Hey folks! Total forum noob here, looking for some advice. I've searched high and low on this, found some decent info, but also noticed a big black hole on certain issues.
New to me 1989 YJ with RE 4"ish lift, 33s, no front/rear track bars, stock 35/30 axles. Some things are off, that I can't put my finger on. Started with misaligned hood. Gap on right side of hood to cowl much larger than left side. Big gap at front of hood to upper grill area also on right side. Rubbing on left side enough to remove paint front upper grill corner. I've felt, inspected, and sighted down frame on both sides looking for any signs of bent or damaged frame issues. Not a ripple, bulge, dent, noticeable bend, damage, etc., at all. Zero rust, looks practically like new Jeep down there! I supposed it could be the grill/fender assembly just not centered up properly...but must be more due to next issues. Next, I did X measure from shackles using plumb bob and making marks on floor to measure. Front to back (same side), things are spot on. But diagonally things are off; Rear right to front left diagonal about 1.25" longer than opposite...which would be consistent with the way the hood is lining up (or not lining up as it were). Lastly, my front axle is about 1.25" towards the left of rear axle somehow. I determined this by placing long straight edge across back tires horizontally through center and checking with front tires with steering centered. About 1.25" gap between front right tire and straight edge. Opposite on left side (1.25" straight edge overlapping tire!) All the searches on this axle alignment issue yields results related only to TJ's and coil sprung wranglers, and trackbars/adjustable trackbars, etc. Which is worthless to me on leaf sprung YJ. All leafs have center pins in proper location, and seem straight in every way I can determine. I don't feel any pull while driving or braking, no doggie walking noticeable in follower car, etc. Sure seems like the sum of above would point to slightly tweaked frame. But where? OR...could it be something else I'm totally missing here? With leaf sprung, and u bolts, centering pins, shackles, etc in good shape and appearing to be in appropriate places...how could the axles be off center without frame issue? The distance between front/rear tires appear to be spot on for both sides as well. I did some other measuring I could think of, like distance between inside of tire and frame on all 4 corners, etc. Didn't see any glaring differences. A real mystery, that I'd like to solve. Anybody have suggestions of things for me to look at, measure, etc., prior to a trip to a frame shop? If a frame shop is needed to fix, so bit it....but I'd like to determine where these problems are coming from first if possible. Thanks in advance for any and all ideas!
Doug
New to me 1989 YJ with RE 4"ish lift, 33s, no front/rear track bars, stock 35/30 axles. Some things are off, that I can't put my finger on. Started with misaligned hood. Gap on right side of hood to cowl much larger than left side. Big gap at front of hood to upper grill area also on right side. Rubbing on left side enough to remove paint front upper grill corner. I've felt, inspected, and sighted down frame on both sides looking for any signs of bent or damaged frame issues. Not a ripple, bulge, dent, noticeable bend, damage, etc., at all. Zero rust, looks practically like new Jeep down there! I supposed it could be the grill/fender assembly just not centered up properly...but must be more due to next issues. Next, I did X measure from shackles using plumb bob and making marks on floor to measure. Front to back (same side), things are spot on. But diagonally things are off; Rear right to front left diagonal about 1.25" longer than opposite...which would be consistent with the way the hood is lining up (or not lining up as it were). Lastly, my front axle is about 1.25" towards the left of rear axle somehow. I determined this by placing long straight edge across back tires horizontally through center and checking with front tires with steering centered. About 1.25" gap between front right tire and straight edge. Opposite on left side (1.25" straight edge overlapping tire!) All the searches on this axle alignment issue yields results related only to TJ's and coil sprung wranglers, and trackbars/adjustable trackbars, etc. Which is worthless to me on leaf sprung YJ. All leafs have center pins in proper location, and seem straight in every way I can determine. I don't feel any pull while driving or braking, no doggie walking noticeable in follower car, etc. Sure seems like the sum of above would point to slightly tweaked frame. But where? OR...could it be something else I'm totally missing here? With leaf sprung, and u bolts, centering pins, shackles, etc in good shape and appearing to be in appropriate places...how could the axles be off center without frame issue? The distance between front/rear tires appear to be spot on for both sides as well. I did some other measuring I could think of, like distance between inside of tire and frame on all 4 corners, etc. Didn't see any glaring differences. A real mystery, that I'd like to solve. Anybody have suggestions of things for me to look at, measure, etc., prior to a trip to a frame shop? If a frame shop is needed to fix, so bit it....but I'd like to determine where these problems are coming from first if possible. Thanks in advance for any and all ideas!
Doug
