Fixing a lowered X's alignment?

[Spas]

Before I get any flack, yes I did use the search button. Several times. I just want to get all this info in the same place for future reference

Here's the problem, my favorite Explorer crew:

My 98's lowered as far as the torsion bars will allow up front. Currently sits at 31.25" driverside and 31.5" passenger side which is fine by me. The issue being that my tie rods are angled up like a demented pair of wings and I have horrific bumpsteer (this is what led to my jersey wall accident 3 years ago). Plus I just blew out the second power steering rack in as many years. I'm converting to 2wd and I want to correct the steering geometry back to something more reasonable. Now on to the questions.

1) I'm assuming in order to flip the tie rods to the bottom of the knuckle I'll need to bore out the hole and have a custom tapered sleeve made, right?

2) I saw a thread here on the Ranger JDM upper ball joints and how they supposedly help with correcting the caster (camber has yet to be an issue, but my tires look like this '/ \' and it's killing the tread). Is this true?

3) Are there any other tricks to get the wheels straight up and down like factory? You don't need to elongate the adjustment slots in the frame do you?

As always, thanks for any and all advice!!!!!!

 

[Turdle]

Before I get any flack, yes I did use the search button. Several times. I just want to get all this info in the same place for future reference

Here's the problem, my favorite Explorer crew:

My 98's lowered as far as the torsion bars will allow up front. Currently sits at 31.25" driverside and 31.5" passenger side which is fine by me. The issue being that my tie rods are angled up like a demented pair of wings and I have horrific bumpsteer (this is what led to my jersey wall accident 3 years ago). Plus I just blew out the second power steering rack in as many years. I'm converting to 2wd and I want to correct the steering geometry back to something more reasonable. Now on to the questions.

1) I'm assuming in order to flip the tie rods to the bottom of the knuckle I'll need to bore out the hole and have a custom tapered sleeve made, right?

2) I saw a thread here on the Ranger JDM upper ball joints and how they supposedly help with correcting the caster (camber has yet to be an issue, but my tires look like this '/ \' and it's killing the tread). Is this true?

3) Are there any other tricks to get the wheels straight up and down like factory? You don't need to elongate the adjustment slots in the frame do you?

As always, thanks for any and all advice!!!!!!

Hi Lindsay!!
I don't see camber adjusters mentioned here, you have them of course?

 

[Blee1099]

I know how to fix it.. lift it

 

[Turdle]

..

 

[n0xdw]

Before I get any flack, yes I did use the search button. Several times. I just want to get all this info in the same place for future reference

Here's the problem, my favorite Explorer crew:

My 98's lowered as far as the torsion bars will allow up front. Currently sits at 31.25" driverside and 31.5" passenger side which is fine by me. The issue being that my tie rods are angled up like a demented pair of wings and I have horrific bumpsteer (this is what led to my jersey wall accident 3 years ago). Plus I just blew out the second power steering rack in as many years. I'm converting to 2wd and I want to correct the steering geometry back to something more reasonable. Now on to the questions.

1) I'm assuming in order to flip the tie rods to the bottom of the knuckle I'll need to bore out the hole and have a custom tapered sleeve made, right?

2) I saw a thread here on the Ranger JDM upper ball joints and how they supposedly help with correcting the caster (camber has yet to be an issue, but my tires look like this '/ \' and it's killing the tread). Is this true?

If your tires look like that, then Camber is an issue!

3) Are there any other tricks to get the wheels straight up and down like factory? You don't need to elongate the adjustment slots in the frame do you?

If the rectangular washers have not been replaced with eccentric to allow adjustment start there. I do all the alignments at our shop and sometimes you can not completely correct an alignment issue that is caused by raising or lowering the suspension too far. Have you had your alignment checked so that you know what your angles are? I will try to look in our alignment products catalog and see if there are any offset products to help bring it back closer to spec.

As always, thanks for any and all advice!!!!!!

 

[Spas]

you need 2 sets of these



http://store.summitracing.com/partd...908331+4294924677+4294907830+115&autoview=sku

OoOOoOoooo, I like! Thanks Jt

I'm still not 100% that Goodyear actually put in the 2 degree adjusters like they said they did years ago... given the angle of the tires I'm thinking I got conned though n0x, thanks for checking for me. I get camber and caster confused, sorry.

Does anyone know more about those JDm upper balljoints?

 

[racinjason68]

It would be nice to find a ball joint or a tie rod kit...

 

[Turdle]

It would be nice to find a ball joint or a tie rod kit...

search explorer ball joint tie rod on ebay, these are domestic parts--good deal. Greaseable fittings included



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ball...008QQitemZ180040230765QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

[expo5.0]

run 25" tall tires- will fix your problems at that ride height... almost perfectly

hmm, or go with a yota frame

 

[Spas]

yeahhhh.... I dunno about a Toyota frame, man

Ordered the camber/caster adjuster kit from Summit today- once it's in I'll share the results with y'all. Thank you again Jt!

 

[etc]

run 25" tall tires- will fix your problems at that ride height... almost perfectly

hmm, or go with a yota frame

How would smaller tires change the suspension...?

 

[expo5.0]

drastically changes the angles

 

[Turdle]

drastically changes the angles

??????
No offense, but I am having a hard time with this.
Show me please?

now bear with
if I set my framing square off 10 degrees, the bottom will also be 10 degrees off, no matter what size my square is, or how long it is

 

[expo5.0]

that is true...

i can post pictures of my camber with my front frame crossmember laying on the ground with 27.5" tall tires and then post it with 25" tall tires---- very significatnt difference

 

[Davek1]

how low should i go with my x where i can fit a 20 in rim and tireand not alot of rubbing

 

[racinjason68]

Rubbing really depends on the offset alot. The right off set you can lower alot and not rub. I was lowered about 3.5 and didnt rub. Now hit a bump when turning sharp and I could rub the frame a bit... After I got real low I just buned out the inner fenders. LOL

 

[Davek1]

now where would i go to find lowering blocks and camber kit for my 96 4x4 x

 

[Turdle]

now where would i go to find lowering blocks and camber kit for my 96 4x4 x

http://explorerexpresscom.nationprotect.net/catalog/index.php?cPath=3_40

Yes it is a bit more money, but it is made for your explorer. The installation is a breeze, no bending of bolt necessary.

 

[Xzibit A]

that is true...

i can post pictures of my camber with my front frame crossmember laying on the ground with 27.5" tall tires and then post it with 25" tall tires---- very significatnt difference

the problem with this theory is leverage, it loks like the camber is different but its not because of the tires, 2 reasons

1, when you align a vehicle, you align the wheel no the tire, if you align it with stock tires then put 35s on it it wont change,

2 in you situation, you said when the x member is on the gound, in you case this will a differece , because the tire is smaller the suspension doesnt need as much upward travel to lay on the ground, less movement less camber


i finally fixed the tire wear on my explorer while its lowered 7 inches, yes it still ahs a bout 3 deg neg camber but i toed in the front wheels about .40deg, this keeps the inside edges from being scrubbed off, i maked the camber out with the 2 deg bushings and set to way in, and if you keep caster with a .5 deg split it wont pull or wear tires badly

 

[Spas]

Sorry I forgot to post a review of the Ingralls adjusters..

I honestly can tell you guys not to waste your money. Not only are they made of cheap metal and prone to stripping the threads off the bolts, but they actually do nothing to help with the alignment. In fact, they make it more difficult. What we did (and by 'we' I mean me and and my expert Ford front-end technician, Bobby) was to remove the eccentrics and use nuts and lock washers to bring the upper control arm out as far in its little oblong frame holes as possible since I have bent frame issues on the driverside. The alignment hasn't been this dead on in years

Btw, going to 2wd DOES help fix the crazy angles of the tie rod ends, and it completely gets rids of bumpsteer