So I installed a BDS 3 inch lift on my Tj and noticed my control arms are all crooked in the front. When looking at the car you see on the passenger side the lower control arm is straight and the upper control arm is going to the right. On the driver side the upper control arm is straight and the lower goes to the right. It’s causing my entire axle to shift towards my drivers side. Would adjustable control arms be the solution to my problem? Any other thoughts?
Control arms after 3 inch lift
- Thread starter Schnitzel3333
- Start date
As others have said, the track bar is what centers the axle left-to-right.
Adjustable control arms allow adjustment front-to-rear, and caster/pinion angles.
Currently Stock track bar. This is the first vehicle I have ever worked on... I've been doing some research and it looks like the adjustable track bar is the way to go. Would that solve it or would I have to get control arms as well?
The axle is centered by the trackbar. When you do a suspension lift you are changing the relationship between the axle and the frame so that the trackbar is at a steeper angle. This means you need a longer trackbar to center tye axle. If you don’t the front axle will be pulled toward the driver side. An adjustable front trackbar properly set up will center the axle.
At 3” suspension lift it is questionable whether you must have adjustable control arms. The C-Channel OEM arms with rubber bushings are good at what they do, to a point. Replacing them with aftermarket arms gives more control over you caster and drive shaft angle, but realize you need a good joint on the arm because the link is solid, and preferably double adjustable for ease of dialing in. All aftermarket control arms are not created equal, and many sub-standard joints will crap out on you in short order.
I’d start with buying an adjustable trackbar and I’d measure my caster to see where it is. I don’t know your tire size, suspecting something like a 31-33”, which means you need between 6-7* caster for good return to center.
@Schnitzel3333 Do that ^, and also know that your rear is likely off center too. I have been rolling around with 3" springs, stock arms and adjustable track bars for a while now. It will work fine, but other things like adjustable arms, especially uppers, will make it work better.
When shopping for adjustable track bars know that some will simply bolt on, others, usually sold as "HD", will require the mounts to be drilled larger.
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