So I bought a brand new Rubicon, drove it home and put a lift on. I've been playing with some addition aftermaket stuff for the last two weeks and have 700 miles on it now. It has always pulled to the left. So my schedule appointment arrived for my alignment and the report shows my camber is -1deg on the passenger side and -4 on the driverside. The tech told me that it wasn't adjustable and would cause the jeep to pull to the left. He implied that it was casued by the lift somehow. That's impossible. (I think). So what are my chances of getting this covered under warranty? I'm guessing about 0%.

Any adivice?

 

Are you running larger tires and have you been wheeling with it? Large tires and wheeling may have caused you axle C's to bend.
There are offset or adjustable ball joints to correct the issue. I would look into in. I highly doubt the dealer will warranty anything but it doesn't hurt to try.

 

Do you have the sheet from the alignment? Is it -4 degrees or -.4 degrees?

 

^^^this sounds likely. Assuming that's the case, you're fine. If the jeep is pulling, that is more likely a caster issue which can easily be resolved by adjusting (assuming you have adjustable front arms) the arms.

 

I should add - if it truly is -4*, that's not good. In that case, I'd remove the lift and put it back to stock and go to a different dealer.

What you did would not cause the issue. However, when talking about a multi-thousand dollar axle replacement, they'll look for a reason to get out of the warranty.

 

Bad ball joints can throw of camber.


2007 Rubicon /2 door/6 speed

 

All the above is great info. I would also add that if you are running larger tires and/or wheels with less backspace, your chances of bending the Cs just on daily driving is more likely than wheeling even. The sudden jarring of potholes, RR tracks, etc. at speed during normal commutes does just as much, if not more, damage (bending) to the Cs than slow wheeling. But that same setup eats stock balljoints so I would look there first.

Some of the worst road conditions I have experienced have been in IL too.

 

local alignment shop said most new wranglers are coming from the factory with the specs off. He said it was more rare to find one in spec then out.

 

Thanks for all the replies. The camber was -.4 not -4. Big difference! I am running 35 inch Nitto trail grapplers. I know they are bigger but not so big that they are going to bend a Dana 44 on the road in the first 200 miles. The ball Joints wouldn't be the problem either as they are new. I will post the alignment sheet when I get it from the dealership. My wife is picking up the Jeep later today.

I agree that the IL roads are bad! I also agree that larger tires will put more leverage on the "C"'s but no more than another JK on 35's. I am running the back spacing needed to clear the tires at full lock, about 4 inches. That's a pretty common backspacing.

How much difference between left and right camber is acceptable?

 

You're fine. Definitely put some c gussets on though. They will bend.