Jeep cross caster angles???????

[gijohn40]

Ok so I installed the 4 inch lift and had to replace the track bar (got a new Rubicon express one) and installed it all... started having death wobble around 45 mph so I checked all the usual stuff and found that my adjustable lower control arms where different lengths.

I did some research on caster angles trying to find what the spec are for a LJ with 4 inches of lift (7*) and came across a post on another site that said that there is a 2 degree difference between the passenger side and the driver side.... Now on my ex's tj she did have a 2 degree difference and I thought that maybe someone had tweeked the axle and one of the c's had moved. But last night when I got my lower control arms the same length I found that one side was 2 degrees more then the other.

So has anyone else come across this? Is this normal? if it is should the higher side be 7 degrees and the lesser be 5 degrees? or should one be 9 and the other 7?

So chime in and lets figure this one out...
John

 

[TJDukit]

This seems pretty normal to me, Jeep is still doing it for the JK's. Seems like from what I've read it's to help compensate for the crown in the road or some other crazy crap.

I wouldn't go as high as 9 on one side so i'm guessing you should go with 5 and 7 which would put you at 6 degrees and that should be a good comprimise. Also by adjusting your control arms on one side you can force the axle to have a little less cross caster but I wouldn't push it too much.

 

[UNSTUCK]

IMO, I don't think having one side set at 5 and the other 7 would give you an average of 6. You will just end up with one side that wants to try to track straight, and you have the other side that wants to turn with every bump. If you were going to go through all the work of turning your C's, I would set them at the same angel, and then give yourself a bit more for your drive line angel. I would also be surprised if adjusting your control arms would allow your axle to twist a bit to make each side have a different caster angel. All you would do is compress your bushing(s) and that's if you had a right and left handed end and could just turn the arm to make it longer, while still being installed.

 

[thenag]

This seems pretty normal to me, Jeep is still doing it for the JK's. Seems like from what I've read it's to help compensate for the crown in the road or some other crazy crap.

The shop that narrowed my 60 did that exact thing and said it was for that reason. I believe he said to measure off the driver side. (I set mine off the driver side anyway, seems to work ok)

http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?83436-Nathan-and-Tanja-s-99-XJ-Build-up

Nathan

 

[notajeep]

Is is common in jeeps.

 

[gijohn40]

I have to take the axle end of the control arms apart to adjust them... but I also have the caster cams so I can do some adjusting... THings are starting to become more clear! lol

 

[flexyfool]

The caster cams can be used to point the axle a little left or a little right to counter pulling in the opposite direction. A solid front axle naturally pulls to the right due to the crown in the road. Making the passenger lower link longer can compensate. If you are doing a lot of highway miles, tweaking the cams so the axle points "uphill" may give a more neutral steering feel and reduce fatigue. Of course, the rig will pull to the left on a road with no crown if you do this. The factory tunes for the pull, but wide tires, aggressive tread, and a heavy front exaggerate the pull.