So I've definitely been mis-aligned for a while with my JKU, just always had bigger fish to fry.
Anyway, so I finally did ball joints. And because I'm high mileage and the fact that everything was already apart I went ahead and bought a new drag link and tie rod. I would hate to have to pay another $100 for alignment because I didn't want to buy a $50 part.
My tie rod adjuster sleeve was a corroded hunk of junk so even if I wanted to adjust toe I wouldn't have been able to. But now that everything is replaced, before I go pay for an alignment I had two questions;
1) I can grab the Pitman arm and push/pull it side to side a little. And by a little I mean, maybe 1 (max 2) millimeters. I know gears have lash, so am I feeling some lash in the steering box? Or is there an adjustment I can make before taking it in?
2) I bought Synergy ball joints. The literature makes note that they take 500 miles to break in. Should I wait on my alignment for that break in or is that not a necessary precaution?
I'm very excited to finally have this bad boy back together. It drove ok but was definitely sloppy. Should be fun to drive again.
Anyway, so I finally did ball joints. And because I'm high mileage and the fact that everything was already apart I went ahead and bought a new drag link and tie rod. I would hate to have to pay another $100 for alignment because I didn't want to buy a $50 part.
My tie rod adjuster sleeve was a corroded hunk of junk so even if I wanted to adjust toe I wouldn't have been able to. But now that everything is replaced, before I go pay for an alignment I had two questions;1) I can grab the Pitman arm and push/pull it side to side a little. And by a little I mean, maybe 1 (max 2) millimeters. I know gears have lash, so am I feeling some lash in the steering box? Or is there an adjustment I can make before taking it in?
2) I bought Synergy ball joints. The literature makes note that they take 500 miles to break in. Should I wait on my alignment for that break in or is that not a necessary precaution?
I'm very excited to finally have this bad boy back together. It drove ok but was definitely sloppy. Should be fun to drive again.
