JeepinbyAl's A-Arm Rubbing

shaggyislandboy · **Posted:** Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:59 pm

After one of my upper ball joints went bad I replaced them with some JeepinbyAl's A-Arms. I had a third party install them 4 or 5 months ago. Yesterday I was working on the KJ and greasing the ball joints when I discovered the right A-Arm was touching the sidewall of the tire!!! It only touches when I have the tire turned closer to straight, when turned to the left or right there is a bit more distance between the end of the arm and the tire. It looks to just barely touch but I want it right! I went ahead and rotated the tires and checked what I could and everything seemed fine, nothing seemed loose.

Has anybody seen this before? Any idea what would cause this? Any idea of how I can fix it? (Grind down the end of the A-Arm?)

My KJ is a CRD with Premium Fanky lift and 265/70-16 Nitto Terra Grapplers.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Scott

DirtyKK · **Posted:** Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:10 pm

Hey man my guess is that your tires are too wide for the stock rim and offset. If you had narrower tires it wouldn't do it, like I'm sure your 235s weren't. Or if you bought wheel spacers, or new rims with a lower offset, it would set the rims out further away from your a-arms. That's the best I could picture from your explanation.

I'm assuming the left side is really close also, the minor variances could be in the alignment.

shaggyislandboy · **Posted:** Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:52 pm

DirtyKK wrote:

Hey man my guess is that your tires are too wide for the stock rim and offset. If you had narrower tires it wouldn't do it, like I'm sure your 235s weren't. Or if you bought wheel spacers, or new rims with a lower offset, it would set the rims out further away from your a-arms. That's the best I could picture from your explanation.

I'm assuming the left side is really close also, the minor variances could be in the alignment.

Hey Dirty!
Thanks for the reply. You are right on the left side being close.
Now that you explain, I am sure you are right. I had the 235's on when the arms were installed so I bet that is why I didn't notice it when they were installed.
Hmmmmm, well I'm not going to change tires and spacers will make my tires rub bad in other areas.... I'll have to think of something. Good point on the variance being due to the alignment.

I'll have to think of something I can do to solve the problem without costing too much $$$$$.

Really appreciate the reply Dirty.

DirtyKK · **Posted:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:25 am

they make smaller spacers like 5, 8, 10mm or so that you could buy for not too much. you could just buy some for the front and that would help keep the tire from rubbing a little better. you dont need longer studs or different lug nuts if you keep them small. in fact, sometimes you can find them at auto parts stores.

shaggyislandboy · **Posted:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:42 am

DirtyKK wrote:

they make smaller spacers like 5, 8, 10mm or so that you could buy for not too much. you could just buy some for the front and that would help keep the tire from rubbing a little better. you dont need longer studs or different lug nuts if you keep them small. in fact, sometimes you can find them at auto parts stores.

Nice, nice, nice~ Another good point. I'll look around. THANKS!!!!!

DirtyKK · **Posted:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:44 am

sure thing

DirtyKK · **Posted:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:44 am

sure thing

daspes · **Posted:** Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:29 pm

What size wheel and whats the BS?

DirtyKK · **Posted:** Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:49 pm

daspes wrote:

What size wheel and whats the BS?

He has stockers

daspes · **Posted:** Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:52 pm

DirtyKK wrote:

daspes wrote:

What size wheel and whats the BS?

He has stockers

If no spacer, then there's the problem.

mrneen · **Posted:** Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:12 am

i am having the same issue with my A-Arms by JBA also.. i have 245/75/16.... alignment or spacers needed?

and i have stock aluminum rims

daspes · **Posted:** Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:23 am

mrneen wrote:

i am having the same issue with my A-Arms by JBA also.. i have 245/75/16.... alignment or spacers needed?

and i have stock aluminum rims

Alignment is needed whenever you lift a vehicle. For the rubbing, you need to have either spacers or even better a correctly backspaced wheel. Cheapes route is a set of Cragar Soft 8's or 'D' Windows, run about the same as a set of spacers, without the worries.

mrneen · **Posted:** Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:01 am

daspes wrote:

mrneen wrote:

i am having the same issue with my A-Arms by JBA also.. i have 245/75/16.... alignment or spacers needed?

and i have stock aluminum rims

Alignment is needed whenever you lift a vehicle. For the rubbing, you need to have either spacers or even better a correctly backspaced wheel. Cheapes route is a set of Cragar Soft 8's or 'D' Windows, run about the same as a set of spacers, without the worries.

I did have an alignment done... after the lift.. and again after installing the upper control arms... possibly a poor alignment?

(i like the D windows a little bit more on a side note. )

mrneen · **Posted:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 5:24 am

so an update...

I have gotten another alignment done. and the rubbing is still occurring... mainly on the left side. When i had the factory A-arms in.. i never had this problem of rubbing.

anyone have a suggestion? I am currently running 345/75/16 DuraTracs on stock Aluminum rims
with a 2 inch BDS lift, Rancho's in the front

Thanks

Josh

DirtyKK · **Posted:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 5:30 am

mrneen wrote:

so an update...

I have gotten another alignment done. and the rubbing is still occurring... mainly on the left side. When i had the factory A-arms in.. i never had this problem of rubbing.

anyone have a suggestion? I am currently running 345/75/16 DuraTracs on stock Aluminum rims
with a 2 inch BDS lift, Rancho's in the front

Thanks

Josh

Can you post pics so we can see the situation? Also, idk if its possible but do you have them on the wrong sides? It seems weird nobody has had issues before with that size tire and the JBA uca's. Also what gen are they? Maybe they are the wrong ones, kk on a kj type deal....

daspes · **Posted:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 5:39 am

Same problem and same fix as before. Pix aren't needed.

245's are just to wide a tire for a factory back spaced wheel. He needs to spend $200 on a set of spacers or at least $200 on some wheels with the correct BS.

mrneen · **Posted:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:29 am

DirtyKK wrote:

mrneen wrote:

so an update...

I have gotten another alignment done. and the rubbing is still occurring... mainly on the left side. When i had the factory A-arms in.. i never had this problem of rubbing.

anyone have a suggestion? I am currently running 345/75/16 DuraTracs on stock Aluminum rims
with a 2 inch BDS lift, Rancho's in the front

Thanks

Josh

Can you post pics so we can see the situation? Also, idk if its possible but do you have them on the wrong sides? It seems weird nobody has had issues before with that size tire and the JBA uca's. Also what gen are they? Maybe they are the wrong ones, kk on a kj type deal....

Gen 4.5.... they were made for the 2003 KJ... spoke to Marlin already

mrneen · **Posted:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:31 am

daspes wrote:

Same problem and same fix as before. Pix aren't needed.

245's are just to wide a tire for a factory back spaced wheel. He needs to spend $200 on a set of spacers or at least $200 on some wheels with the correct BS.

How come i didn't notice the rubbing when i had the factory arms? are the JBA arms longer?

thanks

mrneen · **Posted:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:49 am

Could these spacers help out from JBA?

http://jeepinbyal.com/prod-7_32__Wheel_Spacers-491.aspx

daspes · **Posted:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 10:51 am

mrneen wrote:

daspes wrote:

Same problem and same fix as before. Pix aren't needed.

245's are just to wide a tire for a factory back spaced wheel. He needs to spend $200 on a set of spacers or at least $200 on some wheels with the correct BS.

How come i didn't notice the rubbing when i had the factory arms? are the JBA arms longer?

thanks

Yes the JBA arms are longer. Even with the stockers on not hitting the wheels, with a 245 on stock wheels, you were rubbing someplace else.

mrneen wrote:

Could these spacers help out from JBA?

http://jeepinbyal.com/prod-7_32__Wheel_Spacers-491.aspx

No, that is putting your wheel out less than 1/4". look for a quality set of 1.5" spacers like Spidertrax. Need 2 sets to match your track front and rear. Or spend about the same price on a set of wheels with the correct BS and not have to worry about all the potential issues with spacers.

JeepinbyAl's A-Arm Rubbing

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