This is my first post, kind of looking for any knowledge you might have on this subject. I bought a 2016 sahara with 36k on it back in May, which was unmolested at the time. I lifted it 2.5 inches front and rear with a spacer kit. I centered the rear axle with a relocation bracket, and the front axle with an adjustable track bar. I resolved a flighty steering problem with control arm lowering brackets. I put 33x10.5 wrangler adventure kevlar tires on the stock wheels with 1 inch wheel spacers. I drive the jeep on the highway every day, I have a 21 mile commute to work - the lift is primarily for looks and it looks killer, I like the pizza cutter aesthetic I get from the 10.5 width, sort of vintage looking.
I have an ever so slight pull to the left, noticeable at speeds above 40. Tire rotation has no effect on it. I have measured my thrust, hubs on both sides are exactly 95 3/8 inches, so that seems fine. Axles are centered to within 1/8". Popped my front driveshaft off and measured the angle of the input to the front diff, 2.3 deg. If I'm correct, my pinion angle/caster is 3.7. I measured the angles at the top of each upper ball joint. Driver side is 3.7, passenger side is 5.25.
In my estimation, this is cross caster and is excessive - and would cause a pull to the left which is what I feel. I am bringing her to a shop on Wed morning to get readings off the alignment rack, and the shop will not be adjusting or touching anything.
My guesses - control arm bushing in the axle is bad, control arm bracket tolerance is off, or the manufacturing of the axle is off. I believe FCA shoots for a half degree of cross caster to counteract a pull to the right from the crown in the road, but they are a little loose on how accurate that is, but mine is way off.
I have ordered new axle bushings and a set of adjustable uppers and lowers for the front. I know I cannot dial in cross caster, but my thought is that if I increase my caster from 3.7 to 5 or 6, the effect of cross caster would be less influential.
Any part of this sound wrong?
I have an ever so slight pull to the left, noticeable at speeds above 40. Tire rotation has no effect on it. I have measured my thrust, hubs on both sides are exactly 95 3/8 inches, so that seems fine. Axles are centered to within 1/8". Popped my front driveshaft off and measured the angle of the input to the front diff, 2.3 deg. If I'm correct, my pinion angle/caster is 3.7. I measured the angles at the top of each upper ball joint. Driver side is 3.7, passenger side is 5.25.
In my estimation, this is cross caster and is excessive - and would cause a pull to the left which is what I feel. I am bringing her to a shop on Wed morning to get readings off the alignment rack, and the shop will not be adjusting or touching anything.
My guesses - control arm bushing in the axle is bad, control arm bracket tolerance is off, or the manufacturing of the axle is off. I believe FCA shoots for a half degree of cross caster to counteract a pull to the right from the crown in the road, but they are a little loose on how accurate that is, but mine is way off.
I have ordered new axle bushings and a set of adjustable uppers and lowers for the front. I know I cannot dial in cross caster, but my thought is that if I increase my caster from 3.7 to 5 or 6, the effect of cross caster would be less influential.
Any part of this sound wrong?