how much do I adjust my lower control arms

barry1me · 01-24-2007, 03:14 PM

I bought a Jeep with a 4.5 RE lift. It has the OE control arms on it right now. The PO gave me the RE adjustable lower control arms. How do I know how much to adjust the adjustable control arms once I get them on?

rockrunner · 01-24-2007, 05:04 PM

well i don't know how far but mabe try to download the instructions for that lift from the there site and it should have the length for the control arms

ytodd · 01-24-2007, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry1me

How do I know how much to adjust the adjustable control arms once I get them on?

Tape measure, and eyeball.

**Jerry Bransford** · 01-24-2007, 05:19 PM

If your drivetrain angles are all ok, just remove one of the original control arms and measure the distance between bolt holes. Then screw the new arms to that length and install them. You can't adjust their length after installing them.

Rubicon153 · 01-24-2007, 06:08 PM

Take off the stock ones, but a bolt through the stock eye and adjust others to the bolt fit nice in both arms. When you get it lined up if there is not enough in hte lower cams they will pull the lower linka and adjust it that way. That how we always do it.

**Varnish** · 01-24-2007, 06:18 PM

Are the rear upper control arms on the jeep adjustable? Do you have a slip-yoke eliminator? I would think you would want the lower ones longer if possible to regain lost wheelbase from the lift. If you don't have an SYE installed then they are probably going to have to be set to the stock length to keep your rear driveline angle as it is now.

Rubicon153 · 01-24-2007, 06:50 PM

Adding wheel base using that method would change pinion angle to much. I dont believe that is why the are adjustable.

RockRunner85 · 01-24-2007, 07:04 PM

Heres some facts for you:

- stock arms are 15 3/4" from bolt center to bolt center
- RE fixed lowers are 16" from bolt center to bolt center
- lowers adjust the wheelbase and pinion angle
- uppers adjust the pinion angle

What I did on my RE 3.5 lift:

- used adjustable lowers set to 16 1/4" for the front
- used re fixed lowers for the rear
- stock uppers
- this gave me caster in the 5-5.5 range which is ideal for lifted jeeps

Based off all this for you I recommend

- Set the front lowers to 16 1/4". This will help bring your caster into spec. You will probably find the caster is 4.5-5. You really need adjustable uppers to dial this in more. If you crank the lowers out much farther you will run into problems with the axle trackbar bracket hitting the draglink and tierod. Keep in mind that pinion angle takes priority over caster.
- If you have adjustable rear lowers you'll probably have to go with 16" as well since the farther you push the lowers out the more closer the diff is to the gas tank skid. Like above you'll want adjustable uppers to dial in your pinion angle.