Just wanted to make sure you had the right kit! My dealer is charging $720, but I've read that prices have varied significantly by dealers throughout the threads I've read. I also wanted the lift & spacers installed at the same time so I can determine what is needed specifically for my build to perform to my standards and also maintain the warranty.
Adding spacers later is easy: Disconnect sway bar links, brake line brackets and electric connectors (FAD, lockers, etc), remove one end of the track bar. Drop the axle...
I'm curious about this... I've installed a number of lift kits on different Jeeps and except for having to remove/replace the LCA's in the MOPAR kit I've not ever loosened the control arms. Since, in essence, all you're doing is lowering the axle a couple of inches, isn't that the motion the control arms are designed for under normal circumstances?
My caster is low after adding the spacers. I'm measuring somewhere between 3.5° and 4° with a basic magnetic angle finder. The MOPAR spec is 4.8 +/- 1. I know a lot of folks like to run closer to 6. I haven't had any wandering or wobble issues with mine even at hwy speeds of 70+ (and trying to hit potholes/seams that would cause it in my testing)
What do you base that on? The Mopar arms are included with the Mopar lift and are designed to restore the factory caster that is reduced from the lift, adding another 1.5” of lift puts it out of spec. I could notice a difference in handling from just a 1.5” spacer with oem springs, the Mopar arms definitely helped reduce the wander.
I don't have a digital angle finder, so it sounds like mine is very close to yours. Mine also drives well, but I will say the other day I drove 3 hours in windy conditions and it was wandering a lot more than my JL did (all stock).
Someone please correct me...
I see in your profile you have a '22 JT. It's true, they changed the way the TPMS system functions. In the past the TPMS module also had the radio/antenna that talked to the TPMS sensors. In the '22 model year, that functionality has been moved to the Radio RF Hub (or whatever the right name is). I don't think the TPMS sensors are now incompatible, they just talk to a different module now. Same frequency, same protocol...
My understanding is the rubber bushings in the control arms have enough range of motion to move through the suspension travel but should be torqued at where they sit at rest with weight on the vehicle as the bushings don’t really spin, the range is provided by the rubber flexing.
You're right about caster, I also heard to shoot for 6 degrees that's why I wanted to drive it for awhile close to stock after the lift to see how bad it drove before any additions to the suspension and I didn't encounter any issues driving home and no white knuckles, my JL wondered in the wind with the Fox stabilizer and when the dealership said they don't add money to your trade in for aftermarket parts I took the $459 Fox stabilizer off and sure enough the next day it was windy and the the steering was terrible.I don't have a digital angle finder, so it sounds like mine is very close to yours. Mine also drives well, but I will say the other day I drove 3 hours in windy conditions and it was wandering a lot more than my JL did (all stock).
I don't know if a stabilizer will help with wandering or countering wind forces. I've always thought of the stabilizer as just absorbing bump steer and masking "the wobble"
In thinking about caster, I believe a good positive caster would be the best way to overcome wind and wandering. Think of the swivel casters on the bottom of a mobile toolbox or office chair. When you push it forward, their natural (and easily moved) state is to be behind the center line of their mounting post (negative caster). Like this, if you were pushing the chair to the right:
Pushing -> easy to turn
If you could "lock" a swivel caster and locked it in the position ahead of the center line (positive caster) it's harder to turn if you're pushing the chair/cart.
Pushing -> harder to turn
The less positive caster you have, the more your front wheels are like the swivel casters behind the center line, and if a force is pushing on the side of your Jeep, it's easier to push it sideways.
Not sure if I described that well enough... I suck at drawing, though
I may also be 100% wrong, but this is how I've thought about caster most of my adult life
I had JTR take-off wheels (same as in this pic) with TPMS on my 2018 JLU Sahara and they worked fine. Are you moving your headlocks with TPMS that were on your JL to your JTR? Should work. Did I read that correctly?Just picked up the JTRD with the Mopar Lift & front 1.5" Teraflex spacer installed, the alignment specs show 4.12 degrees caster and I'm amazed on how well it drives with no steering issues on city or highway roads and still has the stock steering stabilizer. I was going to put the Fox racing series stabilizer on tomorrow, but I'm going to wait and see how it performs on a windy day then install it, on windy days my JL wondered with the Fox stabilizer so much that you had to strong arm it and I was waiting to be pulled over for a suspected DUI. The JT definitely sits higher than my JL did and I haven't put my 35's on yet, but I heard that the tpms sensors are not compatible with the JL setup I have on my beadlocks.
Someone on youtube took his wheels off his JL and put on his JT and no readings showed up so I checked to see what sensors were used on the JL & JT and found online sensors that were specific for builds after 6/5/21 so I assumed my JL beadlocks wouldn't work. I wanted to run them on my JT until I made up my mind what tires I wanted to go with, I'm tired of KO2's as I can start my own gravel pit with the rocks I pick out of them daily and also looking at 37's, I didn't want a lift on this JT as I wanted to tow and my Wife did, so if she wants a LIFT she's going to get one.
