Best way to tell if my front axel is not centered

[ColoradoCantu]

Got my Dobinson 3in lift about 2 weeks ago and noticed my passenger side front spring looks like it has an s curve in it bowing out at the top, the driver side looks like its just bowing out at the top. Staring at this for some time, I noticed that standing in front I can see more tire tread sticking past my wide bumper on the passenger side than my driver side, so I suspect my axel is not centered. Is there good way to measure this to validate what i'm seeing? Also the flat side of the bottom spring isolators are not flush up against the base plate that it sits on. The passenger side has about 1/4in gap facing front but no gap facing rear, the driver side is the opposite with the gap facing the rear but I can almost stick my finger in the gap.

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[Rusty PW]

The way I check to see if my axle is centered. Park on level ground with the steering wheel straight ahead. I have a 4ft level (a straight piece of 2x4 will do) that I put against the tire vertically, centered with the hub. Then measure from the level to the fender. Then check the other side doing the same thing. To adjust your track bar. Divide the difference by 2. This is good if you have poke. If your tires don't poke. Measure the distance at the top of the tire.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I could tell by looking it was off on my 2020. I measured and sure enough, it was off by 1/4".
But to center it would take only 1/8" so wasn't worth it.

 

[ColoradoCantu]

The way I check to see if my axle is centered. Park on level ground with the steering wheel straight ahead. I have a 4ft level (a straight piece of 2x4 will do) that I put against the tire vertically, centered with the hub. Then measure from the level to the fender. Then check the other side doing the same thing. To adjust your track bar. Divide the difference by 2. This is good if you have poke. If your tires don't poke. Measure the distance at the top of the tire.

Finally got around to trying this and they measured pretty much the same which is bit of a surprise based on what I think im seeing but that's why I wanted to measure. Thanks for the suggestion this gave me some ideas to get more comparisons.

 

[ColoradoCantu]

I could tell by looking it was off on my 2020. I measured and sure enough, it was off by 1/4".
But to center it would take only 1/8" so wasn't worth it.

Is it normal to have some bowing at the top of the front springs when going from stock Mojave suspension to a 3in lift with new Dobinson Shocks and Springs (with spring isolators to prevent bowing), MetalCloak F/R control arms, MetalCloak F/R track bars and MetalCloak/Fox Steering Stabilizer. For the sway bar end links, went with Rubicon express sway disconnects. Is there anything else I should have included with the upgrade that may be indirectly causing the springs to bow? My shop is telling me it's normal cause the springs are so much longer than the OEM springs?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Is it normal to have some bowing at the top of the front springs when going from stock Mojave suspension to a 3in lift with new Dobinson Shocks and Springs (with spring isolators to prevent bowing), MetalCloak F/R control arms, MetalCloak F/R track bars and MetalCloak/Fox Steering Stabilizer. For the sway bar end links, went with Rubicon express sway disconnects. Is there anything else I should have included with the upgrade that may be indirectly causing the springs to bow? My shop is telling me it's normal cause the springs are so much longer than the OEM springs?

Without seeing it all - common causes of spring bow are axle not centered, or axle "tilt" changed so much when adding caster than the bottom rear of the spring pad is low causing bow in that direction, the upper spring isolators need to be set correctly. There are bits on it that have to index into holes to make sure it's clocked correctly clear up there at the top of the spring.

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