Alignment question for immediately after a lift install

foglebr · **Joined:** Sun Feb 14, 2010 4:38 am **Posts:** 23

Got a quick question for the lifted among us. I'm doing my full OME lift this weekend but have an issue. The on-base auto shop that i'll do the lift in cannot do my alignment on the weekend. So this leaves me with in-town mechanics as the only option for the alignment on Saturday.

Question is: Can I drive 15-20 miles, highway speed (75mph), to town and then get the alignment done? Or will this cause to much damage to the tires?

P.S. Do I have to get a realignment after I install All's A-Arms on the KJ? Money and time restraints have kept me from getting the new arms in time for the initial lift install.

Powerman04 · **Posted:** Wed May 12, 2010 1:35 pm

Nice! I'm putting on my lift this weekend on base too.

Back to your question, anytime you mess with the suspension, you will want to get it aligned. If you find a place that offers a lifetime alignment deal, jump all over it. :wink:

I've personally ran a car with a terrible alignment for a long stretch of time at highway speeds before. It took it awhile before the tires showed extra wear. For just a small stretch like that I don't see too much harm happening to the tires. You should make it just fine, it just may pull you a little.

Simpleman · **Joined:** Wed Apr 14, 2010 9:32 pm **Posts:** 2

Be sure that when you put the lift on you do not tighten all the bushings (upper and lower control arms) down until you set it back on the ground to sit at its new hight. You will preload the bushings if you dont and they will pop crack and eventually separate. I learned this the hard way. Be sure to look closely at the position of your front tires and the cam bolts before dissassembly. Once you set it back on the ground tighten the rear control arm bushings first and move to the front. with it sitting level rotate your LCA cam bolts to set thefront rims as paralell to the rears as possible until you get to the allignment shop. You may have to do some driveway adjustments as the lift settles in for a couple of weeks, and then get the alignment.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed May 12, 2010 3:46 pm

Simpleman wrote:

Be sure that when you put the lift on you do not tighten all the bushings (upper and lower control arms) down until you set it back on the ground to sit at its new hight. You will preload the bushings if you dont and they will pop crack and eventually separate. I learned this the hard way. Be sure to look closely at the position of your front tires and the cam bolts before dissassembly. Once you set it back on the ground tighten the rear control arm bushings first and move to the front. with it sitting level rotate your LCA cam bolts to set thefront rims as paralell to the rears as possible until you get to the allignment shop. You may have to do some driveway adjustments as the lift settles in for a couple of weeks, and then get the alignment.

????????????????????????? What the heck are you loosing the lower control arms for doing a lift? Talk about getting someone into real problems in trying to get anywhere to get an alignment.
Get your alignment right away.
To the OP, you can drive a short distance but I would not go barrleing down the road at 75 plus. Take it easy and you'll be OK though.
Regarding installing the lift, don't install the sway bar links until its on the ground, way easier and won't preload them.

95BadBoy · **Posted:** Wed May 12, 2010 5:21 pm

foglebr wrote:

Got a quick question for the lifted among us. I'm doing my full OME lift this weekend but have an issue. The on-base auto shop that i'll do the lift in cannot do my alignment on the weekend. So this leaves me with in-town mechanics as the only option for the alignment on Saturday.

Question is: Can I drive 15-20 miles, highway speed (75mph), to town and then get the alignment done? Or will this cause to much damage to the tires?

P.S. Do I have to get a realignment after I install All's A-Arms on the KJ? Money and time restraints have kept me from getting the new arms in time for the initial lift install.

foglebr

After you do your lift, chances are quite good that you will have a cross camber situation going on. If you do - you may not want to go barreling down Hwy 2 at 70 mph, it will be one squirly SOB. Mine was flat out scary after the lift. :shock:

You should get another realignment after you do your Al's 4.5 arms, and again after your lift settles in.

The Firestone store on South Washington does the lifetime alignment deal and I think they are still running a 20 or 30 buck discount on it. The bushy haired biker guy is a pretty good tech.

He did a decent job on mine. Call em and set up an appointment in advance - I don't think that they run a full crew on Saturdays. FWIW

JustinP · **Posted:** Wed May 12, 2010 5:35 pm

At that speed, i would be scared to death of the "death wobble". Im not sure how bad it would be on the KJ since the typical lift is less than or about three inches, but wouldn't want to chance it. Death Wobble in my experience has happened with too much tow-in on both front tires, you hit a bump in the road and both tires begin to try to grab traction at alternating times causing the motion to be transferred to the vehicle, which at a low speed is easily corrected by slowing down immediately, but at 75, might not be so lucky. Just a thought.

Be sure to post pics after the lift. Always enjoy seeing pics.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed May 12, 2010 7:05 pm

take a road that you can keep it 45 and under

candpliberty · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 1:53 am

I couldn't go more than 20 mph. The toe was really wacked out. It was so bad when I took my foot off the gas pedal, she would stop. The tires were squealing so bad the guy in the alignment shop asked me how fast I was going when I hit the curb before I said a word!.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 2:09 am

mine wasn't 'too' bad after the lift, but after i put on new uca's it wore me out on the way home 30 miles followed every tar streak patch in the road

foglebr · **Joined:** Sun Feb 14, 2010 4:38 am **Posts:** 23

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions everyone!! :-)r

So here is what I've gathered from all this. One, my alignment will be jacked up after the lift for sure. Second, driving to town for the alignment is possible. Three, ensure that I take it easy and stay under 55 or less as I drive to the alignment shop! :!:

Now all I need to do is find and print off all the direction posts I can get. That way I have a full understanding of the procedures and how to install my new OME componenets. :jester:

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 9:44 am

Most of the directions found on here are pretty good, others have you removing everything
Its easy as pie to do though. Anyone with pretty much basic hand tools, floor jack and 2 jack stands can do it.

foglebr · **Joined:** Sun Feb 14, 2010 4:38 am **Posts:** 23

@ tommudd; From everything I've read and seen it is a pretty straitforward operation. What's hilarious is the manager for the auto garage on base. He keeps telling me I'll be there all day and have a bunch of issues doing the lift b/c someone in the past had problems. I'm thinking that is all poppycock! :ROTFL:

I imagine that the other person he's thinking of didn't know what they were doing and hadn't read enough instructions and tips from others!! :goink:

So Saturday I'm out to prove the old mechanic wrong on his presumptions about the KJ!!

Powerman04 · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 11:52 am

darn! I just asked the shop on base here and they also don't do alignments on weekends.

Talk about spot-on timing for the thread.

jafstl38 · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 8:34 pm

Sooooo after reading this I'm thinking I need to get on an alignment now lol, I did my lift in december and never had an alignment, then I just did my JBA 4.5s UCAs about 3 weeks ago and still havent done an alignment :banghead:

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 11:36 pm

lol

a lift + 4.5's is pretty dang close to stock specs

it's probably not THAT far out of alignment at the moment

jafstl38 · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 11:43 pm

hahaha well before I did the lift I had a skyjacker lift up front (crappy and sagged cause of the ARB and Winch) when I took it for a alignment they said they could "reach" the toe to align it?

Alignment question for immediately after a lift install

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