leveling kit and alignment

[katsrdking]

Finally put a Teraflex 1.5" leveling kit on my 2022 Overland. Took it out for a road test. It seems to track the same as before even at 85mph. It brakes straight and seems to have no vibration at any speed. Steering wheel is center with wheels straight. I've read some will get an alignment and then the problems begin. Anyone done a leveling kit and skipped the alignment with no problems?

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[ChrisNLA]

Finally put a Teraflex 1.5" leveling kit on my 2022 Overland. Took it out for a road test. It seems to track the same as before even at 85mph. It brakes straight and seems to have no vibration at any speed. Steering wheel is center with wheels straight. I've read some will get an alignment and then the problems begin. Anyone done a leveling kit and skipped the alignment with no problems?

There is nothing to align other than setting the steering wheel back straight, which can be done in your driveway. I'm surprised you didn't have to do that. When I put the 1.5" Teraflex on my truck the drag link needed to be adjusted to set the wheel straight.

You'll read all sorts of stuff on the internet. A lot of it just isn't true, isn't the whole story, etc...

 

[MTB58]

I put the exact lift on my 2023 Sport S Max Tow with Mojave wheels and 285x70 17. Everything felt fine on mine also, except steering was off a little bit. (Could just be my OCD)

For me it's an $85 piece of mind thing so I took it in to get aligned. It was off just a small amount on caster and toe. I had 500 miles on my truck when this was done and it could have come from the factory this way.

 

[katsrdking]

I didn't unhook the track bar like the video shows. I just disconnected the sway bar links and the shocks. Had help so it went pretty smooth. I'm running my stock wheels and tires for the spring and summer so I can watch the tires for wear. Thanks for the imput.

 

[1stXMan]

I added a one inch Teraflex spacer and drove mine for a couple of years. Seemed to drive great and I didn't feel any issues. I eventually noticed uneven tire wear and had it aligned. Same as another mentioned, toe and camber were off and who knows how and where that happened. Could have been the big rocks or maybe that way from factory. I'd go ahead and check yours.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I didn't unhook the track bar like the video shows. I just disconnected the sway bar links and the shocks. Had help so it went pretty smooth. I'm running my stock wheels and tires for the spring and summer so I can watch the tires for wear. Thanks for the imput.

You lifted the front and didn't loosen the ends of the control arms or track bar? Or are you saying you simply didn't disconnect the track bar like some video shows?

(be aware of videos - some aren't correct and many are done by people who have no experience or knowledge of the correct methods, they are just looking to make a video)

For anyone watching -

You always need to loosen and bushed joints (at least with rubber bushings) and then once the lift is done, with all for tires on the ground, retighten, torque those links again.
That includes upper and lower control arms - both ends, and track bar - both ends.
otherwise your bushings are in a preloaded condition and will rip apart sooner, and hold the truck down a bit.

ALWAYS loosen bushings, do the lift, then retorque when done with all four on the ground.

There is nothing to align other than setting the steering wheel back straight, which can be done in your driveway. I'm surprised you didn't have to do that. When I put the 1.5" Teraflex on my truck the drag link needed to be adjusted to set the wheel straight.

You'll read all sorts of stuff on the internet. A lot of it just isn't true, isn't the whole story, etc...

I didn't even go 1.5" and needed to recenter. Something is amiss here.
On my 2020 it was only about 1" and I had to recenter the wheel - it was off noticeably.
I can't imagine doing 1 1/2" and not needing to recenter the steering wheel.

 

[Camaroboi13]

I did a 2” level on mine with no alignment. No centering of the steering wheel, didn’t loosen control arms, didn’t mess with track bar, nothing. Rode just fine.

I also did 2” spacers front and rear on my wife’s 18 JLU, no alignment. No centering of the steering wheel, didn’t loosen control arms, didn’t mess with track bar, nothing. Guess what? Rode just fine. Went 6 years with no issues before trading it in last month.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I did a 2” level on mine with no alignment. No centering of the steering wheel, didn’t loosen control arms, didn’t mess with track bar, nothing. Rode just fine.

I also did 2” spacers front and rear on my wife’s 18 JLU, no alignment. No centering of the steering wheel, didn’t loosen control arms, didn’t mess with track bar, nothing. Guess what? Rode just fine. Went 6 years with no issues before trading it in last month.

Getting away with something doesn't make it right. I'd bet those bushings were not in great shape when you parted with the JLU.

I've done alignment work for decades, not to mention all of the training, etc. from various people who actually know things - you always take tension off the bushings and retorque.

"Rode fine" is your definition - doesn't mean they'll last or it's riding as nice as it could.

I had to recenter the wheel on my 2020 when I put the springs in, and then when I took them out to trade it in and put the stock springs back -had to recenter the wheel then, too.
Similar for my 2022 - I have done that twice to it - with each of the two spring swaps.
I guess some can get by with a wheel off-center, or it has a slight pull so when compensating, the wheel looks straight even though the tires are not tracking perfectly true.

Knowing how some people cut corners, it's a good thing I do my own suspension work.

 

[Camaroboi13]

Neat.

 

[katsrdking]

Just to clarify what I did, I jacked the vehicle up put it on some jackstands on the frame and remove the tires then put the jack underneath the axle jacked it up and removed the lower sway bar, arm bolts, and the shock bolt lower lowered everything back down evenly pulled the spring put my leveling kit in raised everything back up rebolted the sway bars and shocks, put the wheels back on and then pulled jackstands out. Retorqued everything to spec. There was no preload on anything the way I did it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

There was no preload on anything the way I did it.

If you didn't loosen the control arm bolts and track bar bolts at both ends, then absolutely, yes, there is. You can't say there isn't IF the curb height, or ride height of the truck changed. There's a twist on those rubber bushings and you can't say there isn't.

Rubber bushings are bonded to the outer and inner shells.
The outer shell is pressed into whatever it's used in - like control arms, so the shell and thus the rubber can't turn.
The inner shell of the bushing is clamped in place when the bolts are torqued.
So as the control arms move up and down, the rubber in the bushings is TWISTED.
Normally, the rubber is at rest when the truck is at curb height.
As the suspension moves, the rubber is twisted one way then the other, but is neutral or not twisted once the truck is sitting at curb height.
Any change in curb height without loosening the bushing bolts to let that inner sleeve turn, puts a twist, or preload on the rubber bushings.

I could go get documents from Moog and others, as well as training documents for Jeep and other companies, but will let "the internet" speak this time ->

And to prove it applies to JEEPS as well as other cars and trucks -

Gee, it applies to cars? Amazing -

If you prefer youtube videos -

I could go on.

Many "get by" but getting by isn't the best it could be. It can even give you a false curb height if the change in suspension is enough. I've seen guys say "my xxx sits 1" too (high/low) after a spring change - what's wrong" and when they finally loosen the control arm and other related bolts, jounce the thing a few times, even drive a block and back, then tighten/torque the bolts, they are amazed at the change in ride height.
Sorry, I've been at this too many years to agree "but i did it this way and it's fine".
Fine for you - ok, cool. But not right, and not for the longest life of the suspension.


Fine, i went to Moog, but online instead of pulling out my suspension and steering books.

 

[Gvsukids]

For anyone watching -

You always need to loosen and bushed joints (at least with rubber bushings) and then once the lift is done, with all for tires on the ground, retighten, torque those links again.
That includes upper and lower control arms - both ends, and track bar - both ends.
otherwise your bushings are in a preloaded condition and will rip apart sooner, and hold the truck down a bit.

ALWAYS loosen bushings, do the lift, then retorque when done with all four on the ground.



I didn't even go 1.5" and needed to recenter. Something is amiss here.
On my 2020 it was only about 1" and I had to recenter the wheel - it was off noticeably.
I can't imagine doing 1 1/2" and not needing to recenter the steering wheel.

I haven't needed to after swapping springs and shocks - or adding the teraflex lift. My steering wheel wasn't off after off-roading either

Anyone done a leveling kit and skipped the alignment with no problems?

Yes.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I haven't needed to after swapping springs and shocks - or adding the teraflex lift. My steering wheel wasn't off after off-roading either


Yes.

Maybe mine trails so very true that the wheel is always normally centered on the road, no pull, no lead, that any change shifts the axle over and requires wheel recentering while everyone else has loose steering.

I've posted about my spring swaps with the '20 and showed how the axle was off-center, noticeably and measurably, and you can't have the axle shift at all and not need the wheel recentered. Unless others are just ok with anything other than a 0 degree steering wheel.

Alignment? What's to align. No lift - spring or spacer, or level kit, can possibly change toe or camber.
Caster, yes, but no dealer can align for that.

 

[katsrdking]

Maybe mine trails so very true that the wheel is always normally centered on the road, no pull, no lead, that any change shifts the axle over and requires wheel recentering while everyone else has loose steering.

I've posted about my spring swaps with the '20 and showed how the axle was off-center, noticeably and measurably, and you can't have the axle shift at all and not need the wheel recentered. Unless others are just ok with anything other than a 0 degree steering wheel.

Alignment? What's to align. No lift - spring or spacer, or level kit, can possibly change toe or camber.
Caster, yes, but no dealer can align for that.

So why are you contradicting what you said earlier? You got paid to do the job the way the company wanted so they could make money. I'm 67 and I have done things the hard way until someone found an easier way with the same result. Maybe the way you do things aren't wrong but they cost more time and money in the long run. Call it shortcuts or luck but if it works it works.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

So why are you contradicting what you said earlier? You got paid to do the job the way the company wanted so they could make money. I'm 67 and I have done things the hard way until someone found an easier way with the same result. Maybe the way you do things aren't wrong but they cost more time and money in the long run. Call it shortcuts or luck but if it works it works.

Where am I contradicting what I said earlier??
There's nothing to align on these OTHER THAN centering the steering wheel - or setting toe.
Toe is NOT impacted by a lift.
Camber is not impacted by a lift.
Caster is - but only control arm changes or brackets can put caster back to proper. Otherwise, any time I go over 1", I put in the MOPAR longer lower control arms to help put back the caster removed by the lift. And yes, a lift does reduce caster.
But taking it to a dealership won't do anything - they can't align them, only check them and set toe and wheel centering.
A lift also moves the axle over to the left. A level and tape measure will prove that to you. It's all about GEOMETRY. You can't move the chassis higher above the axle and not swing parts in an ARC. The same ARC that twists bushings like a spring also moves the axle over and throws the wheel off center.
Now if a person puts in spacers and never relieves the bushing tension/twist/preload, then it's possible the Jeep is not sitting up the full 1.5" the lift promises because those bushings help hold it down.
a spacer lift will absolutely lift a Jeep exactly as much as the spacers are thick. That's a fact - IF the bushings are released and retorqued. So if you put in a 1.5" "leveling kit" or spacer lift and it's not exactly 1.5" lift in the end - something is hold it down and I know what it is.

I'm a college trained, and experienced mechanic. I do things the right way, to cause the least damage, get the best possible results, with long life for parts and no come-backs.
I worked my way through automotive college doing alignments, brakes and suspension, etc. for money. I care about my work and likely why I have shelves full of work in my shop now sent from all over the country.

Trust me, it's not the same result. Believe or think what you want, but it's not the same result. It gets by - if that's all you care about, fine.
Those youtube videos out there with the "shortcuts" are crap, bunk, BS - shadetree crap. It's really that simple.

you do you - whatever you want, it's your truck, it's the life of your truck and it's parts, I shouldn't care at all.
But what I do care about is spreading crap methods to those who are unsuspecting or are too gullible to bother doing research.
You don't believe everything I posted above - that's fine.
But forums like this and the DiY shade-tree stuff is why I will never in my life buy a used Jeep. I just won't. i'd have to go on and fix too many things.

The above is due to not torquing rubber bushed parts at curb height.........
You don't care, I don't care.

Just don't spread bogus methods by youtubers that don't know what they are doing and the rest, hey it's yours.

So we'll leave it at that, ok?

Some prefer believing what they watch on youtube videos made by shadetree'rs, some prefer facts and science and realities.
your choice, you made it.

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