Axle not centered...

jmatta33

jmatta33

New member
So while installing my EVO leveling kit I noticed my axle is sitting about half an inch to 1 inch too far to the driver side. Im running stock track bar, draglink etc, so im not sure what could be causing this issue? The track bar doesn't appear to be damaged or bent so I have no idea why it would be so far off???
 
olram30

olram30

Not That Kind of Engineer
That's normal. It also moves when your suspension travels up and down, when you have a full tank of gas, and with passengers. Have someone measure it with gear and you and a passenger.
 
jmatta33

jmatta33

New member
olram30 said:
That's normal. It also moves when your suspension travels up and down, when you have a full tank of gas, and with passengers. Have someone measure it with gear and you and a passenger.
Click to expand...

well its to the point that the springs on the passenger side are rubbing the frame and they are about an 1.5" off the frame on the driver side. it also throws off the alignment of the sway bar. Also just to note this was off center BEFORE the leveling kit was installed and also after as well. im thinking the mounting tab on the axle is off...
 
jeffj

jeffj

Caught the Bug
An adjustable track bar is the only way to adjust it. As was stated if you have it perfectly centered with no load it's going to be off when there's a load in it. I spent way to much time trying to get mine perfect"just a waist of time".
 
jmatta33

jmatta33

New member
jeffj said:
An adjustable track bar is the only way to adjust it. As was stated if you have it perfectly centered with no load it's going to be off when there's a load in it. I spent way to much time trying to get mine perfect"just a waist of time".
Click to expand...

so I shouldn't be concerned with the springs rubbing the frame on the passenger side? Just seems like it is a little to far off...
 
jeeeep

jeeeep

Hooked
get an adjustable track bar to center the axle.

before centering the axle fill your tank, it will shift as the tank empties but usually no more than about 1/2 inch.
 
jmatta33

jmatta33

New member
Im really baffled as to how far off it is considering there is no damage to the track bar. its as if the track bar mount tab was welded on in the wrong spot...
 
jeeeep

jeeeep

Hooked
jmatta33 said:
Im really baffled as to how far off it is considering there is no damage to the track bar. its as if the track bar mount tab was welded on in the wrong spot...
Click to expand...

the track bar does not move straight up and down, it moves along a radius with the axis being the axle mounting point.

So as you lift the Jeep, you change the radius and as the track bar wants to "center" at it's axis (the axle mounting point) it'll seem to shift to one side or the other depending on which direction it's traveling on the axis.

Here's a simple way you can see what it does, take 3 pencils of equal length, lay them length wise on a flat surface one above the other like so:

--------------------
--------------------
--------------------

Now take a rubber band and wrap it about an inch in from the left side of the middle and bottom pencil

Take another rubber band and wrap it about an inch in from the right side of the middle and top pencil

holding the bottom pencil still, lift the top pencil and you will see it shift more to one side. this is what the track bar does as you lift your Jeep.

Hope it helps! now I need :beer::beer::beer: for all that thinking on a Saturday night :crazyeyes:
 
jmatta33

jmatta33

New member
jeeeep said:
the track bar does not move straight up and down, it moves along a radius with the axis being the axle mounting point.

So as you lift the Jeep, you change the radius and as the track bar wants to "center" at it's axis (the axle mounting point) it'll seem to shift to one side or the other depending on which direction it's traveling on the axis.

Here's a simple way you can see what it does, take 3 pencils of equal length, lay them length wise on a flat surface one above the other like so:

--------------------
--------------------
--------------------

Now take a rubber band and wrap it about an inch in from the left side of the middle and bottom pencil

Take another rubber band and wrap it about an inch in from the right side of the middle and top pencil

holding the bottom pencil still, lift the top pencil and you will see it shift more to one side. this is what the track bar does as you lift your Jeep.

Hope it helps! now I need :beer::beer::beer: for all that thinking on a Saturday night :crazyeyes:
Click to expand...

I appreciate the help but like I said, it was WAY OFF before it got the leveling kit. stock springs and all and it was off by a lot. I know how the track bar works but im fairly confident it shouldnt be off nearly as far as it is because the sway bar links would barely go on. While stock, the sway bar links should line up almost perfect with the tabs. It was like that in my old JK and every other JK ive seen. In this Jeep the links are about 1-2" to the right of where they should be. Initially I just attributed it to being a banged up sway bar, but when I got under the Jeep to start installing the leveling kit, i noticed my axle not being centered. Off center to the point that the springs are rubbing paint off the frame on the passenger side and leaving a large gap on the driver side. I'll take pictures tomorrow, obviously since installing the springs it has gotten worse, but I'll show you what Im talking about...
 
jeffj

jeffj

Caught the Bug
I agree I wouldn't think a leveling kit would do that. I had a friend that went wheeling and came back and his axels were way off causing the esp to kick on. We inspected it and it was the rough country springs were bad. That usually happens when you don't have enough bump stop protecting the spring. I would think that wouldn't be the case with yours but you never know.
 
tapcola

tapcola

New member
It shouldn't be off by that much with just a leveling kit . Is your sway bar rubbing on the tube that runs threw the frame ? Might want to take it somewhere you trust .Have them look at it , maybe compare it with someone's else's .
 
jmatta33

jmatta33

New member
tapcola said:
It shouldn't be off by that much with just a leveling kit . Is your sway bar rubbing on the tube that runs threw the frame ? Might want to take it somewhere you trust .Have them look at it , maybe compare it with someone's else's .
Click to expand...

jeffj said:
I agree I wouldn't think a leveling kit would do that. I had a friend that went wheeling and came back and his axels were way off causing the esp to kick on. We inspected it and it was the rough country springs were bad. That usually happens when you don't have enough bump stop protecting the spring. I would think that wouldn't be the case with yours but you never know.
Click to expand...

just to reiterate again, it was off BEFORE I installed the leveling kit. I just didnt figure it out until I started the install...
 
C

CH10

New member
Quality control on the axles is garbage so your thought about the bracket being in the wrong location could be correct. I've done about six trusses for people including one on a brand new axle almost every one needed some modification because it wouldn't clear a spring perch or passenger upper control arm mount. The trusses were all artec, and most were from a group buy and the parts were all identical.

None of the axles have issues, if it is off a little I'd just throw an adjustable track bar on and use it. Obviously they are willing to accept a certain amount of deviation or there would be more QC checks at the factory to prevent it.
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
jmatta33 said:
well its to the point that the springs on the passenger side are rubbing the frame and they are about an 1.5" off the frame on the driver side. it also throws off the alignment of the sway bar. Also just to note this was off center BEFORE the leveling kit was installed and also after as well. im thinking the mounting tab on the axle is off...
Click to expand...

Got a pic of this? Are you sure your axle is really that far off OR, is it just your passenger side coil just bowing enough to make contact like that? What's the driver side coil look like?
 
jmatta33

jmatta33

New member
wayoflife said:
Got a pic of this? Are you sure your axle is really that far off OR, is it just your passenger side coil just bowing enough to make contact like that? What's the driver side coil look like?
Click to expand...

I was snapping pictures just as you sent. first is the passenger side, second is the driver side, and third it the track bar mount on the axle...

ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1421595711.997490.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1421595740.672164.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1421595753.583111.jpg
 
jmatta33

jmatta33

New member
wayoflife said:
Got a pic of this? Are you sure your axle is really that far off OR, is it just your passenger side coil just bowing enough to make contact like that? What's the driver side coil look like?
Click to expand...

I also noticed my driver side tire is pushed out a couple inches from my crusher flares while passenger doesnt stick out at all so something is definitely off...
 
jeeeep

jeeeep

Hooked
I'd get the frame checked. When I got broadsided on the front end the frame didn't show any signs of damage until they put it on a alignment rack.

How do the gaps on the front grill look? even on both sides, hood gaps even with the grill?
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
jmatta33 said:
I also noticed my driver side tire is pushed out a couple inches from my crusher flares while passenger doesnt stick out at all so something is definitely off...
Click to expand...

Okay, just checking. All things being equal, there is only ONE thing that keeps your axle centered under your Jeep and that's your track bar. Either what you have is bent, your frame side mount is bent or you got way more lift out of your kit than you were expecting. If everything checks out and nothing is bent, you need an adjustable track bar to re-center your axle.
 
jmatta33

jmatta33

New member
jeeeep said:
I'd get the frame checked. When I got broadsided on the front end the frame didn't show any signs of damage until they put it on a alignment rack.

How do the gaps on the front grill look? even on both sides, hood gaps even with the grill?
Click to expand...

hood and grill all look normal
 
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