Cj5 just turns in circles. Will not self center

Cj5 just turns in circles. Will not self center
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Dennis77CJ5

Jeeper
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Location
Grandville Michigan
Vehicle(s)
'77 CJ5, 304, 3 speed.
On my Cj the previous owner installed a trac bar for a late model jeep to try and get it to steer better at road speed. I promptly took it out and it will stay on the road now but will not return to center when turning a corner and is a handful when driving. It has no shims in the front axle. All the tie rods, ball joints, u-joints are good in the front. The steeriing gear has a little more play than it should but it turns free. It also does have a daystar lift shackle in the front. I know I need to roll the axle but does anyone have a picture of the shade tree way to set castor. Thanks for any help.
 
There's only two ways to fix caster like that (besides going back to the factory shackle). The first is to cut the welds on the knuckles, rotate them and weld them back up.

The alternative is to slip a degree shim in between the axle and the spring. If you just need a couple of degrees, it might be ok.

What I would recommend instead is to ditch the lift shackle and put in either new springs or an add-a-leaf to give you lift the right way.
 
how much is it lifted??

Dennis77CJ5 said:
On my Cj the previous owner installed a trac bar for a late model jeep to try and get it to steer better at road speed. I promptly took it out and it will stay on the road now but will not return to center when turning a corner and is a handful when driving. It has no shims in the front axle. All the tie rods, ball joints, u-joints are good in the front. The steeriing gear has a little more play than it should but it turns free. It also does have a daystar lift shackle in the front. I know I need to roll the axle but does anyone have a picture of the shade tree way to set castor. Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
 
The Springs are stock, The aftermarket shackles are 4 inch center to center. I went thru the sticky on front end inspection again. Compared my front diff housing to what is shown and my diff is tilted yoke up. The tilt is from the lift shackles. I need to get an angle finder and I can tell exactly. But that is what is wrong. The top of the pig is tilted toward the front of the jeep.
 
I don't know this to be fact but have been led to believe that with zero amount of caster the yoke will be square to the ground. In other words if you were parked on a flat level surface your axle casting at pinion would be plumb or straight up and down. Of course you want at least 3 degrees of caster so with a degree finder you can determine that angle and shim or reweld the perches.
 
ctrp_0801_02_z+caster_and_camber+diagram.jpg


Check for positive caster. (Top to the rear). Easy to correct with shims.

4" bolt to bolt (2.75" stock) longer shackle should decrease the caster by 1.6 degrees with stock springs. arcsin (.575/22.625)

Check it with a angle finder on the knuckle. Stock should be about 3 deg.

While you're at it, check the toe in too.
 
I have never done the math before. That is incredible, 1.25 inches makes almost 2 degrees less camber. Even the after markets with just a .5 lift to them can be almost 1 degree. when all you need is 3 degrees that 1.6 degree change can really knock things out. I think I would keep in mind that this should be checked at the end of the axle and not at the pumpkin.:cool:
 
This issue comes up often and the last I remember was someone in your shoes who had new shims in hand ready to install and upon disassembly found he already had shims in there, problem was they were in backwards! :D
 
Sasquach said:
This issue comes up often and the last I remember was someone in your shoes who had new shims in hand ready to install and upon disassembly found he already had shims in there, problem was they were in backwards! :D
Click to expand...
That would have been me that had the ones that were in backwards.Ended up using the new steel ones.The ones in backwards were aluminum and wore.
The 4deg I went with made it drive decent but steers a little harder.I can live with it.:chug:
 
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