So I just slapped on two brand new tires on front (99 Cherokee lifted 3 inches)
I dialed the toe in to 1/16 and had someone check the ball joints and it is still good.
The wear pattern is on outside of both tires, because the little nubs are gone and on the insides, they are still there. I'm stumped here. What could be causing that uneven wear? Or is that normal?

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say "alignment".

 

Yup, and not toe, either.

 

I have to agree. it's time for an alignment.

 

Alignment like what? What components should I align?

 

If your not sure on how to do it correctly you may want to consider taking it to a shop that does alignments and have them do it. Like mentioned by belvedere it wouldn't be the toe. They may need to put in some shims to get it right.

 

What's wrong with doing it myself and give myself some learning experience.

Shims on where?

My control arms are stock. Would adjustable arms needed?

 

Alignment involves camber, caster, as well as toe. Also side to side adjustment of the track could be off.

 

What tools needed to do the alignment? It is not an eyeball type adjustment. I understand what is needed, what adjustments etc, but how does a home shop check it?
Some shops use laser type sighting. But how?

 

Before computer alignment systems, they would attach large apparatus to the wheels which had low friction attachments to hold a balanced portion with bubble levels and degree measuring scales to see how much your wheels tilted forward and backward from verticle(caster) and in or out at the top(camber). To to it at home without such a gizmo, you would have to hang a plum bob over the top of the tire to hand down the inside or outside and use a protractor to measure the angle the tire tilts outward or inward from verticle, could also get close putting a level to the side of the tire and use a protractor. For caster you would need to do a similar measurement at the steering knuckles to see how much they tilt forward or backward.

It is doable, but very involved to get it right.

https://www.google.com/search?q=vint...ml%3B600%3B398

That is a simpler tool than the ones I remember my Dad using, but same general idea. He used them on school buses so they were probably much larger so looked different.

 

Too much positive camber could do that, so could too much toe in, hard cornering....

 

You could spend some money on alignment equipment, and it will pay for itself over time if you use it enough. The quicker and easier way to do it though, is to find a competent alignment shop and let them handle it.