hpi_jeep
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Mid-Missouri
I took my jeep to get it aligned and the tech said he could not adjust caster. I was in a hurry so i just picked it up and took it home to mess with it myself.
The jeep actually drives straight,
i checked toe in using stock wheels with no tires, I wired a 4' level to each wheel and leveled them, I measured my tires (34" i think) so i made a mark 17" on each side of center of hub. at 17" forward of center the levels were 3/16" closer than they were 17" aft of center line. this tells me i had 3/16 toe in and everything i read says anything between 1/8 and 1/4 is a good starting point.
However when checking for caster I can not get the same reading in any one spot. top of knuckles say -2* bottom of knuckles dont coinside with each other and i can never get the same reading more than once. the top of the d30 housing is giving me around 8* + and the bottom of the diff cover is reading 10* +
I got this 30 used and have no idea if knuckles were turned, (I assume they have not been as they look factory)
The issue: at highway speed the steering is very sensitive and touchy.
from what i read this is directly related to caster. I have virtually no bump steer and the jeep barely pulls to the right, I can easily live with this. I can not live with white line to yellow line like im trying to get on 2 wheels.
The jeep has a 6.5" lift IRO long arms 35" mtr's. so the guy telling me caster can not be adjusted obviously didnt care enough to look at the caster adjuster.
I took it back to the alignment shop today and they guys only help was that jeeps with big tires are going to drive bad, I offered to pay for another alignment if he would get it right to no avail.
all the steering has 3/4" ruffstuff heims and 1.5" dom. frame has been plated around steering box. ball joints and wheel bearings are new. tires are new. everything on this jeep has about 200 miles on it. Im not going to settle for the idea that "jeeps with big tires just drive bad"
The jeep actually drives straight,
i checked toe in using stock wheels with no tires, I wired a 4' level to each wheel and leveled them, I measured my tires (34" i think) so i made a mark 17" on each side of center of hub. at 17" forward of center the levels were 3/16" closer than they were 17" aft of center line. this tells me i had 3/16 toe in and everything i read says anything between 1/8 and 1/4 is a good starting point.
However when checking for caster I can not get the same reading in any one spot. top of knuckles say -2* bottom of knuckles dont coinside with each other and i can never get the same reading more than once. the top of the d30 housing is giving me around 8* + and the bottom of the diff cover is reading 10* +
I got this 30 used and have no idea if knuckles were turned, (I assume they have not been as they look factory)
The issue: at highway speed the steering is very sensitive and touchy.
from what i read this is directly related to caster. I have virtually no bump steer and the jeep barely pulls to the right, I can easily live with this. I can not live with white line to yellow line like im trying to get on 2 wheels.
The jeep has a 6.5" lift IRO long arms 35" mtr's. so the guy telling me caster can not be adjusted obviously didnt care enough to look at the caster adjuster.
I took it back to the alignment shop today and they guys only help was that jeeps with big tires are going to drive bad, I offered to pay for another alignment if he would get it right to no avail.
all the steering has 3/4" ruffstuff heims and 1.5" dom. frame has been plated around steering box. ball joints and wheel bearings are new. tires are new. everything on this jeep has about 200 miles on it. Im not going to settle for the idea that "jeeps with big tires just drive bad"