DWiggles
Caught the Bug
I have noticed on a few of the threads around the forum that people are setting up there adjustable control arms based on various manufacture control arm length recommendations. While this is a great place to start, it is not the end all, be all, prefect setup for every jeep. Due to Manufacturing tolerance and the nature of mass producing a product, each jeep is going to need a tweak here or there from the printed control arm manufacturer suggested lengths. Regardless of what Brand control arms you have on your jeep, or what lift, this write up is about properly setting up your adjustable control arms for your specific jeep. You paid for adjustable arms, so here is how to utilize that adjustablilty:
What You Will Need:
- Jack
-Jack Stands
-Angle Finder
-Measuring Tape
-Writing Utensils
-18mm & 21mm Sockets and Wrenches
-Torque Wrench
-Whatever else you need to adjust your control arms
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:
Be sure your control arms are already set to your specific Manufacturer’s suggested lengths and you already have the proper bump stops for your setup. Make sure your Jeep is in Park (in gear for manual) and the parking brake is set!!
What You Will Need to Know:
FRONT UPPER Control arms are used to SET PINION/CASTER angle ONLY
REAR LOWER Control arms are used to SET PINION angle ONLY
FRONT LOWER Control arms are used to MOVE THE AXLE
REAR UPPER Control arms are used to MOVE THE AXLE
What You Will Need To Do Per Axle:
1. Place a floor jack under the axle and raise it up until the front wheels are off the ground. Set your frame AND axle back down onto jack stands for safety and then use a 19mm socket to remove the lug nuts on your wheels.
2.Remove the wheels and set them aside.
3. Remove your front springs, set them aside (some setups will require removing the bump stop extensions with the spring, simply bolt your bump stop extensions back in place once the springs have been removed) **If you need to adjust your bump stops, now is the time to do it!
4.Using an 18mm and 21mm wrenches and sockets, loosen, but do not remove both upper and lower control arm axle mount bolts
5.Place a floor jack under the center of your front axle and jack it up until the axle is at full bump.
6.Remove both upper control arm axle mount bolts.
7.Lengthen or shorten your lower control arms (left and right) until your bump stops are centered with the factory jounce tubes on both sides. **NOTE: while you adjust the driver side control arm, the passenger side will move so be sure to go back and check both sides before moving on
8. Once both driver and passenger side bumps are centered, lengthen/shorten BOTH upper control arms until you can loosely bolt them back on. Don’t worry about your pinion angle just yet.
9.Reinstall your springs & wheels.
10.Slowly and carefully lower your jeep until the suspension is fully weighted. Take a minute to double check by taking a step back to visually insure both wheels are in the same position according to the wheel wells.
Note: they will most likely NOT be centered in the wheel well. But they should be the same left to right.
if something is off, it is MUCH easier to go back and fix now.
11.Place a floor jack under the front diff and take some tension off the uppers control arms and place jack stands under the frame just in case your jack slips or axle rotates.
12.Remove both upper control arms axle mount bolts.
13. Using an angle finder, check your caster/pinion angle on your front axle. Adjust using your floor jack on the pinion.
14.Once you have the pinion/caster angle the way you want it, lengthen/shorten the driver side upper control arm until the bolt slides easily into the axle mount, loosely bolt it on.
15. Remove your jack from the pinion, the jeep should now be resting at ride height will 3 of the 4 arms connected to the axle. Now adjust the passenger side upper control arm until the bolt slides easily into the mount. Loosely Bolt it on.
16. To verify that the axle is actually perpendicular to the frame, measure the distance from the axle tube to the first body mount on both the driver and passenger side. Write down the measurements you just took! **As a “Measure twice, cut once” fail safe, also measure from the same place on the axle to the second body mount or any other parallel constant. Again, both driver and passenger side. Again, WRITE IT DOWN! If your measurements came out square, you can skip the next step.
17. Now keeping in mind that there will be tolerance involved with mass production vehicles, we are only really interested in splitting the difference in the measurements. I.E. Say the difference on the first measurement (to body mount) says the Passenger Side needs to come back ½” but the second measurement (to cross memeber) says the Passenger Side is ¼” to far forward, split the difference, and move the passenger side axle back by shortening the lower Passenger Side control arm 1/8”. **Remember to MOVE the axle, we need to remove the bolts from BOTH upper control arms BEFORE adjusting the lower control arm. Then repeat steps 13-17 until you are happy with the results.
18. Torque all control arm mounting bolts/jam nuts/lock bolts etc. to their respective torque specs.
19.Repeat this process on the other axle.
If you have anything to add or know a better way to do this, feel free to post it up! This is just the way I did it in my driveway on my jeep after installing my long arms. :thumb: *
What You Will Need:
- Jack
-Jack Stands
-Angle Finder
-Measuring Tape
-Writing Utensils
-18mm & 21mm Sockets and Wrenches
-Torque Wrench
-Whatever else you need to adjust your control arms
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:
Be sure your control arms are already set to your specific Manufacturer’s suggested lengths and you already have the proper bump stops for your setup. Make sure your Jeep is in Park (in gear for manual) and the parking brake is set!!
What You Will Need to Know:
FRONT UPPER Control arms are used to SET PINION/CASTER angle ONLY
REAR LOWER Control arms are used to SET PINION angle ONLY
FRONT LOWER Control arms are used to MOVE THE AXLE
REAR UPPER Control arms are used to MOVE THE AXLE
What You Will Need To Do Per Axle:
1. Place a floor jack under the axle and raise it up until the front wheels are off the ground. Set your frame AND axle back down onto jack stands for safety and then use a 19mm socket to remove the lug nuts on your wheels.
2.Remove the wheels and set them aside.
3. Remove your front springs, set them aside (some setups will require removing the bump stop extensions with the spring, simply bolt your bump stop extensions back in place once the springs have been removed) **If you need to adjust your bump stops, now is the time to do it!
4.Using an 18mm and 21mm wrenches and sockets, loosen, but do not remove both upper and lower control arm axle mount bolts
5.Place a floor jack under the center of your front axle and jack it up until the axle is at full bump.
6.Remove both upper control arm axle mount bolts.
7.Lengthen or shorten your lower control arms (left and right) until your bump stops are centered with the factory jounce tubes on both sides. **NOTE: while you adjust the driver side control arm, the passenger side will move so be sure to go back and check both sides before moving on
8. Once both driver and passenger side bumps are centered, lengthen/shorten BOTH upper control arms until you can loosely bolt them back on. Don’t worry about your pinion angle just yet.
9.Reinstall your springs & wheels.
10.Slowly and carefully lower your jeep until the suspension is fully weighted. Take a minute to double check by taking a step back to visually insure both wheels are in the same position according to the wheel wells.
Note: they will most likely NOT be centered in the wheel well. But they should be the same left to right.
if something is off, it is MUCH easier to go back and fix now.
11.Place a floor jack under the front diff and take some tension off the uppers control arms and place jack stands under the frame just in case your jack slips or axle rotates.
12.Remove both upper control arms axle mount bolts.
13. Using an angle finder, check your caster/pinion angle on your front axle. Adjust using your floor jack on the pinion.
14.Once you have the pinion/caster angle the way you want it, lengthen/shorten the driver side upper control arm until the bolt slides easily into the axle mount, loosely bolt it on.
15. Remove your jack from the pinion, the jeep should now be resting at ride height will 3 of the 4 arms connected to the axle. Now adjust the passenger side upper control arm until the bolt slides easily into the mount. Loosely Bolt it on.
16. To verify that the axle is actually perpendicular to the frame, measure the distance from the axle tube to the first body mount on both the driver and passenger side. Write down the measurements you just took! **As a “Measure twice, cut once” fail safe, also measure from the same place on the axle to the second body mount or any other parallel constant. Again, both driver and passenger side. Again, WRITE IT DOWN! If your measurements came out square, you can skip the next step.
17. Now keeping in mind that there will be tolerance involved with mass production vehicles, we are only really interested in splitting the difference in the measurements. I.E. Say the difference on the first measurement (to body mount) says the Passenger Side needs to come back ½” but the second measurement (to cross memeber) says the Passenger Side is ¼” to far forward, split the difference, and move the passenger side axle back by shortening the lower Passenger Side control arm 1/8”. **Remember to MOVE the axle, we need to remove the bolts from BOTH upper control arms BEFORE adjusting the lower control arm. Then repeat steps 13-17 until you are happy with the results.
18. Torque all control arm mounting bolts/jam nuts/lock bolts etc. to their respective torque specs.
19.Repeat this process on the other axle.
If you have anything to add or know a better way to do this, feel free to post it up! This is just the way I did it in my driveway on my jeep after installing my long arms. :thumb: *
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