WK Grand Cherokee won't align after budget boost install....

Has it ever been wrecked?

Negative camber should not cause the steering to pull in one direction. If you have a pull and the caster is in spec you have something else going on possibly. have any of these shops inspected bj's or wheel bearings.

I don't know Wk front ends at all but for the most part dual a-arm setups work on the same geometry. Caster is what returns the steering wheel to center when you come out of a turn. No caster will wander all over the road. Too much caster will make the car dart once you pass a certain degree of turn. Some shops will actually put more caster in one side than the other to compensate for the crown in roads. Creating a slight pull on purpose.

If these guys truly have the caster in spec but can't get the camber right you shouldn't have a pull. Check your bearings, tire pressure, and ball joints.

If they're all good have the shop make the drivers side match the passenger side and see if the pull goes away.
 
I respectfully disagree with the above. In an ideal world, we can independently adjust every aspect of the suspension geometry to get things right (and balanced from side to side). In the real world, every adjustment has an effect on other suspension characteristics. They are also all inter-related in how they effect the perceived on-center feel and "pulls".

In his case, he is sitting on (most likely) positive caster on both sides, slight toe in, positive camber or zero camber on the driver side and negative on the passenger side. The negative camber on the passenger side will result in a lessening effect of the caster angle on the centering action on the right side, letting the left side's effect push the wheels to turn right. If the cross caster sums up to favor the right side as well then it could feel like a heavy pull to the right. I searched for a while and could only find the specs attached below. I agree with Jody, pull the bolts, get a die grinder and slot the holes towards the inside of the vehicle to allow the arm to pull the bottom of the wheel in some to straighten it out.


ai300.photobucket.com_albums_nn11_robpp_specs.jpg
 
His caster "should" be matched side to side after the alignment even if the camber is off. There should be no cross caster. If you're actually referring to cross camber then you would be right to an extent. But cross camber, a difference in camber from side to side would cause a pull in the direction of the wheel with the most positive camber. Which in his case is not the symptom. He has negative camber on the passenger(right) side and the jeep pulls to the right. That is the opposite of how it works. This is why I do not believe that the alignment is the reason for his pull.

You are all correct in saying that he will likely have to open the control arm slots up to get the movement he'll need. I don't disagree with that. I'm saying that in addition to that he's gonna need to inspect for wear on other vital parts.


Sent from the MarsFab Off Road mobile response unit.
 
FWIW - I put the Rough Country lift on my wife's XK and took it to Griffin Bros near my old house (Highland Creek) and they had it aligned in no time. It tracks straight and true going down the road. The print out shows all in spec. Not sure how much a XK differs from your WK but if all else fails maybe give them a call and see if they suggest something different than what the two shops you have gone to have done.
 
I've been gone the last two weekends and a work trip last leek, so I haven't had anytime to get it looked at. Hopefully over the holiday break I can work out something....
 
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