours looks so good with them on! :lol:

Tom

PBrug · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:06 am

tommudd wrote:

I just pulled your lift pictures up and relooking at them, trying to talk myself out of a set of Moabs, but man yours looks so good with them on! :lol:

Tom

Thanks

They do look good. Plus with your ARB bumper you probably would not have all the rubbing I get from the wider stance.

Post Lift - ALIGNMENT ISSUES - Fixed!!!

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