Finnished Franky Install = Alignment!!

[604KJ]

So after many months, I have finally just finished installing the Frankenlift.

Its so high right now it looks awesome, i cant wait to be able to drive it properly.

The alignment is so bad, i cant drive it over 10mph because it feels like its wobbling like crazy. the front wheels look like this \ /

Im going to take it to a shop for an alignment first thing tomorrow morning, but i am worried that they might tell me they cant do it. After reading a lot of people on here saying they had to go to many different shops to get it close to spec, i just want to make sure it can/will be done and wont be wasting $$$

Is there a certain spec the shop needs to get it to after the lift? Is there something i need to tell them or should i just let them do their job? I am almost 99% sure not 1 shop around here has ever worked on a lifted Liberty. What should the spec be after this lift?

Really appreciate any feedback

THanks!

 

[Luke]

Did you install a set of A arms from JBA?

Without them, I had my LCA's maxed and still could not get the camber close enough. The arms made all the difference and eliminated a lot of spring contact as well.

I know what you mean about the trip to the alignment shop ...lol ... I had to creep! :happy175:

Edit: The specs are here somewhere ... Troy (TJKJ) has several posts about the subject ... sry no time to search

 

[604KJ]

Forgot to mention i did install jba arms aswell

 

[4x4kayak2112]

You installed JBA arms then a alignment shop that knows what they are doing will get it spot on.

Sent with the power of children's screams!!!

 

[tommudd]

Finding a good shop that is not afraid of a lifted vehicle is the thing.
The Frankenlift makes it worse to try and align but can be done
now;
Camber must be set as close to center specs as possible , cross caster must be within 0.5 degrees. When lifted you can sacrifice some caster. If toe and Camber are within specs then you're good
again cross caster must be no more than 0.5 and at least 2-3 degrees

 

[wheeee32]

Soooo we can has some picz of ze install???:icon_mrgreen:

 

[604KJ]

Thanks Tom, I will show the shop this and see what they can do. Will definitely put some pics up after work today.

I did find this also in another post
Q: Will I be able to get my alignment into spec?
A: Some people have had trouble. Read here:
A a-arm ?s from my experience.
Some advice from tjkj2002: “have them set the camber on both sides as close to -0.4 degrees as possible and caster were ever it lands but the cross caster must be within 0.5 degrees.2.5-3 degrees of caster is plenty”

 

[tommudd]

Just know that with the frankenlift its tougher to get the specs right on right away since it sits the KJ up too far really in the beginning and takes a loooooong time to get it broke in. One of the downsides to it .

 

[Hedsic]

Don't take it to a Firestone Complete Auto Care place I can tell you that much. I took mine to get alligned there just becasue it was a block from my place at the time. Closest place have to drive it. My allignment was like yours.. First I get there and the dude runs in freaking out telling me the rear Billstein shocks where installed upside down. after 20 minutes going back and forth on that the manager came over and advised me the guy had no clue and was an idiot and he apologized. Than I was told I needed to purchase a $200 kit. I forget the name of it but they said I required some special kit to allign the vehicle properly otherwise they couldn't do it. They said they could get me one for like $190 or whatever, I refused. Than after they did nothing they tried to charge me $60 just for putting it on the lift to look at it. Which I refused to pay.

 

[tommudd]

RRO tries to sell you the same kit that Firestone tried to sell you! Worthless on KJ.
I was new to the area when I did my lift, thinking it would be no problem went to 4 different "name brand tire stores" and all ran away like Godzilla was standing behind me. Stopped by a small shop and asked them, first question was what kind of vehicle, next comment was " Cool never seen one lifted , we can do it tomorrow at 9AM." That shop did all of the springs for me and most all of the alignments on the ones we lifted after that

 

[yellocoyote]

My guy at the Firestone here is a former 'modded Jeep' guy. Fortunately for us, he knows what he's doing and gets it into spec every time. I hope he never quits.

 

[Hedsic]

RRO tries to sell you the same kit that Firestone tried to sell you! Worthless on KJ.
I was new to the area when I did my lift, thinking it would be no problem went to 4 different "name brand tire stores" and all ran away like Godzilla was standing behind me. Stopped by a small shop and asked them, first question was what kind of vehicle, next comment was " Cool never seen one lifted , we can do it tomorrow at 9AM." That shop did all of the springs for me and most all of the alignments on the ones we lifted after that

Thats exactly how it went with me. I found a non chain tire shop and yeah they asked what it was and even did the "oh, never saw one of those lifted" than had it alligned like it was nothing.

 

[604KJ]

ok, so i had it aligned, followed your specs, and it seems to be back to normal. Phew!

A notice what seemed like a minor grinding driving forwards at normal speed, but was so minimal i couldnt really tell if something was actually grinding. Ill have a look tonight.

The mechanic did say my tie rod is on an angle and should be sitting pretty much vertical, and said i should be looking to get some kind of kit for that. Whats this about?

 

[Luke]

That's just the way it is ... he must mean your tie rod end.

In a perfect world you really would want to adjust your steering rack (down) to account for the lift ... but I can't see how you could ever accomplish that on a KJ. It effects the steering a bit but nothing earth shattering.

 

[tjkj2002]

Don't take it to a Firestone Complete Auto Care place I can tell you that much. I took mine to get alligned there just becasue it was a block from my place at the time. Closest place have to drive it. My allignment was like yours.. First I get there and the dude runs in freaking out telling me the rear Billstein shocks where installed upside down. after 20 minutes going back and forth on that the manager came over and advised me the guy had no clue and was an idiot and he apologized. Than I was told I needed to purchase a $200 kit. I forget the name of it but they said I required some special kit to allign the vehicle properly otherwise they couldn't do it. They said they could get me one for like $190 or whatever, I refused. Than after they did nothing they tried to charge me $60 just for putting it on the lift to look at it. Which I refused to pay.

That was a stupid C tech and stupid manager.


I work for Firestone,bring it to my store and I'll align it no problem.If it can't be I'll tell you why and even show you.

 

[Luke]

P.S. Where are the pics??? :mexsmoke:

 

[604KJ]

so, after ripping around today i notice a few things. the grinding i felt earlier is faint, but slightly noticeable more at higher speeds. I only managed to get it to about 80kph but it felt like some kind of gear grinding. its only coming from the drivers side
- Could this have something to do with the CV being out of place? This side was pushed down quite a bit to fit that clevis back over the strut, and i was reading about how you can unseat them, how could i be certain?

when turning there is a knocking sound, happens when turned in either directing, while moving and also going over bumps. I am assuming this is normal and has something to do with bushing or things just being tight and getting worked in, am i right?

going over speed bumps, when coming of the bump, it feels & sounds like both sides just drop and hit hard. is this normal?

will i have noises for a while until things have been worked in and settled?

I stuck my head in there and had a look around, felt everything, nothing i could see or feel was rubbing against each other, some things are close to each other but i didnt see or feel any scratches

Rear is perfectly good. I will go take some pics right now

 

[tjkj2002]

so, after ripping around today i notice a few things. the grinding i felt earlier is faint, but slightly noticeable more at higher speeds. I only managed to get it to about 80kph but it felt like some kind of gear grinding. its only coming from the drivers side
- Could this have something to do with the CV being out of place? This side was pushed down quite a bit to fit that clevis back over the strut, and i was reading about how you can unseat them, how could i be certain?

when turning there is a knocking sound, happens when turned in either directing, while moving and also going over bumps. I am assuming this is normal and has something to do with bushing or things just being tight and getting worked in, am i right?

going over speed bumps, when coming of the bump, it feels & sounds like both sides just drop and hit hard. is this normal?

will i have noises for a while until things have been worked in and settled?

I stuck my head in there and had a look around, felt everything, nothing i could see or feel was rubbing against each other, some things are close to each other but i didnt see or feel any scratches

Rear is perfectly good. I will go take some pics right now

1st noise could be a worn intermediate shaft splines or just worn CV axles.The 2nd noise is most likely loose swaybar end links.They need to be very tight(a little more then specified torque value) and tightened while the full weight is on the front wheels.

 

[604KJ]

The one problem I did have, and following your instructions about not installing the sway bar until it was on the ground with the wheels on...There was absolutely no way that thing was going back together when it was on the ground. We had to jack the lower control arm back up, until it was close enough then we had to really force it back in place, almost as tough as the clevis was. Tried to do it with everything on the ground, but wasn't going to work out. That was the only step that did not work.

I just went back in the jeep and was rolling forwards slamming the brakes to get the thing to rock forwards, the knocking noise happens again. I want to say it is the springs compressing, i am not too sure though.

 

[tjkj2002]

The one problem I did have, and following your instructions about not installing the sway bar until it was on the ground with the wheels on...There was absolutely no way that thing was going back together when it was on the ground. We had to jack the lower control arm back up, until it was close enough then we had to really force it back in place, almost as tough as the clevis was. Tried to do it with everything on the ground, but wasn't going to work out. That was the only step that did not work.

I just went back in the jeep and was rolling forwards slamming the brakes to get the thing to rock forwards, the knocking noise happens again. I want to say it is the springs compressing, i am not too sure though.

What end of the swaybar did you disconnect? If it was the lower side that is why it was so hard.