Alignment knocked out on an easy trail, what could be bent?

Hey guys,
Was wondering what parts are commonly damaged when this happens? This was a relatively mild trail and I was surprised to have pushed the steering wheel so far off-center. Thinking my steering knuckle might be bending since everything else looks good--LCA cams haven't moved, tie rod isn't bent. I know a long time ago I bend the crossmember that the steering rack mounts to but I didn't hit the ground at all on this trail or have any hard landings....or landings at all--it was practically a gravel road, so I don't think that got any more damaged. Theres no new scratches on the skidplate.

Any ideas? I plan on taking a look at the steering knuckles later and seeing if they might be bent. What's common for this problem?

 

It's also a possibility that your steering rack skipped some teeth. Just take it in for an alignment and go from there.

 

They are marked with a paint pen.

That's a thing? Would that imply the rack is considerably damaged?

 

Not necessarily. One time I was on a fire road going about 25 mph and was rounding a sweeping turn. Mid-turn, hit a small pothole. With all the lateral forces at play, I felt it happen and sure as shit, my steering wheel was then crooked. An alignment fixed it.

Now it's a possibility that the cam tabs moved in that instance, but I do know that skipping teeth is indeed a thing.

 

I'm just concerned because I had this same thing corrected less than two weeks ago....and then for it to go out of alignment on an access road that I used to take it on when it was bone stock? Sounds like something ain't right. I'll take it in again and have them look.

 

You can get Firestomne lifetime allignment, but I think it's once per six months.

 

I don't trust them to be able to work with adjustable uppers, otherwise yeah, i'd be down for that.

 

I have a life time alignment. I've been in multiple times in a month before, no questions asked.

 

I don't think they'll adjust uppers. I set my SPC UCAs on my own so I can have 0 degrees of camber and let them only touch the lowers.

 

That's the problem. The lower cam tabs need to be all the way forward so the wheel clears the cab mount--then adjust the uppers to get the proper alignment.

 

You have the SPCs? Do you have the tools to do the adjustment in the shop parking lot?

 

Icon Billets with the Heim Joints. I don't have the tools for them, and even if I did, I don't have an alignment rig.

 

How do you know its not a problem in the rear ?? Remember the front wheels follow the rear, so if the axle shifted, it threw the thrust angle off. Which off centered the steering wheel.. Take the truck to alignment shop and have them check the thrust angle. The front CAMBER AND CASTER ECCENTRICS DID NOT MOVE. It is possible if all looks ok in the front end, check the knuckles where the tie rod ends are bolted up, may of bent. Measure the distance from each knuckle to the rotor edge, if not the same you found the problem..

 

NO this could not happen, if it did you could not steer because the steering gear in the rack would be bent.. I have been doing work on cars for 40 years. I have never seen any teeth go bad, internal shaft will bend if hit hard enough or break. You may get a binding wheel as well. But teeth will not jump.. Not to sound like a ll know it all, just letting you know what I know.

 

Awesome, thank you, I'll check these things.

 

Well don’t mean to sound like a dick but a forum is not going to help u determine the damage . Take it to a shop . Best of luck .

 

Didn't ask anyone on here to diagnose, simply asked what the weak spots are.

 

I am sure he knows that but wanted a idea where to look to save some money !!!! Cant blame him for that.

 

The weakest spot is the loose nut behind the wheel. That causes 99% of the problems.

The only way you will know what is wrong is to take it to a shop and have them put it on a rack and take measurements. There is zero point in speculating or even wasting anyone's time with a web-diagnosis of common points of failure.

 

This is why I am usually the slowest on the trail. They call me a bitch for it, but I haven't broken anything yet *knocks on wood*. But maybe breaking stuff is a "Jeep thing" I wouldn't understand.