They'll allow you to get back in that caster area you're shooting for. Sorry for the blunt response, hope I didn't come across as rude.

 

They wont be flatter, because he doesn't have enough lift to need them. The upper control arms in particular will have a much higher mounting point at the axle than at the frame. That steep upward angle (negative angle?) of the upper control arms causes the front end to dive under braking.

And has anyone ever tested to see if adding drop brackets to a Jeep with stock Rubicon springs even increases caster? It may decrease caster if the arms are at more of an angle than stock (because the front of the arm is now higher than the rear of the arm).

 

No worries, wasn't offended. You answered the questions perfectly

 

What I meant by negative angle , I was talking about the axle end of the LCA would be higher than the frame end.

 

I'm an expect in incorrect caster, 5" lift no CA correction... Rides rough to say the least. Gotta love it

 

O shit my bad i read lift and assumed like a tool you weren't using factory coils.. You have stock coils id guess thats why its in spec still. As they said arms will allow a change, but the caster isnt bad. Hell mine runs alot less...

 

I know my Caster isn't terrible, I'm just looking to maximize it to reduce driver fatigue. I drive 80 miles per day for work and I'm always having to make minor adjustments to stay center in lane.

Thanks for everyones help. Gonna grab some adjustable LCA's, was really just trying to see if I could save some money by using the brackets but I guess I'm SOL!

 

I can't use the brackets either, don't feel bad. Some of us just have to dish out the cash and go ACA's

 

The lower control arms should parallel with the ground (as they are stock). Most guys don't use the drop down LCA arm brackets even with a lift. Once the LCA are "running uphill (towards the rear) then ride is sacrificed and a bit of caster.
I doubt that this is your problem, I was running no drop brackets with a 3" BDS and 1" spacer and my Jeep drove fine. Once I installed the drop brackets my ride improved but I lost a bit of clearance off road.

 

The "grade 8" bolt upgrade isn't about bolt strength. It has everything to do with the factory bolts having less of a shoulder and thus threads protruding into and acting like a saw on mounting brackets, etc creating extra clearance between the bolt and bracket. In addition, the stock bolts are also a bit smaller than the SAE bolts in the kit which creates even more opportunity for components to move around especially if they've ever been loose in the past. (I've seen torque values not met right from the factory.)

SO, to say flat out say it's a waste of money or time is ignorant. Will it help your situation? Maybe, maybe not depending on the condition of your rig as it applies here, but it certainly cures a potentially unfavorable condition down the road or stops the worsening of one in progress already. Just because it alone didn't cure someone else's issue doesn't mean it didn't stop degradation for them now and in the future.

You didn't mention (nor has anyone else) your toe setting. Not enough toe-in can cause your condition and if you're running larger tires, you may even want to run a bit more than stock.

Your caster numbers are just within spec but not desirable for a tighter feeling steering. Even another 1 degree would be an improvement for you but you'll either need drop brackets, or control arms to get that. At least you'll have the adjustability for the future in place. The opinions on which is already well underway. Cam bolts are also an option but I would stay away from that.

In addition, should you or anyone else opt to go with the bolt upgrade, one thing that is often missed but I would highly suggest would be Teraflex's Flexarm washer kit to keep the new bolts centered in the brackets.