Alignment after lift install questions

Canvasback

New member
HI all .... Looking for some input here. I had my Evo 2.5 lift installed by a shop this last week and heard an unusual sound just going over some speed bumps at the store. After isolating where it was coming from (passenger side ) I took a look. The front right spring is flexed pretty good just in a normal parked position. The right spring coil is rubbing the front of the bump stop and the front plastic shield on the king shock is almost touching the coil. I measured the control arms and the driver side is adjusted shorter than the passenger side by about 3/4". My system has lower control arms only. I have attached my alignment specs for before and after. Any thoughts on solution?
 

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BlueRubicon

Caught the Bug
Looking at your After alignment specs, unless it is pulling to the left I would leave it. As far as things rubbing and flex in the spring at static, I would rectify that.
That being said...is the Actual Left camber -0.7 or .0.7?
 

WJCO

Meme King
I measured the control arms and the driver side is adjusted shorter than the passenger side by about 3/4". My system has lower control arms only.
Your control arms should be the same length. Not sure if this is causing angle issues creating the noise, but they still should be the same length.
 

BlueRubicon

Caught the Bug
Your control arms should be the same length. Not sure if this is causing angle issues creating the noise, but they still should be the same length.
Typically yes, but his caster angles are pretty damn close. He says 3/4" difference but 3/4" would give you way more than 0.4 deg. That .4 deg will help with road crown.
 

Canvasback

New member
Looking at your After alignment specs, unless it is pulling to the left I would leave it. As far as things rubbing and flex in the spring at static, I would rectify that.
That being said...is the Actual Left camber -0.7 or .0.7?
So, it is pulling slightly left. How would they rectify the rubbing and flex in the spring at static? Left camber is 0.7.
 

BlueRubicon

Caught the Bug
So, it is pulling slightly left. How would they rectify the rubbing and flex in the spring at static? Left camber is 0.7.
Considering your left camber is positive and right camber is negative, this can cause a pull or drift to left. to compound it, your left caster is slightly negative too. Without seeing your suspension it is really hard to know what is incorrect. You said your driver side LCA is is shorter than the passenger side which is pulling the caster slightly negative. 3/4" though IMO would be greater than 0.4 deg difference if it was ONLY the caster being different. But your camber being positive almost a degree on left and your pass camber being negative a 1/2 degree tells me something is either installed wrong or misaligned. That and your spring issue. Can you take pictures of spring, bottom and top showing steer knuckle? Both sides?
 

Canvasback

New member
Considering your left camber is positive and right camber is negative, this can cause a pull or drift to left. to compound it, your left caster is slightly negative too. Without seeing your suspension it is really hard to know what is incorrect. You said your driver side LCA is is shorter than the passenger side which is pulling the caster slightly negative. 3/4" though IMO would be greater than 0.4 deg difference if it was ONLY the caster being different. But your camber being positive almost a degree on left and your pass camber being negative a 1/2 degree tells me something is either installed wrong or misaligned. That and your spring issue. Can you take pictures of spring, bottom and top showing steer knuckle? Both sides?

passenger side spring.jpg driver side spring.jpg
 

BlueRubicon

Caught the Bug
I noticed on your other thread that it looked like 0 rake angle or front is higher. Normally front is lower. Are front springs in front and rears in back? Could they be reversed?
 

OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
Your control arms should NOT be different lengths. Period. Fix that then reevaluate. And stop wasting money at an alignment shop and knock it out yourself.
 

CalSgt

Hooked
Your control arms should NOT be different lengths. Period. Fix that then reevaluate. And stop wasting money at an alignment shop and knock it out yourself.
This^^^^

Im sure someone had to fight the bolts into those, probably a lot of tension In The bushings too.
 

Sharkey

Word Ninja
I get that but this is what happens when shops try to work on solid axle vehicles. More of a waste of money than anything.
Not that it necessarily means anything, but this shop has been building 4x4’s since I was in high school. They should know what they are doing with solid axles and I’m disappointed to see that they set the arms at different lengths. The alignment was just something they did as part of installing the lift (which is actually more than a lot of shops do).
 

BaddestCross

Active Member
Did they center your axle? Looks like both springs are being pushed to the passenger side from the photos. Definitely get the control arms set to the same length. Your caster should be at 4.25° if I recall.
 

OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
Not that it necessarily means anything, but this shop has been building 4x4’s since I was in high school. They should know what they are doing with solid axles and I’m disappointed to see that they set the arms at different lengths. The alignment was just something they did as part of installing the lift (which is actually more than a lot of shops do).
That’s worse.
 
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