[lsejlowe]

I have heard of using offset balljoints to adjust caster or camber, but has anyone used adjustable control arms instead? I pretty much have the condition described in TSB 02-001-02:

SYMPTOM/CONDITION:
The customer may experience a slight lead or drift to either side of the road.
This condition may occur when there is no driver input to the steering system, or when the driver must maintain a constant input to the steering system in order to maintain a straight ahead direction of the vehicle.

So it makes sense that I would need a little more caster. Rather than replacing ball joints, could I just order the appropriate length tie rod and some quality heim joints and have adjustable lower arms instead? I'd be looking at $15 per side for the rod and $40 per side for the heim joints. Not sure what kind of spacers or shims would be needed since the heims would be narrower than the bushings, but if it came down to it washers would work.

[rqukrawler]

You'll effect the pinion angle, camber and toe in along with caster. However, caster is pretty touchy and usually doesn't need much change to make a big difference... might not matter much.

On my IRO kit the top of the Y link is adjustable. I had a shop check my setting, but I had gotten lucky and hit it dead on at 4.5 deg.

Make sure you have a front end shop check and make sure caster is the answer. You can check ball joint & tie rod ends for wear and set your own toe in fairly easily, but I've never figured out how to accurately set caster with the tools/knowledge I have.

[lsejlowe]

we're only talking a degree or less I would imagine, so pinion angle should not be a big concern and when I align it again I'll check toe and camber. I haven't decided to do this just yet. I need to balance and rotate my tires anyway, so perhaps that will improve things.

Pardon my ignorance, but what Y-link are you talking about? The upper rear link? Unless I'm mistaken there are only the 4 control arms, track bar, tie rod, and drag link in the front. Am I missing something?

[lsejlowe]

after talking to a guy at work I'm starting to wonder more about pinion angle. How much caster can I add before that would become an issue? Given that the service bulletin suggests adding caster as the solution to the problem I'm hoping that it's not a huge issue, but I have no experience with it.

Would I get some nasty driveshaft vibration if the pinion and the Tcase output are a few degrees off of parallel? How exact were they from the factory? Doesn't pinion angle change slightly over the regular travel of the suspension? Any input is more than welcome.

[ratmonkey]

Originally Posted by lsejlowe

So it makes sense that I would need a little more caster. Rather than replacing ball joints, could I just order the appropriate length tie rod and some quality heim joints and have adjustable lower arms instead? I'd be looking at $15 per side for the rod and $40 per side for the heim joints. Not sure what kind of spacers or shims would be needed since the heims would be narrower than the bushings, but if it came down to it washers would work.

this is not the way to make adjustable arms. and you will absolutely HATE heim joints on any suspension component.

[lsejlowe]

Originally Posted by ratmonkey

this is not the way to make adjustable arms.

care to elaborate? What do you suggest? I'm not talking about $5 rod ends, I'm talking about $20 three piece construction chrome moly joints with kevlar inserts. They'll obviously be less compliant than bushings, but what other concerns would you have?

I'm still considering adjustable arms, but the ball joints do seem like the better fix. Previously I wasn't considering the fact that the BJ's would only change the orientation of the knuckle relative to the axle, thereby leaving the pinion angle unchanged. Just avoiding the possibility of further drivetrain issues due to the change in pinion angle might be enough to justify the BJ's rather than adjustable arms.

[BradMB2004]

if you're gonna spend that money, use johnny joints or something like that. heims wear out a lot faster unless you use seals on the sides of the bearings.

[rqukrawler]

Originally Posted by lsejlowe

Pardon my ignorance, but what Y-link are you talking about?

Check out Iron Rock's web site. Their design does away with the upper control arms and replaces the drivers side lower with a Y-link that catches the old upper control arm mount on the axle. The axle remains properly constrained, it's just a different way to do things.

[lsejlowe]

Originally Posted by rqukrawler

Check out Iron Rock's web site. Their design does away with the upper control arms and replaces the drivers side lower with a Y-link that catches the old upper control arm mount on the axle. The axle remains properly constrained, it's just a different way to do things.

huh, cool. thanks for the info.