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-   -   The CavFab Alpha Series 3 Link (https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f10/cavfab-alpha-series-3-link-231597/)

CavFab 05-05-2017 08:48 PM

As lack said id recommend doing the alignment at home just really to improve drivability until you take it to a shop if thats what your parents are making you do.

Since you are unsure of what the castor angle is that is most likely why your coils are bowed. Incorrect castor causing the coil buckets to not be where they should be.

LACK 05-05-2017 08:59 PM


Originally Posted by CavFab (Post 3386525)
As lack said id recommend doing the alignment at home just really to improve drivability until you take it to a shop if thats what your parents are making you do.

Since you are unsure of what the castor angle is that is most likely why your coils are bowed. Incorrect castor causing the coil buckets to not be where they should be.

Speaking of caster.. On the initial alignment I had around 3 degrees, it wandered a lot, steering was very light and floaty. I put a couple more degrees of positive caster in it. Should be sitting around 5-6* now and it drives much much better.

The more positive caster you can get without atrocious driveshaft angle, the more stability you're going to have driving down the road, especially at higher speeds.

SatiricalHen 05-05-2017 09:54 PM


Originally Posted by LACK
Speaking of caster.. On the initial alignment I had around 3 degrees, it wandered a lot, steering was very light and floaty. I put a couple more degrees of positive caster in it. Should be sitting around 5-6* now and it drives much much better.

The more positive caster you can get without atrocious driveshaft angle, the more stability you're going to have driving down the road, especially at higher speeds.

I believe mine is ~5* just checked on the top of the ball joint

Also when I go over speed bumps the coils hit the track bar which also seems to be a result of the stretch. I could be wrong but I never had this problem before. I plan to get new steering (since my parents won't allow me to drive it with the steering it has now because the shop made up some bs about the tie rods binding at ride height. I had the steering attached when I drooped the axle enough to put the springs and shocks in without a spring compressor so I doubt they bind at ride height.) then I'm going to take it to clemson 4 wheel where they said they would actually align it since no where else seems to be able to. I'm not the smartest, but I try to do my research before getting into things.

LACK 05-06-2017 02:34 AM


Originally Posted by SatiricalHen (Post 3386544)
I believe mine is ~5* just checked on the top of the ball joint

Also when I go over speed bumps the coils hit the track bar which also seems to be a result of the stretch. I could be wrong but I never had this problem before. I plan to get new steering (since my parents won't allow me to drive it with the steering it has now because the shop made up some bs about the tie rods binding at ride height. I had the steering attached when I drooped the axle enough to put the springs and shocks in without a spring compressor so I doubt they bind at ride height.) then I'm going to take it to clemson 4 wheel where they said they would actually align it since no where else seems to be able to. I'm not the smartest, but I try to do my research before getting into things.

I initially checked on top of the ball joint as well. My digital angle finder was reading 5* and when I took it into my work i was really only at 3*. Just food for thought.

jbennett 05-06-2017 09:21 AM


Originally Posted by winksjeep (Post 3386346)
Well said, I am very frustrated with Cavfab's lack of communication also. They have not shipped out the shirts as promised either. I am one of the lucky ones who has gotten the links and cross member. However, there are no install instructions pertaining to those who have frame stiffeners and dealing with the tie in brackets. I really hope they get this mess straightened out soon.

I had another thought on this. Do they send crush sleeves for the rear tie in mount like the Rough Country? Could they just send some crush sleeves in the kits for the front tie ins as well and do it the same as the rear? I assume they would have to send longer bolts also.

David, is that an option? Or, how do you guys recommend installing these? I know this question has been asked multiple times and I don't remember reading about a solution.



Originally Posted by CavFab (Post 3386450)
Arms got delayed for several folks who received x-members. We received notification that tube inserts had been back ordered and this was a blow to us as we had arms waiting to be completed and sent.

Thank you for getting back to us. You see, that is kind of my point though, one day you are saying that the arms will be shipping out in a couple days, but in this response, nearly a month later, you say that you didn't even have the tube inserts when you said this! The day you found out they were back ordered, you should've posted here and updated your customers on a personal basis that you are delayed and really have no idea when we will see our links.

You guys seem to have a great product, you need to put more time into customer service though. I can't imagine how busy you are and how difficult it is to make time for the little things, like responding to our concerns and questions, but those little things are what will keep you busy if your product proves to be of high quality.

So, how about the question regarding the tie ins with frame stiffeners? Do you guys have a solution? :cheers:

94XJCherokee 05-07-2017 12:06 AM

I'm so glad I did NOT pull the trigger on this kit. Back when they were in the initial stages before the release I had called Donovan and left a voice mail and sent an email. I got no response from either. So that told me right away to look another direction. To spend that much money on a pre order and wait 6-7 months is ridiculous. Ive been following this thread since they started it so many months ago. It's crazy how Cav Fab can't even send the kit out complete. Good luck to everyone that is waiting - patiently, you have a lot more control than I would have. I'm nobody on this forum, just an avid reader and fellow XJ owner. Just wanted to share my opinion. Thanks everyone

jbennett 05-07-2017 08:49 PM


Originally Posted by 94XJCherokee (Post 3386786)
I'm so glad I did NOT pull the trigger on this kit. Back when they were in the initial stages before the release I had called Donovan and left a voice mail and sent an email. I got no response from either. So that told me right away to look another direction. To spend that much money on a pre order and wait 6-7 months is ridiculous. Ive been following this thread since they started it so many months ago. It's crazy how Cav Fab can't even send the kit out complete. Good luck to everyone that is waiting - patiently, you have a lot more control than I would have. I'm nobody on this forum, just an avid reader and fellow XJ owner. Just wanted to share my opinion. Thanks everyone

I'll be honest here and say I'm glad they decided to make the upgrades and changes to the kit and delay the orders to make these improvements. I'd much rather wait and have a better product. That said, of course it has taken much longer than anticipated and they really should update us more often on what's going on.

I'm pretty confident that the end product will be very high quality and if there are any issues, I'm sure they will do what it takes to make it right.

gyrator930 05-08-2017 07:12 AM


Originally Posted by SatiricalHen (Post 3386482)
Well parents won't let me take it to windrock since the shop wouldn't touch it and another shop said " the tie rod ends are too steep making the adjustment sleeve get stuck" doesn't really make sense, but whatever. Also found out when I go over the speed bumps in my neighborhood the spring hits the trackbar mount I guess since the axle is pushed so far forward. So the sway bar is useless currently and the track bar bracket and spring collide. Kinda sucks.

How long are your lower links eye to eye when all the way collapsed? I had the same issue with stretch, couldn't run my swaybar and was hitting my track bar bracket. I was the first to install this and after I reported it they said they made the links too long and shortened them for all the next kits they shipped. The new links I have now got me back to stock wheelbase so I have no issues running the stock swaybar. I'm wondering if you got some of the long links?

SatiricalHen 05-08-2017 08:06 AM


Originally Posted by gyrator930
How long are your lower links eye to eye when all the way collapsed? I had the same issue with stretch, couldn't run my swaybar and was hitting my track bar bracket. I was the first to install this and after I reported it they said they made the links too long and shortened them for all the next kits they shipped. The new links I have now got me back to stock wheelbase so I have no issues running the stock swaybar. I'm wondering if you got some of the long links?

That's what I'm thinking. I haven't measured the links, but they're turned as far as I can pull them in and still have the grease fitting showing. I really want to run my sway bar since this is supposed to be my daily but it's just one thing after another now. I'm sure it's fine for higher lifts, but I'm running 4.5" lift which is about the bottom of their spectrum. I don't like that it stretched so much the sway bar hits the coils and all. Nothing can be easy apparently haha

gyrator930 05-08-2017 01:39 PM


Originally Posted by SatiricalHen (Post 3387095)
That's what I'm thinking. I haven't measured the links, but they're turned as far as I can pull them in and still have the grease fitting showing. I really want to run my sway bar since this is supposed to be my daily but it's just one thing after another now. I'm sure it's fine for higher lifts, but I'm running 4.5" lift which is about the bottom of their spectrum. I don't like that it stretched so much the sway bar hits the coils and all. Nothing can be easy apparently haha

You are running a longer sway bar end link tho, correct?

DSALMON-629 05-08-2017 05:47 PM

Got my shipping notification email today for my crossmember, now lets see how long it takes to get the shipping notification for my links. Fingers crossed!

SatiricalHen 05-08-2017 09:01 PM


Originally Posted by gyrator930
You are running a longer sway bar end link tho, correct?

Yes to accommodate the 4.5" lift. They're 1.5" longer than the ones I ran with the 3" lift for years.

gyrator930 05-09-2017 11:00 AM


Originally Posted by SatiricalHen (Post 3387314)
Yes to accommodate the 4.5" lift. They're 1.5" longer than the ones I ran with the 3" lift for years.

Gotcha. Yeah I'd check that lower arm length. I want to say the original ones were I got were around 36" eye to eye completely collapsed

CavFab 05-10-2017 07:15 PM

We should have several sets of links going out late this week and into next week!

More Alpha kits going out soon...we are getting very close to being caught up!

As you guys get these installed and what not shoot us some pics.

SatiricalHen 05-10-2017 07:17 PM

2 Attachment(s)
Attachment 301080Attachment 301081 hope to get some wheeling pictures soon


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