I am trying to solve a 'pulling to the right' problem. The shop that did my latest alignment wants to put in off set ball joints to fix the problem. I can't figure out how this could help.

I have had this Jeep for 20 years and most of those years it went perfectly straight with the regular ball joints.

There is some slop in the bushings on the right leaf spring and I am going after those tomorrow.

All of the front end components look good to me and a friend and the alignment shop.

Appreciate any thoughts.

 

Check to see if they give you a before and after alignment print out , one before the off set ball joint and one with the off set ball joint .

 

What is the problem they're trying to correct? Post up the alignment specs from the sheet they gave you after they had it on the rack.

 

Pulling to the right. I don't have the alignment sheet. I don't intend to proceed without a clear understanding of how the ball joints would fix my problem.

 

Some may disagree, but just about every D30 for an XJ I have ever seen has this "problem". Some will say, mine never pulls right etc. However when assembled at the factory, the passenger side axle tube is rotated slightly forward from the driver side. So some say B.S. to that. But go back and do some searching on passenger side coil bowed forward with a lift or sway bar hitting front coil and similar things. All the brackets are welded on to the tube and then they are pressed in. This is not a mistake, it is intentional. The only thing I have heard on this is that if you fall asleep you go to the side of the road instead of into traffic. But you can correct it by putting an offset upper ball joint in. It is the only cure outside of pressing the tube out and re installing it

 

I have yet to see an application where offset ball joints did any good, not sure why the even make them.

 

I thought off set ball joints were used to fix a camber issue ?

 

Technically it would matter what orientation you install it. Could be used for camber or caster, + or -.

 

How could camber even come out of spec? Only way is see possible is bent axle or knuckle

 

Without the alignment sheet nobody can actually answer your question accurately.

 

This^

If a shop had your Jeep on an alignment rack, they should've provided you a printout of the before and after alignment specs. Without that, everything else is speculation.

Look around for places that will do free alignment checks.

 

For what its worth, I fixed the 'pulling to the right' problem. It had nothing to do with the front end or offset ball joints.

The bushings in my right leaf spring were shot allowing the axle to shift under power. I replaced them and the bolts that hold them. The bolts were showing obvious signs of wear.

 

We love follow up posts here...thank you for that

On that note, this is why upkeep in all areas is so important...something as simple as that might be completely overlooked in other areas, and sometimes the little things make the difference...

Happy you got it solved!