Basic Do-it-Yourself Jeep JK Wrangler Front End Alignment

TrainWreck618

Caught the Bug
What was way of life saying about the double something for the stock shafts that made them good. That aftermarket shafts were not for something. Was that the u joint part. I forget what they were talking about on that part.
I’m not sure what conversation you are referencing, but regardless, you need a new shaft if yours is spitting out grease. If you can’t find a local shop near you call je reel and ask them what they need from you.
I am at 3.5/2.5 with 2.5 springs and a 1.0 front spacer. So I am fine with just the standard 0-4.5 inch lift 1350 deriveshaft even when I go to 2.0 mopar springs or do I have to measure actual gained lift height from stock.

You can get shafts for a general height but the best way to do it is to measure your length at ride height and at full droop and have them made for your setup.


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MericaMade

Active Member
For some reason I remember them being off the shelf shafts that were not customized for his specific lift/setup. In no way am I defending Adams, but I thought there was another issue.


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Both my front and rear Adams needed to be rebalanced. The front is still giving me slight vibrations. Inland drive a local shop rebalanced the front twice but still have vibrations. I will be going to JE Reel since they are local. Wish I knew they were local from the beginning.

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TrainWreck618

Caught the Bug
99% of Adams shafts are off the shelf. They have 0-3” lift and 3-6” lift.


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Ok, guess I had things mixed up. I honestly can’t remember what happened. I don’t have a clue about how they do business nor do I really care. I prefer do do business with other companies, but I do know some folks that haven’t had any issues with their shafts.


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TrainWreck618

Caught the Bug
Both my front and rear Adams needed to be rebalanced. The front is still giving me slight vibrations. Inland drive a local shop rebalanced the front twice but still have vibrations. I will be going to JE Reel since they are local. Wish I knew they were local from the beginning.

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That sucks... I personally have front and rear Je Reel 1350 shafts and am on my 2nd set from them. They really are a great company to do business with, never had issues.


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OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
Ok, guess I had things mixed up. I honestly can’t remember what happened. I don’t have a clue about how they do business nor do I really care. I prefer do do business with other companies, but I do know some folks that haven’t had any issues with their shafts.


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I agree. They helped me out one time when I was wheeling in Vegas and broke a shaft. They stayed after close to rebuild a shaft to get me back on the road.

I prefer local companies. Haven’t found one super local but Reno isn’t too far away and there is a good place there.


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CalSgt

Hooked
What was way of life saying about the double something for the stock shafts that made them good. That aftermarket shafts were not for something. Was that the u joint part. I forget what they were talking about on that part.

From what i've gathered

Aftermarket shaft - Double cardan, two U-joints on one end of the shaft and a single U-joint at the other. To align (phase) correctly the pinion should be directly in line with shaft at the single joint end and the double joint at the other end does most of the work transferring power through the angle to the transfer case. If not phased correctly they can bind and vibrate.

Stock joint is Rzeppa (AKA constant velocity or CV joint) - Both joints should equally transfer power through a bend or angle. The pinion and transfer case should be parallel to each other with an equal angle at both ends for correct alignment (not sure how important the alignment is with CV joints). Efficient joint with less vibration but don't handle extreme angles as well as aftermarket double cardan style.
 
I’m not sure what conversation you are referencing, but regardless, you need a new shaft if yours is spitting out grease. If you can’t find a local shop near you call je reel and ask them what they need from you.


You can get shafts for a general height but the best way to do it is to measure your length at ride height and at full droop and have them made for your setup.


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That’s why I hoping to be able to wait until spring/summer when I get the mopar springs and then I ll know what I a, going with for the future, the 2.5 metalcloack I have now or I like the 2.0 mopar I am going to try in spring/summer if I needed a measurement for shaft.

Being only .5 difference was thinking it be ok if shafts were a range. If I have to measure would want to do it after I get springs.

If a problem I can get springs any time really. My dog just got cancer and i gathering 6000 for vac shots and not know what is going to happen.

Grease came out not sure if only a litttle or what. Just that it must be what’s on the underside and that’s why I am asking stuff here so I know what to do. Donot drive Jeep in winter so was thinking spring/summer for these things.

I am fine with je reel if you guys say it’s better I like trust people here and wrangler forum to. Haven’t talked to people here before and I liked what I read about some things from way of life guy.

Dealership looked at driveshafts and changes the transfer case oil and didn’t say I needed to do anything right away with driveshafts. I told them to look them over and make sure things looked ok. I am learning and just wanted them to look and they didn’t say anything other then hey you full droop looks like your driveshafts are close to touching and I said I was going to get better driveshaftsjust wanted to make sure they were ok for now.

Maybe I get the mopar springs installed first and then measure what je reel wants and get the driveshaft in spring.
 

DK570

New member
Does anyone else have a very difficult time adjusting the turnbuckle on the draglink? I've had to adjust mine twice over the years and both times it's been not fun. I spray with PB Blaster but it's still very hard to turn. My small pipe wrench does not give me enough leverage (even with a breaker bar). My big pipe wrench gives me very little room to swing so I have to take the wrench on and off many many times. Also, my turnbuckle now looks very beaten from using the pipe wrench so much. Part of the problem might be that the pipe wrench compresses/deforms the tube when being used so the threads don't want to slide well?
 

TrailHunter

Hooked
Does anyone else have a very difficult time adjusting the turnbuckle on the draglink? I've had to adjust mine twice over the years and both times it's been not fun. I spray with PB Blaster but it's still very hard to turn. My small pipe wrench does not give me enough leverage (even with a breaker bar). My big pipe wrench gives me very little room to swing so I have to take the wrench on and off many many times. Also, my turnbuckle now looks very beaten from using the pipe wrench so much. Part of the problem might be that the pipe wrench compresses/deforms the tube when being used so the threads don't want to slide well?

Mine always adjusted easy.. problem I had was after a hard day of wheeling it would jump threads... Before you spend money on new parts for it...you might consider a synergy or the like drag link.
 

jdofmemi

Active Member
Mine always adjusted easy.. problem I had was after a hard day of wheeling it would jump threads... Before you spend money on new parts for it...you might consider a synergy or the like drag link.

Despite the problems living in Cali brings, at least we don't have the problems of the rust belt.

Nothing adjusts easy after a few winters there.
 

woof359

Member
I want to thanks all for taking the time to write some direction's on the steps I need to use, A smart man buys some better tires and leaves his rig alone, WEll thats not me (-: I miss Rubicat )-:
 
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