Help with adjusting/ understand toe after lift

[stewmaster]

A few months ago I installed the AEV 2.5 suspension lift on my ‘22 Sport S Diesel. After a long day rolling around on the floor, the last step was to correct the steering wheel which after installation of the lift is turned to the left slightly when the wheels are straight.

I did my best , or so I thought. Turns out my exhausted mush brain actually messed with the toe adjustment which looks the same but is below the steering adjustment. Yeah I know, “Here’s your sign.”

well I looked on YouTube and found an awesome video that says to measure the distance between you rear tires and front and adjust the toe accordingly, which I did and got them pretty much dead on.

fast forward a few months, and on a long drive I felt like something was a bit off. So I looked at the tires and they were obviously toed out, like a pigeon stance. I invited others to look at it without telling them where it was off and it was obvious to them as well.
So agin I took a measurement and it was about an 1/8th inch off.
This time I paid closer attention. When I get the tires to look right from every angle, the measurements are exactly an inch off from front to rear, the rear being wider. If I get the measurements dead on, the front toe is obviously pigeoned outward.

So now I’m asking for help. Do I swallow my pride and get it aligned by a shop, or am I missing something here?

thanks I’m advance

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[kevman65]

You don't want them perfectly straight up and down, you want a slight toe in on the fronts.

Slight as in 1/16" - 1/8" max.

 

[jac04]

When I get the tires to look right from every angle, the measurements are exactly an inch off from front to rear, the rear being wider. If I get the measurements dead on, the front toe is obviously pigeoned outward.

For an alignment, you can't really go by what 'looks right', you need to go by the actual measurements. Also, although many videos show measuring to the tire itself, you should always measure to the wheel when checking toe. Another option is to remove the front wheels/tires and mount a "toe plate" to each side. This will make taking the toe measurements easier.

 

[BumbleBee]

I always used a tool I made. Think of a telescopic leg on a camera tripod. Use something like that to extend from right to left on the front of the rim, lock it in place, and then move to the rear and check the difference. Like stated above, you should be around 1/8 or less.

 

[Lunentucker]

They all look like that from the front.
It's a bit of an optical illusion. Get good measurements and trust them.

What did your lift have to correct the caster angle?

 

[stewmaster]

They all look like that from the front.
It's a bit of an optical illusion. Get good measurements and trust them.

What did your lift have to correct the caster angle?

The lift came with caster correction brackets that mounted to the front control arms.

I’ll try a tool for better measurements. Now that I’m thinking about this more wouldn’t it also make sense to measure between the front wheels on the front and back of them? Too much or too little toe should cause a difference in measurement there too I would think.
Thanks for all the help, this is my first Jeep and first solid front axle vehicle I’ve worked on! Love it!

 

[Lunentucker]

The lift came with caster correction brackets that mounted to the front control arms.

I’ll try a tool for better measurements. Now that I’m thinking about this more wouldn’t it also make sense to measure between the front wheels on the front and back of them? Too much or too little toe should cause a difference in measurement there too I would think.
Thanks for all the help, this is my first Jeep and first solid front axle vehicle I’ve worked on! Love it!

Yes.. Measure the distance between the two fronts at the rear of the tires and then at the front of the tires.
Find a lug or a seam on the tires that's repeatable. I was lucky enough to have a red line in the center of mine, but any reference point will do as long as it's consistent.

 

[OHJeeper]

I think the first mistake was measuring the rear wheels at all: they have nothing to do with toe-in. What you are measuring is the difference between the front and rear of the front tires only.

The front of the tires should be 1/8" narrower than the rear of the tires - like they are "pigeon toed"

I use 1" square iron pipe from home depot and make a measurement the same as the diameter of my tires.

 

[Lunentucker]

Here's a good video for a better understanding of the concepts.

 

[OHJeeper]

A little more clarity... I remove the wheels/tires completely. My pipes have a centerline mark and then markings on both ends for 30", 35" and 40" diameter (15", 17.5" and 20" from the center line)

I clamp the pipe to the rotors with a C clamp (not too tight) and make sure both are level and the center is aligned with the center of the hub.

Then, I measure the rear marking and the front marking from side to side depending on which tire size I'm measuring for.

Similar process to what's in the video but I don't trust using the tires/tread/lugs as a reference point.

 

[stewmaster]

@Lunentucker
That video was very helpful, especially in comparison to the video I originally watched which I double checked, and has the guy comparing the fronte and rear tires. I should’ve been able to figure that out.

@OHJeeper thanks for the tool suggestion! I’m gonna use a lug on the tread for tonight so I can stop thinking so much about it. Then I’ll head in to my shop later this week to get it dialed in.

Thanks everyone, glad I came for help here rather than paying someone!

 

[Lunentucker]

Yeah. The back tires thing made no sense. Maybe for front wheel drives.

 

[BumbleBee]

I always used a tool I made. Think of a telescopic leg on a camera tripod. Use something like that to extend from right to left on the front of the rim, lock it in place, and then move to the rear and check the difference. Like stated above, you should be around 1/8 or less.

Maybe I should clarify,, When I said move to the rear, I meant move to the rear of the front rim.

 

[OHJeeper]

Maybe I should clarify,, When I said move to the rear, I meant move to the rear of the front rim.

I figured that's what you meant... I was referring to the OP stating he measured front and rear wheels in his first post.

 

[stewmaster]

@BumbleBee and @OHJeeper I understood what you guys meant, the original video I saw was done on a JTR and it was a well done video, apart from the misinformation. Not only does he say to do the rear the video shows him measuring the front of the rear tires. I hesitate to put it on here for you to see, in case someone sees it without seeing the rest of this thread and gets bad information as I did.
If you are curious about this video, simply search “How to adjust Gladiator toe alignment” on YouTube. For me it’s the first video that pops up, and it is done by “Trail Benders Overland”
I’m going to leave a comment for him politely stating the way he is showing it done is not correct.

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