Need some advice. Couple of weeks ago my Rubicon 2dr was in a wreck (run off road) and right front whacked a boulder. Only damage we (body frame shop) could find was a bent front track bar. I replaced that with a new adjustable Teraflex Monster to straighten things out. Everything aligned properly accept the caster angle is +2.1 for both rt and left front. I always thought the stock caster was ~+4.3. Since the wreck was only rt front do you thing that this thing was off at the factory??? and what do ya think my options are.

 

Uh, a trackbar doesn't correct castor.

 

So to the more detail needed from above, Look at the control arms to see if their bent, bushings are completely messed at the ends and where they mount to the frame to see if the brackets got bent....make sure there are no cracks at welds...or the brackets on the axle. then send off for an alignment.

 

I find it hard to believe you bent something to cause the castor to be exact on each side,if you were hit only on one side. I 'm thinking they torqued the crap outta your control arms with your suspension drooped and it may be causing this. In other words your suspesion may be bound up some. Just a guess though .You said they did an alighnment, who? could you post a pic of the spec sheet? Or did u measure the castor with an angle finder which can be off a degree or so from a machine. How does it drive? Does it feel flighty? Or the same as before?

 

The stock track bar was replaced because it was bent in the crash. Everything looks fine according to the frame shop and the alignment was done by a professional shop. I've got the alignment report in front of me and the castor left and right reads +2.1.

This confuses me also because left and right castor readings are identical and the hit was only on the right front tire bending the track bar. You would think the castor if off would be different left Vs. right.

 

Only if the axle housing, or the "C", got twisted.

Does the steering wheel return to straight on its own coming out of a turn?
Is the front end flighty on the road?

If it were mine, I would get another shop to verify the alignment numbers.

 

It would be wise to know when the last time their rack was calibrated. Just ask and they should have the documentation for that. If they fuss and dont want to show you, find another shop.

 

Steering is a little flighty but it does come out of corners OK. Maybe I should just take it to another shop to verify the reading on my own dime since insurance is paying for the first shop. To bad ya can't take anybodies word for anything any more ya always have to be somewhat sceptical about everything.

Since I am running a 2.5 Teraflex spring lift and 35" tires maybe just bite the bullet and get adjustable lower control arms. Most reasonable I have found are from Rancho.