Steering stabilizer bar

[Dokatd]

On May 5, upgraded to MT Baja Boss 255/85/17 and Method 703 wheels. Based on forum recommendations and other marketing, I had the King steering stabilizer installed too, followed by an alignment with a deliberate increase of caster. Love the new setup, except for the stabilizer. It’s just too soft for my liking and didn’t feel particularly stable at highway speeds on winding mountain roads. I put the factory steering damper back on this morning, and it just feels right. Attached are the specs from the alignment. Running all wheels at 37 psi.

The wider stance and larger tires tend to offset the stock stabilizer a fair bit. I find the Fox ATS can be turned up a fair bit when you upsize everything.

 

[C-Mack]

On May 5, upgraded to MT Baja Boss 255/85/17 and Method 703 wheels. Based on forum recommendations and other marketing, I had the King steering stabilizer installed too, followed by an alignment with a deliberate increase of caster. Love the new setup, except for the stabilizer. It’s just too soft for my liking and didn’t feel particularly stable at highway speeds on winding mountain roads. I put the factory steering damper back on this morning, and it just feels right. Attached are the specs from the alignment. Running all wheels at 37 psi.

Is the “current” alignment printout showing almost as much toe out on the rear axle as the front has toe in? Couldn’t they have spent a little time correcting the thrust angle on the rear? Although not off by much, I’m just surprised to see negative toe on the rear. Slightly bent axle or maybe they didn’t properly compensate the alignment heads while performing the procedure but I kind of doubt that. Just seems weird to me.

 

[TumaloIG]

Is the “current” alignment printout showing almost as much toe out on the rear axle as the front has toe in? Couldn’t they have spent a little time correcting the thrust angle on the rear? Although not off by much, I’m just surprised to see negative toe on the rear. Slightly bent axle or maybe they didn’t properly compensate the alignment heads while performing the procedure but I kind of doubt that. Just seems weird to me.

Thanks for the note. Sounds like you know this stuff better than me. If I were to take it back to the shop, what would you recommend that I ask them to adjust ?

 

[C-Mack]

Thanks for the note. Sounds like you know this stuff better than me. If I were to take it back to the shop, what would you recommend that I ask them to adjust ?

Thanks for the compliment but by no means am I an expert on this sort of stuff but nominal measurements for the rear axle should be “0” degrees thrust angle and zero total toe. Sure things can be out slightly as no vehicle is perfect not even off of the production line but on what is supposed to be a straight non-steering axle I’m kinda puzzled to see that much toe-out?

I believe their are a couple of adjustment cams on either the lower or upper rear arms, I can’t remember which exactly, but it should allow for some minor fine tuning of the rear axle position, certainly enough to get the thrust angle to near “0” otherwise your vehicle will have a very slight dog-track as it goes down the road. Unless the steering has been adjusted to take thrust angle into account your steering wheel will be off slightly as you go straight down the road. Hence, why any decent alignment will make sure the rear angle is as close to zero as possible as all other adjustments are based on it tracking straight.

I know there are skilled alignment folks out there who check these things but these days you are more likely to get a shop which does a quick toe check on the front and leaves it at that. My guess is if you went back they’d say the angles are not off enough to worry about hence why they didn’t bother trying to correct it. It’s the difference between a shop that takes pride in the work it does versus one just busting through the jobs at hand.

It’s likely you won’t have any issues or see any abnormal wear with what settings you have but it just irks me when there is an opportunity to make things better some shops miss the opportunity. I believe there are factory alignment specs around on this form possibly in Rok_Dr’s supplemental manual. I’d look at those specs and compare them to what your printout says and make a determination if it’s worth having it checked again.

 

[Dokatd]

Sorry guys, you cannot adjust thrust angle on the rear axle of the Grenadier. Nor can you change any other metric aside from Pinion angle. There are adjustments cams only on the axle side of the lower links. Thus why the rear numbers are often invalid because the alignment shops won't set, check or calibrate the rear unless you have been in an accident to identify severe mechanical damage.