Jeep JL Wrangler Steering Component Check / Setting Tie Rod Toe-In and Recenter Steering Wheel

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After getting our brand new Dynatrac ProRock 44 installed on our Jeep JL Wrangler, there was one last thing we needed to do before we could head for home and that was to dial in our front end. Even though this was a brand new axle and everything should technically be the same, all it would take is for something to be a fraction of a inch off, to change something like toe or the position of our steering wheel. And, being that we have well over 20,000 hard miles on all our factory steering components, we thought now would be as good a time as any to also check the condition of our joints and bushings on the tie-rod, drag link and track bar. In this episode of the JL JOURNAL, you'll get to see Jim, the owner of Dynatrac explain how to do these checks, set your toe-in and recenter your steering wheel - essentially, basic front end alignment 101. Of course, this video can apply to anyone with a Jeep JK or JL Wrangler and we hope that you find the information in it to be useful.

[@AlejandroSanchez-qo8qy]

Uploaded 3 years ago .....coming in as much help this morning! thanx for uploading sir 👍

[@wayalife]

Awesome! So glad to hear it's still helpful :)

[@desertdog2282]

Now this video pops up. Could have used it yesterday. Installed a lift. And didn’t know it was going to throw those codes with the steering wheel off to the left. Made the adjustments and she is all good now.

[@wayalife]

Happy to hear our video was helpful to you :)

[@Maxdady01]

Eddie, when the day comes, it's Dynatrac all the way! These videos with you and Jim are a great resource for the Jeeping community. Thanks so much. :)

[@wayalife]

We're so glad to hear you say as much. I know they may not be the most entertaining videos out there but we felt they might be something that could be useful to others. :)

[@OnMyMemoryCard]

That easy to check & set toe, I had no idea! Thought you needed state of the art computer equipment for that. Thanks for another great & super informative video!

[@wayalife]

Oh yeah, it really is that simple. :)

[@griffinvz2188]

I can’t tell you how many times you’ve made something crystal clear to understand. More than appreciate it

[@wayalife]

Awesome, we're so glad to hear it :)

[@Dfence22]

so glad i found this video, clear, concise, great video

[@dynoman7]

Very helpful to a newbie jeeper... thank you!!

[@wayalife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Wayfinder_JT]

You have become my favorite Jeep channel to watch on YT! Awesome content man!

[@wayalife]

Awesome, so glad to hear it 😎

[@jameskey7290]

Great info since I will be purchasing my Dynatrac pro rock 44 in the future. Thanks. Yes I'm sure we would all like to have Jim work on all our Jeeps. He has some serious knowledge.

[@wayalife]

Awesome! We'd be grateful if you let them know you watched our video when you purchase one :)

[@FrankPapadakis]

Yet another super helpful video! You're awesome dude, if we ever cross paths wheeling I owe you a few beers or cocktails lol!

[@colinfox1991]

Fantastic, this was an excellent guide

[@wayalife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@adventureeverymile8135]

Your videos are awesome and I have enjoyed your channel over the years. thanks for all the positive contributions to the Jeep community. I don’t thing there are many people who have done so much for jeepers as you and Cindy. Keep winning man.

[@wayalife]

Thank you, we're humbled that you'd say as much :)

[@kevinmcelheran4489]

Again, awesome video ! What are your thoughts now on ball joint delete kits, American Iron etc. Lots of videos from when they first came out. I think you did these too??

[@wayalife]

Nah, not me. After seeing them in person and how they break, I am NOT a fan of them. www.wayalife.com/threads/in-the-shop-disciple-off-road.63031/page-18#post-1346577

[@ligon143]

Great informative video. Gotta check mine. Keep em' coming

[@wayalife]

Glad to hear you found it to be informative and you know we will :)

[@georger2748]

Old video so I realize there may not be a response... but it seems that measuring Toe in inches will be affected by tire diameter.... that is, 1/16 on a smaller vs larger tire produces a different angle.... perhaps it's not significant enough to make a difference here....

[@gilbertarnold8666]

Great video thank you!

[@wayalife]

You bet, we're so glad you liked it :)

[@caseydman4651]

Good info with legends in the field! With the joint at the pitman arm wore out....is there slope or a dead spot in the steering as your driving down the road?

[@wayalife]

No, not on our JL but we have been experiencing a bit of steering wobble on cold mornings and when hitting certain bumps in the road. FAR from being death wobble but definitely something that would be caused by a worn out joint like this.

[@jerrywhalen2100]

How do you tell the Passenger side is in the correct compared to the driver side

[@wayalife]

Both sides are connected by a tie rod. Any change you make affects both sides equally.

[@johnmills837]

Lateral movement

[@willyb507]

Great video....Is the toe always adjusted on the driver side?

[@wayalife]

On a factory tie-rod, the adjuster is on the driver side.

[@willyb507]

@@wayalife I have the jku teraflex HD kit so....

[@wayalife]

If I recall, the Teraflex tie rod has 2 jam nuts you need to loosen up and then you rotate the entire tie-rod in or out to make your adjustments.

[@willyb507]

@@wayalife Ahhh...I understand it now, awesome! Thanks and your videos are top notch!

[@jjrock5]

I have a Silverado with tie rods on both tires therefore adjustments on both tires. How do you know when to adjust one side versus the other?

[@joncruz]

How much Toe difference have to be? Regarding the Toe in. Thanks 1/8 ?

[@wayalife]

Typically, 1/16"

[@joncruz]

@@wayalife Thanks for the reply. Wow isn’t 1/16 the smaller ticks of a rule? That’s basically nothing.

[@justinh8924]

What's the address of their shop ?

[@wayalife]

They are not a shop. They are a manufacturer of axles.

[@greghull3189]

Very informative. The dealership had to realign my JL the other day and when I drove home I found my steering wheel to be way out of alignment. When I told them about the crooked steering wheel they told me to come back in 4 days to make the adjustment. Having no desire to go back to the dealership again and thanks to great videos like this, I made the adjustment myself. Thanks!

[@wayalife]

Glad it helped!

[@calisox395]

Man, I've learned so much from watching your videos. Makes me more confident on doing things myself that before I figured were very difficult.

[@wayalife]

Glad to hear it!

[@camaroboi13]

5 years later I’m still using this video for information purposes. Thanks again Eddie and very nice to meet you in person at Jeep Bash 👍🏻

[@wayalife]

Awesome! Happy to hear it's been helpful to you even after all these years and I'm glad that we got a chance to meet at Jeep Bash!

[@jayhernandez6812]

Do i need alignment if i only did 2 inch mopar lift kit with front and rear adjustable trackbar or no? I thought you only need alignment when changing tie rod. Please reply asap thanks.

[@wayalife]

Other than taking your money, an alignment shop can only make adjustments IF you have adjustable components. With a 2" lift, the only thing you will NEED to do is make sure your steering wheel is recentered and you can do that with ease, in your driveway, in about 2 minutes and just using a 15mm wrench. I have a write-up for that here wayalife.com/showthread.php/56571-WRITE-UP-Basic-DIY-Jeep-JL-Wrangler-FRONT-END-ALIGNMENT

[@ericparisien3051]

Thanks for this, just added the steer smart sector shaft brace, and we somehow screwed up the steering wheel in the process, Was going to take it to an alignment shop, not needed anymore!

[@wayalife]

Awesome! Glad our video was helpful to you.

[@kurtjanzen7391]

We used to spin the tire and hold a scribe against the tire to make a line around it then measure the toe. Now, if we have bare wheels available we use them to measure. Either way is easier than trying to make sure you have the same tread block on each tire. If you want to use a tread block, use only one on each tire and move it 180* to measure the front and back.

[@craigversetti5700]

As ALWAYS Eddie !!!! Great video ..... thanks

[@wayalife]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@pamdemic7848]

Good stuff, Thanks!

[@obangles]

best diy that guy seems the most experienced.as allaways thanks

[@wayalife]

Glad that we could be of help :)

[@Choko-hc8gv]

Wow . Definitely going to look into that . Thanks for the video. Please keep posting informational videos like this , I think many of us rather watch videos that would educate us ,than just seeing videos of off-roading adventures, even thou they are cool . I hope others agree with me

[@wayalife]

Don't know how many others would agree as we're far from being the hottest thing on KZbin but we're glad to know that we can help others out with our videos :)

[@ihabmasri1311]

Your are great Eddy,thank you for this useful video and hope to talk to you soon for some question because I’m so far to meet you 🙏🏼

[@wayalife]

So glad to hear you found the video to be useful. It'd be great to talk to you someday.

[@Zebraunit22]

The bolt/ clamp that you loosen on the pitman arm to adjust your steering wheel position, after adjusting the steering to a straight position what do you torque the bolt to, to clamp it down tightly

[@edward1967able]

Thanks for the video, lots of info,

[@wayalife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@joseph4333]

This is what happening to my jeep lately kind a off 1degree to the right and also when ai try to turn left to right you hear weird noises in between while turning the steering

[@casey3057]

This is invaluable information. For experienced folks that have forgotten or get complacent and for new owners that just don’t know, this will save a lot of headache and frustration. Probably one of the best tech videos yet.

[@wayalife]

Thanks Casey. We know videos like this aren't exactly the most exciting ones you could watch on KZbin but we do hope they'll help people out.

[@bradcallander7789]

I am just now working on getting the same done on my new JL thanks

[@wayalife]

Awesome!

[@thewanderer577]

Basic knowledge but what a comprehensive review! Made my wife watch so that when our steering components need replacing she won't freak out. We wheel pretty hard too!

[@wayalife]

Awesome!

[@AKArusty]

Thank You for posting this video. Like many of your other videos it was super informative and helpful. I really appreciate your attention to detail. Keep it up!!

[@wayalife]

Well, we're glad to know that our videos have been helpful to you :)

[@brianmathe4219]

Very useful information. Thanks for posting this video.

[@wayalife]

Glad we could be of help :)

[@coachg6476]

Well done, information is understandable simple to follow. Keep it up 👍🏽

[@daniellee566]

Thanks so much for this video! I have been dealing with the looseness of the steering on my JL forever. I just discovered the exact same issue in the drag link. Very loose and popping felt in the joint. I have never done hard core off roading as you have, just light trails. These parts are weak, now I have something to go on. Thanks Eddie!

[@wayalife]

I think a lot of people are experiencing the same issues and that's a big part of why we decided to make this video. Glad that you found it to be useful.

[@xmo552]

@@wayalife Where where you that you caught snow close to southern California ? Hi Jinx, that's why some people feel the need to go to one ton or aftermarket hd parts.

[@j.christopherchang1668]

This video is very informational ! Thank you so much for putting videos up like this. Question, Any other reason why the anti lock brakes would come off? is it mainly the steering and drag link issue? Because its not centered?

[@wayalife]

The main reason for the brake assist to kick in is because your steering wheel is off center. This will make your Jeep's computer think that you're in a slide.

[@lesszabo5625]

Thanks for another great informative video, really enjoyed these on the Dynatrac axle for your Jl.

[@wayalife]

Awesome, glad we could share this with you :)

[@rodwood693]

After seeing this series I guess it's time for a front axle upgrade 😊👍🏼

[@wayalife]

LOL!! Well, if nothing else, you know there's a good upgrade that is available :)

[@joebartlett3255]

Thanks for the great videos. My new 2021 Ecodiesel Wrangler had been wandering. Added the Synergy track bar/steering box brace (and it helped), but still felt like it had a mind of its own. Measured the toe & it was actually toe’d out 1/16”. Using your video I toe’d it in 1/16th and it made all the difference in the world. Thank you!

[@wayalife]

Glad it helped

[@pauljordan756]

Jim is just a great guy and really knows his stuff! Just installed ProRock 44 with Dynatrac ball joints... made in USA Quality 🇺🇸 thanks for the great informative video (as always)... Wayalife is the best KZbin channel for Jeep tech!

[@wayalife]

Thank you, we're happy to hear you enjoy our tech videos :)

[@brent0034]

Man I wish I had this video like 4 months ago lol.....I hate how Jeeps always look like they have a toe out even when they are toed in. Dam optical illusion

[@wayalife]

Well, you'll most likely need to make an adjustment in the future so this should help out then :)

[@manuelrivera6621]

Hi this is RedRex1 awesome video always learning from you Eddie watching your video are very useful because knowing the Offroad equipment we put on our jeeps, and what to look for that may help others, in same or similar situations, thanks Eddie

[@wayalife]

Awesome, so glad that we could be of help to you with videos like this :)

[@okie2608]

The tip about putting your finger on the joint is a great one. I haven’t seen that one before. The snow at the end brings back some scary memories. Difficult driving.

[@wayalife]

LOL - I think we were literally the only ones still out on the road aside from the 2 snow plows that passed us coming the other way. We didn't get home till about 2am. Tough drive for sure. Regarding the finger on the joint trick, glad we could share that with you.

[@sonnylee69]

Man! I love seeing the both of you share your insight! You guys could fill volumes with your knowledge. Thank you for sharing!!!

[@wayalife]

Glad we could be of help to you :)

[@jasonstroman4550]

Great video. Awesome explanation of how that all works. Good tip with the finger as well. I remember just rocking the wheel and hoping to see something.

[@wayalife]

Oh yeah, "feeling" for movement or vibrations caused by squeaks will always do a better job of locating a problem than looking or listening alone.

[@Jetmech01]

Great and informative video! What locker did you go with on the PR 44?

[@wayalife]

Thanks! We went with ARB. Of all the lockers we've run over the last 20+ years, ARB has just proven to us to be the strongest and most reliable.

[@wbball15]

Ratcheting wrenches are a life saver.

[@wayalife]

LOL!! Yes they are :)

[@duoglide69]

Cool info. I saw you do this before and it’s always nice to recap. I love driving in snow like that. You and WayOlet Stay safe .

[@wayalife]

Glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@duoglide69]

If you had added locking hubs to Jet Li would it improve your MPG enough to offset the cost over time ?

[@wayalife]

I doubt it. The cost is substantial especially being that you'd have to get new wheels with a different bolt pattern to run them. Of course, that would mean you'd need to run wheel adapters in the rear as well and your ball joints would be under a lot more stress causing them to fail sooner than later.

[@duoglide69]

Wow . I did know all that. Thanks

[@hectorserrano7703]

Another great video, I've learned so much from your channel

[@wayalife]

So glad to hear it, thank you :)

[@thomasrossi31]

Outstanding video. Thank you!

[@wayalife]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it :)

[@ahmonguniform]

He must be 6’8” tall Eddie

[@wshivers72]

You’re attention to detail is appreciated and what keeps me coming back.

[@wayalife]

Thank you! We're so glad to hear it.

[@sandymitchell8182]

just went under my jeep and everything moves up and down!!! just with my hand. I dont know the names but its the tube that go to each wheel, two different rods?? geez my jeep is a 2009 with 56K miles, dont off road it, I just dont get it,I just put new nitto tires on it and noticed it drove bad and pulled to the left....Oh GOD

[@ec-norsemanzero-drake7031]

So, question… 2Eddie, when you made the adjustment in the steering wheel, did that affect the toe in any? (maybe asked, but waned to ask this if not asked already)

[@wayalife]

If you're asking about adjustment to the drag link, there is no change in toe from it.

[@ec-norsemanzero-drake7031]

@@wayalife had to rewatch the last part. Seems I needed more coffee. Haha

[@jeffriley2502]

Good information as usual. Thanks for your help to our community. OllllllO

[@wayalife]

You bet! It's our hope to help others to help themselves :)

[@oldschoolmoto]

so glad i ran across your channel awhile back most informative vids on here and some great wheeling thumbs up

[@wayalife]

Awesome - we're so glad to hear it :)

[@williamsimpson3155]

Great vid, sir...i was doing a 5 tire rotation on my 2020 Rubicon (4500 miles) with oem suspension/tires and noticed the front looked toed out. Brought it back into the toe-in you guys recommended (3/32" - 1/8") but noticed that you didn't torque the adjuster bracket nut when you tightened. It's 34 ft-lbs, correct? Thanks...

[@vladbpootin3122]

And here I was about to pay someone to check out my alignment, thanks for the info!

[@wayalife]

Glad I could be of help! Here's a write-up I did to help out as well wayalife.com/showthread.php/56571-WRITE-UP-Basic-DIY-Jeep-JL-Wrangler-FRONT-END-ALIGNMENT

[@chuckzechman7390]

Nice description of steering and wear points on the JL. Thanks Brother and Safe Travels. See you in Moab.

[@wayalife]

Thank you and yes, hope to see you in Moab :)

[@chuckzechman7390]

Any chance you are doing a meet and greet with any of your subscribers? I could bring a bottle of Honey Jack or Wild Turkey American Honey to be a part of the tradition. We are super excited to hit the trails and experience EJS.

[@unwrangler11]

Thanks for a great informative video. Now I know what to look for before heading to go off roading.

[@wayalife]

Awesome, glad we could be of help to you :)

[@oceanbeliever681]

“Yoda”, I bought a 2020 JLU Rubicon a month ago. All stock but I did just add your Spider spacers which I love. From the day I bought theJeeo the steering is awful the truck wanders all over the place. Any suggestions? I lowered the air pressure to 36psi but it still sucks.

[@wayalife]

36 is way too high. You should be running at about 28-30. You'll need something like a tazer to turn off the TPMS warning but really, that's where you should be and mainly to help give you better tire wear.

[@oceanbeliever681]

Wayalife, its was in the shop today and I found out there is a recall. They are replacing the entire power steering system.

[@wayalife]

@@oceanbeliever681 Cool - glad to hear they're taking care of you.

[@ortiz73caify]

Excellent video and very good information thanks again.

[@wayalife]

Thank you. Just trying to help other Jeepers as much as we can :)

[@RS-gh2mf]

Do didn't do anything with caster or camber

[@wayalife]

This is a solid front axle and there is no camber adjustments you can make. You can only address camber on an IFS. Caster is something I cover in a write-up you can find here: wayalife.com/threads/write-up-basic-diy-jeep-jl-wrangler-front-end-alignment.56571/

[@brittsoff-road5240]

Great video. No fluff. Love it. Thank you

[@wayalife]

Glad you liked it!

[@adamclancy8706]

Nice!! Smart videos - always helpful

[@wayalife]

Thank you. Helping others help themselves is all we would ever hope to do :)

[@GoatOffroad]

Awesome Jeep guys! Just got my first Jeep and loving it!

[@wayalife]

Congratulations to you!

[@xmo552]

🐞IIII🐞 small world, huh?

[@GoatOffroad]

X Mo - small world in the Jeep community 🥰🥰

[@xmo552]

@@GoatOffroad Yuuuuup, apparently. I love what you did with the lady bug/ grill logo.

[@GoatOffroad]

X Mo - 🤣🤣 I need a logo and wanted to use that! Haven’t figured out the details yet

[@continuethejourneytransame1054]

Very educational, thank you! Keep making them Eddie!! One question for you, what was your final measurements front and back? The last measurements I heard was 68 5/8's.

[@james2004TxVet]

I really enjoyed this video. Was very informational and I liked to see the adjustment of the drag link and tie rod as well. I learned some things today for my Jeep. Keep up the great work.

[@wayalife]

Awesome - so glad that we could be of help to you :)

[@samwalker3441]

I was going to say exactly what Blizzard said. Thanks Eddie and Cindy and of course, Jim and Dynatrac.

[@vsvpdom]

Does twisting clockwise as shown in 9:58 bring the toe in more? And counter-clockwise is toe out?

[@wayalife]

Depends on the tie rod and I suppose, which way you're looking at it. Best thing to do is to take a measurement, make a small adjustment and then take another measurement to see if you're going the right way.

[@vsvpdom]

@@wayalife thanks for the prompt reply! I have a 17' JK and the tie rod is visually the same setup as the jeep in the video, I just wanted to confirm my adjustments were correct, I had done a slight rough adjustment for a quick fix for wandering I was dealing with but I'm gonna do it correctly to ensure I have the right amount of toe. I just needed that quick fix in a pinch at the time

[@---rg1gb]

Great informative video. Thanks!

[@wayalife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@johncarpenter6219]

Oh man, thanks for this video. We just bought our JLUR, and we are experiencing loose stearing. Is there anything other than the drag link to check out? How did you fix the looseness he pointed out?

[@jamesonmiller9567]

Great video, very educational about suspension maintenance. I've really enjoyed the whole series with Jim McGean! What are some of the symptoms/issues on road at speed with too much toe in?

[@wayalife]

Poor tire wear is the most noticeable symptom. If it's really off, you'd have poor handling as well.

[@jamesonmiller9567]

@@wayalife Thank you! I just recently relocated the steering stabilizer and had to remove my drag link in the process. After putting everything back together my steering wheel was off center, but thanks to your video I already knew how to fix it. Unfortunately I didn't correct it before the Service Stability Control System warning came on...so now I just have to wait for it to turn back off.

[@wayalife]

@@jamesonmiller9567 You should be able to disconnect the negative battery lead for about 15-20 min and that'll clear it.

[@tmar9159]

Very informative! Excellent video!

[@wayalife]

Thanks! We're so happy that you found it to be informative :)

[@JohnsNotHelpful]

Great information, always appreciate it. The only part I’m not clear on is the measurements for the toe in adjustment. I have 35” 12.50 w tires on my JLUS. Where can I find the measurements I need for this size ? Or where can I find this information? Your help is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[@wayalife]

This should help you out wayalife.com/showthread.php/56571-WRITE-UP-Basic-DIY-Jeep-JL-Wrangler-FRONT-END-ALIGNMENT

[@bbdoco7053]

Great video as usual! I want a prorock44🤤

[@wayalife]

Thank you :)

[@jim6682]

Another excellent video ! Thanks

[@wayalife]

Glad to be of service :)

[@TwistedOff]

👍

[@SuperThunder911]

Cool video,thank you, no more snow for me,I’m living in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida now 👍

[@zmotorsports62]

Nice job on the video. I also like to use a paint pen and mark my fasteners, especially steering and suspension, so you can see if anything changes at a quick glance. Mike

[@wayalife]

Good idea. Things like this are always a help.

[@amankahlon9651]

Omg the snow driving is so trippy in Jeep with LED’s!!!

[@tylermiller3367]

How can you check for camber?

[@wayalife]

You have a solid axle. There is no camber adjustment. If you have camber, you have a bent axle or end forging.

[@jrprieto1]

Awesome, another helpful video, quick question, I might have miss it, what are the measurement you would use on a JKU? Thanks.

[@wayalife]

It would be different with every Jeep being that most run different tires and where you measure from will change what you need to set things at. Ultimately, you want about 1/16" to 1/8" at MOST toe-in

[@lachumbley]

Very useful information!

[@wayalife]

Awesome, glad to hear it :)

[@murphtahoe1]

Wow...Great info on this video!!!

[@wayalife]

Thanks! Happy to hear you found it to be useful :)

[@Alpha-ms9nj]

Thank you so much for making and uploading this video. I now know that I can measure AND adjust the toe with my old Jeep ZJ jacked up, and learned how to center the steering wheel. I've replaced the springs and all suspension components. Including Control arms Track bar ball joints etc and installed a mild 2" lift. I increased the caster and now on to do the toe adjustment. Thanks again.

[@wayalife]

Glad I could help!

[@MilkBone3327]

Great video! Thanks again.

[@wayalife]

You bet! We're so glad that we could share this with you :)

[@signals34]

when you recenter the steering wheel, does the start button have to be in "acc" position , or is the truck completely off.....

[@wayalife]

Nope, you should be able to do this whenever.

[@sallutz]

What’s that front bumper on the Jeep in this vid? Never mind...figured it out. LOD Offroad. I checked out their bumpers, very nice. Wondering if they are easy to assemble once I remove the factory plastic bumpers on my JL 2dr. Hmmm

[@wayalife]

Well, we made a video that might help you out :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZzZgaymhqeinKM

[@mtutone]

Thanks for the video.

[@wayalife]

You bet! Glad to hear you enjoyed it :)

[@sniperjoe]

I understand he goes out but, he needs some air time too!!! He is the best jk out there lol...

[@wayalife]

Fair enough, we'll get something filmed and posted soon :)

[@wbball15]

Hyperspace transition imminent!

[@wayalife]

LOL - glad to hear you watched to the end. Hyperspace indeed :)

[@adidas4275]

Pretty wild to think you had stock steering components in your JL at some point.

[@wayalife]

LOL - We all have to start somewhere :)

[@snowren24]

great video, subbed

[@wayalife]

Awesome, thank you :)