Teraflex also has a rear trackbar relo bracket which should also help center the rear axel. You may also need a front adj trackbar. Teraflex offers a HD one.

Good luck!

 

What the dickens is a "rear thrust angle" and what on the rear end is at, or could be at, 33 degrees?

Was he talking about your pinion angle? If so that would mean adj control arms. A 2.5 lift could cause your axle to be off to one side a bit but how does that relate to 33 degrees?

 

maybe it was the flux capacitor

 

a 2.5 lift shouldn't affect it that much but as stated before, get a rear track bar bracket and it should bring your axel back to normal. You don't need a rear track bar for just 2.5 inches. You should go down to Teraflex and check it out. Wish I could.

 

It sounds like the guy at the alignment shop was talking out of his butt.

 

No, I think he was talking out of Hohokom's wallet.

 

Before you start slamming this guy I'm sure his thrust angle is off. By 33 degrees? No way! I don't think the jeep would drive straight. Maybe 3.3 . I do distrust an aliment shop that takes your money for an alignment without having adjustable control arms.

If he centers both axles the thrust angle should be fine. If not his frame or control arms are bent. Thrust angle is the direction your rear wheel want to push the Jeep. You've all seen the sideways driving vehicle. That's what it look like. Take a perpendicular line to the rear axle. Then measure the angle from that line to a line from the center of the rear axle to the center of the front axle. That's the thrust angle.

Get adjustable track bars. This will let you recenter your axles. If both axles are centered and you still need control arms to fix this, you've got big problems.

 

I agree with edivebuddy 100%. I can't believe that practically no one knew what is the thrust angle after soooo many threads on this forum that talk about alignment issues. Seriously, with all due respect before posting do your homework before putting your foot in your mouth. Don't post for the sake of posting.

 

I discussed this with somebody knowledgable about this stuff and as long as the axle is square to the frame the Jeep will go down the street straight and not crab even with both axles off center.

There is a school of thought that says the axles should not be centered at rest but offset a bit such that as the suspension compresses the axles are centered then so as to avoid contact with the body and frame at that point (we're talking full stuff here). Since the frame pivots of the traclkbar are on opposite sides That means the rear will be offset a bit to the right (pass side) at rest so that as the trackbar levels out under compression it pushes the axle to the left and centers it. By the same token the front would start a bit offset to the left so that under compression when the trackbar levels the axle is pushed to the right and centered. I'm understand this offset would be at most about 1/4" to the left in the front and 1/4" to the right in the rear.

The important thing for the OP is that unless his frame is bent, his chassis or axle control arm mounts are bent, or his control arms are bent the axle will be square to the frame and there won't be an actual thrust angle that will hurt him. The Jeep won't crab. The axles could be offset in opposite directions and there could appear to be a thrust angle that would be harmful without that being the case.

I don't think most guys in alignment shops have clue one about Jeeps. I won't let one touch mine if I'm not standing right there beside him. If the shop won't let me I say thanks, you must not need my business, and move on down the road.