So I had to do an offset balljoint because my camber was way out a while back and I was able to get it back into spec.

I am trying to figure out if my C was bent on the passenger side or if it was the tube. It doesn't look bent really to me (either of them), but it's hard for me to say. I'm hoping it is the tube, because I want to try and straighten it back out. From my understanding (from what I found online) the C's cannot really be fixed... but if it's the tube they can be potentially straightened.

Opinions?

 

Have you checked the ground and your axle tubes with a trusty bubble level yet? That would give you a good indication if your tubes are off. Truth be told, anymore these jeeps are coming straight out of the factory with camber issues so using an offset ball joint may not mean a bent C at all, it could simply be "within spec" on a poor cast out of the factory.

Other things to look for would be any shiny metal near the pumpkin that would indicate a shift in tube position. It may be very minor and if it's been a while, sounds like it has, then you may not be able to see it without resorting to the bubble level or pulling your shafts and carrier to stick a solid bar through the tubes to see what's what.

 

So I was wondering about that. Should I just use a normal like woodworking bubble level on the tubes? I guess I was thinking that maybe tire wear may influence accuracy. Wasn't sure.

I feel like there should be an engineering diagram somewhere that will tell you the different angles that are in a C (I'm sure there is somewhere that I will never see).

As far as the bubbling or flaking of the metal, I think it's probably been too long now, but I will check when I get home a little later.

 

Go get an alignment print out. You won't find shit by using a bubble level.

 

I did get the printout whenever they did the alignment, but it didn't tell me what was actually bent... it just gave me the specs before and after they made the adjustments. At least I don't recall it being on the alignment sheet anywhere.

Edit:
In fact I know it didn't show anything else. Just had the results spec of each setting.

 

No shit it isn't going to say "bent c's" in red over it, but if the camber angle is bad enough, especially side to side comparison, then it would be an indication. Here's mine from last Thursday. I'm not sure if my shit is bent or not, lol.

 

This is a picture from Off-road Elements' page on the DV8 axle but what I'm getting at is check the picture of the factory C. Overlay it with your picture and see what does or doesn't line up.



Chuck- new jeeps are coming out of the factory at up to -1.0* camber so you're not far off of what's deemed "acceptable". I believe the spec is .01* to -.09*.

 

No shit? You mean it's not going to tell me???

See my first post. I realize that it is bent. I have corrected it. Everything is pretty and green. What I cannot tell is if the bend that threw it out is in the C or the tube.

 

By the looks of it, it looks pretty straight. I would assume that if the C was bent it's usually the top ear bending up.. and mine doesn't look too bad. I guess the only real way to tell is to take it off and see down the tube.

 

The Cs are pretty tough on the JK axles unlike the older models. Even the military axle with heavier tubes uses the same C. I have yet to see a C bent on a JK but I have seen a few tubes bent at the C weld making one wonder if the C is bent.