Will I need to adjust my caster?

[Kewlrobd]

I will soon be I stalling the Mopar 2" lift and the teraflex 1.5" leveling kit. The Mopar lift comes with new longer lower control arms. Will I need any further adjustment to the caster via correction brackets or adjustable control arms? Seems to me that since the Mopar lift should bring the caster into spec for the 2" lift that the 1.5" leveling kit should not need any additional caster correction.

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[Mac]

I would think you would need additional caster correction with that much lift, doubt the longer LCAs will be enough. Why not buy a lift that has the amount you want to lift the JT instead of combining two lifts?

 

[Kewlrobd]

I would think you would need additional caster correction with that much lift, doubt the longer LCAs will be enough. Why not buy a lift that has the amount you want to lift the JT instead of combining two lifts?

This setup is very common. The main benefit is retaining the factory warranty on the lift kit parts. You also effectively get 4 inches of lift with fox shocks for much less than any other 4 inch lift on the market.

 

[Panthers65]

This setup is very common. The main benefit is retaining the factory warranty on the lift kit parts. You also effectively get 4 inches of lift with fox shocks for much less than any other 4 inch lift on the market.

Hate to say it, but if that's what you are chasing that's not accurate. If you buy the lift from Mopar, Mopar will warranty the lift components, just like if you buy the full lift from teraflex they will warranty the lift components. If you lift and larger tires wears out your balljoints, track bar, draglink, or tie rod end prematurely, the dealer can and will deny warranty because of that.

 

[Chris262]

You might be okay... I don't think anyone could tell you 100% you're going to be fine. What you might feel is acceptable might not be for someone else.

 

[Kewlrobd]

Hate to say it, but if that's what you are chasing that's not accurate. If you buy the lift from Mopar, Mopar will warranty the lift components, just like if you buy the full lift from teraflex they will warranty the lift components. If you lift and larger tires wears out your balljoints, track bar, draglink, or tie rod end prematurely, the dealer can and will deny warranty because of that.

I have done a ton of research and that depends on your dealership. I have a good relationship with my dealership and they won't be voiding my warranty because I used larger tires. Besides we are now off subject.

 

[Mac]

This setup is very common. The main benefit is retaining the factory warranty on the lift kit parts. You also effectively get 4 inches of lift with fox shocks for much less than any other 4 inch lift on the market.

Good luck, if this is so common how are all the other people installing the same lift dealing with the caster issue?

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

I agree with Mac. I wouldn’t buy the Mopar kit knowing you want more height.

Everything in that lift is for 2” of lift. Fixed length arms, shocks, and fixed length sway bar links.

I considered the Mopar kit, but ended up deciding on the Clayton 2.5” Ride Right. Much more adjustability and a little more height like I wanted.

 

[j.o.y.ride]

I would expect your caster angle to be not so great after MOPAR + additional lift.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I would expect your caster angle to be not so great after MOPAR + additional lift.

Let me see if I am reading you right - it would be ok with the MOPAR lift, stopping there as far as lift (more on that later here) but wouldn't be ok if you did the MOPAR 2" lift AND THEN MORE later?

As far as "would it be ok with the mopar lift" - and stopping there - I think you've been involved in the numerous conversations on caster in general - and likely we agree that's a definite "maybe" because some of us seem to come from the factory with a bit more or better caster than others, so would saying this is a "it depends" thing?

Mine is in specs, I've lifted 1" plus 3/4" spacers and the extra weight of my winch, bumper and skid plate dropped it 1/2" so my net lift is 1.25" give or take.
Mine is ok but I feel I could MAYBE benefit with some extra caster - just by the feel of the truck and my experience with other vehicles.

Anyway, on the OP's question - the MOPAR control arms are fine for the MOPAR lift - adding MORE lift, you'll be pulling caster back a bit again. So you MAY be ending up with not enough caster.


As far as WARRANTY - my dealer shop told me flat out - MOPAR parts come with a MOPAR warranty. That's generally 2 years. If it's a part installed in a vehicle that's got more warranty, then the part is warranted with the truck. IF the truck has no warranty left, then the parts have the 2 year warranty. The dealership themselves warrants their work. So if a dealership installs a 2" MOPAR lift, you have the parts warranty and the dealership installation warranty.

Warranty has been covered to death in other threads and posts.
So - this is about caster, not warranty,

Seems to me that since the Mopar lift should bring the caster into spec for the 2" lift that the 1.5" leveling kit should not need any additional caster correction.

IF the leveling kit involves lifting the front end even more - even just half an inch - you will likely want to revisit caster. The added caster of the control arms in the MOPAR kit is for that kit and lift amount, only.

 

[Kewlrobd]

IF the leveling kit involves lifting the front end even more - even just half an inch - you will likely want to revisit caster. The added caster of the control arms in the MOPAR kit is for that kit and lift amount, only.

My point is that that installing the 1.5 leveling kit on a stock suspension does not seem to require new lcr or correction bracket. So since the lcr's that came with the Mopar lift should in theory bring the caster back to stock, certain logic would say adding the same 1.5 leveling kit would not require additional caster correction. My logic very well may be flawed as I a newb to lifting vehicles.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

My point is that that installing the 1.5 leveling kit on a stock suspension does not seem to require new lcr or correction bracket. So since the lcr's that came with the Mopar lift should in theory bring the caster back to stock, certain logic would say adding the same 1.5 leveling kit would not require additional caster correction. My logic very well may be flawed as I a newb to lifting vehicles.

Ideally you correct caster with a 1.5” leveling kit or any change in suspension height.

Compounding a leveling kit on top of lift springs guarantees you have to correct caster.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My point is that that installing the 1.5 leveling kit on a stock suspension does not seem to require new lcr or correction bracket. So since the lcr's that came with the Mopar lift should in theory bring the caster back to stock, certain logic would say adding the same 1.5 leveling kit would not require additional caster correction. My logic very well may be flawed as I a newb to lifting vehicles.

Installing the 1.5 leveling kit, which I will assume is a spacer that lifts the front 1.5" - will lose you some caster - possibly still in spec, but still will lose some. (some of these are iffy in having enough caster to begin with)
Now here's the flaw in your theory -
The control arms swing in an arc. Assuming they are perfectly level, parallel to the ground, on a stock vehicle, any downward swing in that arc will result in a minimal swing "back" in that same arc.
The more you swing the arms down, the more they swing backwards.
You can visualize it this way - draw a 10" circle on a piece of paper.
Now take a pencil on the far left part of that circle and follow that circle around with the pencil until you are exactly 1" down on the paper from where you started - note how far to the right the pencil has moved.
Now take that pencil down 1 more inch - and note how much farther to the right you have moved that pencil on the paper.
The more you drop those control arms, the more backwards the front ends of them move.
So the first inch of moving the axle down results in very very little caster change.
The second inch down you go with the axle away from the frame, the more back the front ends of those arms move from where they started.
Go more than that and you are swinging them back even farther. Go far enough and you move the fronts of the arms back a lot compared to how far down you move them.

So the FIRST 1.5" is a minimal swing back, but each added inch means you have moved those so far that now they are moving BACK when swung down.

Correction brackets move the rear of the arms down so you keep them parallel and they don't move as much fore and aft on a swing.

In other words, no change 'required" with the FIRST 1.5"
2" is pushing it, best to change caster.
3.5" means you are really swinging those arms down - and thus BACK, best to correct the geometry

That's where I stand as a person who restores vehicles, and worked through college in the 70s doing alignments, etc.
You can "get by" with a lot - but eventually, you'll push the limits. a 3.5" total lift is pushing those limits.

Note this circle - the control arms swing in an arc like this - part of a circle. Notice that once you get beyond the angle shown, you move farther to the side......

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Ideally you correct caster with a 1.5” leveling kit or any change in suspension height.

Compounding a leveling kit on top of lift springs guarantees you have to correct caster.

Yes.
Your first sentence sort of MAY depend on where the truck starts out - on the high end of caster it may still be in spec as the difference in the arc the upper compared to lower arms swings is very minimal - but go father than that, it's a wider difference and the lower arm swings back a lot more than the upper arm, tilting the axle possibly throwing it out of specs.
But - in short - yeah, what you said ;-)

 

[j.o.y.ride]

Let me see if I am reading you right

You never read anything properly, tbh. But never stops you from running on with it.

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