JeepMoreDoor

This may have ready been covered so sorry if it has.

What's the best way to find out if your front and rear tires line up on your XJ? I tried taping a piece of string from the front tire across to the rear to see if the string made full contact with the tires. On the driver side rear tire there was a small gap between the sting and rear tire leading me to believe the front axle needs to be pushed over to the left a bit. How as everyone else done it?

cookrw

Take it to a shop

You could make a perfect rectangle out of string and do it that way, but it would take some pretty accurate measuring based off the center of the wheel hub.

BNJeepsta

X2 on taking it to a shop. Have a good alignment done on it. Do you have a lift? If so you'll need an adjustable track bar to get it perfectly centered

94XjSport94

Sounds like your front axle isnt centered if im reading it right... If so you could re drill the mount to center it back up. If your talking just about tires you can try to align it yourself or take it to a shop.

Gorillaxj

take it somewhere, a string from the front tire to the back wont do anything for you, the rear axle is not as wide as the front, So the string wont naturally wont be straight...

I typically measure from 2 points on both sides, "frame" rail to edge of rim on both sides, a fixed point on both sides to the top of the ball joint. this giving the front axle center measurements, they should be the same from side to side, centering the axle to the body. if the front and rear is centered to the body they are in line with each other.... however, this is just to set it close enough not to fight it before i put it on the alignment rack. using a machine is the most accurate way when done properly.

JeepMoreDoor

I work at a shop with a Hunter alignment machine. It does have a RC lift 3" rear 4" front with IRO adj. trackbar. I've aligned it, the front seems to be good (kinda) but the rear shows my thrust angle is off at .19 to the right. I just dont know if this is due to the front axle not being completely centered or if because the rear axle is sitting crooked?

It drifts slightly to the right, and I have to hold the the steering wheel slightly to the left, which when I do causes a LOUD rumbling from the tires. If I let the wheel go and let it drift to right, it is quiet, then I start to correct it to the left and it starts rumbling again. Due to some-what knobby tires, Im sure that's why I get the rumble noise.

JeepMoreDoor

I've always wondered this from looking at mine...thanks

JeepMoreDoor

BUMP...still need help here

nickxj94

The front is still off center sounds like I fought with my 2000xj for a few hours getting it center and driving strait, I measured from the center of the bump stop to the rim on both sides and adjusted my adj trackbar till it measured the same on both sides then reset my toe. It drives straight and tracks true again finally lol, my 94 all I did was set the toe its been perfect for a year with no adj trackbar idk why the 2000 was such a pita!

robe338

Isn't thrust angle the center line that the back wheels are pointing? I believe on a four wheel alignment the front is based off the thrust angle.

I'm not really sure how the track bar would affect the rear, but somehow I'm sure it could. One thing you could try is to put it back on the alignment rack and unbolt the track bar. Jounce the vehicle and the check the alignment specs again. If its still the same I'd check the rear suspension over real good. If its different I'd try adjusting the track bar again. Seems like you could adjust the track bar while it's on the alignment rack. That way you could see that everything stayed in spec.

JeepMoreDoor

Yes if the rear axle is crooked the thrust angle would be off which ever way the rear tires are pointing. I also read that thrust angle deals with how square all four tires are to each other...SO on the alignment rack Im going to disconnect the trackbar and see if me centering the front axle more corrects it. Hopefully my rear axle isnt tweaked.