[GuzziMoto]

Out of curiosity, setting caster to 5 degrees will do what exactly? Does it eliminate or aid with any of the off center vagueness I am still feeling a small amount of?

More caster makes the steering want to go straight more. It also makes it more stable, needing less input to drive straight. Less caster makes the steering faster, turning quicker. But it also makes the steering less stable and not as happy to track straight down the road.
5 degrees of caster is generally a good compromise for caster, decent steering response while still being stable. So people with large tires or other special needs run upwards of 7 degrees caster. But for most around 5 degrees seems to be the happy number.

 

[Jason E]

I have my alignment sheet here...current settings are...

Camber = -.9 LF, -.3 RF
Caster = 3.8 LF, 3.8 RF
Toe = .10 LF, .10 RF

When I have the camber shim installed, I will have them put me to 5 degrees caster and see how it ends up. I REALLY appreciate everyone's input. I was talking with a tech at work yesterday that has a 17 JKU he runs 34s on with a spacer lift, and he said his steering situation sounds like mine...

I just feel I can get it better! I hope the steering response will feel better with these changes...other than the vagueness and slight sloppy feel on-center, and the left input needed on aggressively crowned roads, I remain super happy with the setup.

At the end of the day, yes I realize this is a solid axle SUV on 33s with recirculating ball steering...only so much I can do with it.

 

[jadmt]

Thanks for the input. They did move the brackets to the middle hole, which helped significantly. I will ask them if they specifically measured when I bring it in for the camber shim.

Beginning to think my spacers added more issues than they were worth, but they were recommended from a few people on here to add to the kit.

if they did not take that measurement then they are just walking around blind folded.

I have my alignment sheet here...current settings are...

Camber = -.9 LF, -.3 RF
Caster = 3.8 LF, 3.8 RF
Toe = .10 LF, .10 RF

When I have the camber shim installed, I will have them put me to 5 degrees caster and see how it ends up. I REALLY appreciate everyone's input. I was talking with a tech at work yesterday that has a 17 JKU he runs 34s on with a spacer lift, and he said his steering situation sounds like mine...

I just feel I can get it better! I hope the steering response will feel better with these changes...other than the vagueness and slight sloppy feel on-center, and the left input needed on aggressively crowned roads, I remain super happy with the setup.

At the end of the day, yes I realize this is a solid axle SUV on 33s with recirculating ball steering...only so much I can do with it.

I would just go to the next hole on the geo brackets and see how it feels before spending the money on the camber shim unless they are doing it for free. my new recon had the same camber right from the factory, my buddy's crate dana 44 was the same as well, we installed it drove to the alignment shop and it was about that. it is not uncommon for them to be that high as long as they are not like 1.2 or something.

 

[JTPhoto JK]

Set your Geo brackets to the next hole and get that caster up. That needs to be in the 4.5-5 degree zone. Don’t worry about the camber, not worth the cost or bother.

With a 4.5” lift mine is at:

4.9. Caster. 4.9
-0.7. Camber. -0.6
0.10. Toe in. 0.10

With adjustable track bars front and rear to center the axles it Runs and tracks like a dream.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jason E]

So to clarify....

We already moved from the top to the middle hole. If I am understanding this correctly...moving to the bottom hole will increase my caster further?

I will ask the shop when they reopen on 1/4 if they did the measurements properly. The caster shim was $18 shipped, and it appears to be a 1/2 hour labor to install...so for under $70 or so, I can have it installed when I have the caster changed, and see if its much help.

Thanks again to everyone...learning a ton from this thread. I'm too picky of a person to have my beloved Jeep driving less than as perfect as I can get it!

 

[jadmt]

So to clarify....

We already moved from the top to the middle hole. If I am understanding this correctly...moving to the bottom hole will increase my caster further?

I will ask the shop when they reopen on 1/4 if they did the measurements properly. The caster shim was $18 shipped, and it appears to be a 1/2 hour labor to install...so for under $70 or so, I can have it installed when I have the caster changed, and see if its much help.

Thanks again to everyone...learning a ton from this thread. I'm too picky of a person to have my beloved Jeep driving less than as perfect as I can get it!

go back and read post #10....take that measurement in the link I posted. why wait for the shop to open it will take you no time at all....Most shops will charge you an hour for the shim install..Not sure I want a plastic shim but it is your money....there is a reason nobody installs those shims....

 

[Jason E]

To update my old post...picking the Jeep up tomorrow. We measured and its right on the edge of being in the right hole...the second one. So we didn't change that.

He added the shim because I already had it. He mentioned potentially tightening the steering box, but mentioned that might have the negative affect of the steering wheel not wanting to return to center after a turn, which would be irritating.

At this point, I am not sure what to do as he mentioned he cannot bump the caster up anymore without going into the bottom hole on the correction brackets...which the measurements and AEV instructions tell us not to.

 

[jadmt]

do not try and tighten the steering box that is all I am going to say about that. if you caster is at 3.8 then go to the next hole....and that is all I am going to say about that.

 

[jdinny]

do not try and tighten the steering box that is all I am going to say about that. if you caster is at 3.8 then go to the next hole....and that is all I am going to say about that.

This ^^^^^^^

 

[Jason E]

Well, I think the issue was FINALLY figured out...

I got a call back late in the day. He checked everything out and found the track bar had actually loosened a small amount. Tightened it to spec again, took it for a ride and apparently its perfect now.

I pick it up tomorrow morning...praying my issue has been found and solved. Thanks to everyone for their input throughout the process.

 

[jdinny]

Hopefully, the shop checked to make sure the bolt hole in not getting eg shaped.
Glad they figured it out. I was curious as to what was going on as I have these kits in 2 JKUWW's and 1 JK, and have never had any issues, although, I did not add any spacers. They drive better than new.

 

[Jason E]

jdinny,

As this Jeep is not a daily, it had maybe 250 miles total put on it while it was loosening up. I am hopeful no permanent damage happened.

I picked it up today, and wow...for the first time since installing it, I was happy to drive my Jeep. On crowned roads, the tiniest bit of left input keeps it straight. They installed the camber shim for free, and it drives better than new now...no exaggeration.

All good in the end...couldn't be happier.