RocketMouse

First thing I was going to say before I saw your "laundry list" post in the thread... was the upper and lower ball joints. Sounds like yours may be a little further gone than what I've heard a lot refer to as "memory steer".
That is quite the list... but maybe attack it starting with the most critical things first. I have to ask, what did you smack to bend the drag link and trackbar like that?
Either way, those are easy things to replace and aren't that expensive, especially if you do them yourself.
***As for the steering box ... when you're ready to attack that, PM me. I just got done with that PITA on mine.
Just go "a la carte" and you should be okay.

ajpulley

$70-100 is about the range for a standard rear-wheel-drive alignment. Your pictures look like an average on-road vehicle to me. There are three aspects of a front axle alignment of which only two are adjustable on yours; Caster and Toe.

Your Jeep, if I recall, has offset-headed bolts that adjust caster. My '87 uses shims instead. I also live in the northeast. So, for my model year, it wouldn't be unusual for an alignment to cost more if it hadn't been done for a few years because the shims are rusted and frozen in place, assuming the two nuts on the back of the lower control arm bracket where the shims are inserted aren't seized. My Dodge Ram 2500 has the same design as your caster adjustment. And, those bolts seize after a few years of road salt. However, the caster shouldn't need much adjusting unless the control arms bent for whatever reason, the contro arm bushings are worn, or lots of other issues, necessitating repairing the problem first. The toe can change as your vehicle ages-- the coil springs settle causing the tires to point outward in front, and the steering center changes as the tie rod angle becomes shallow, all due to the nature of the geometry of its steering. The caster might change slightly negative as the rear springs settle, but shouldn't be that far off.

The rear is a solid axle with leaf springs, and thus isn't meant to be adjusted. It is close from the factory, but not perfect. If the rear is that bad, something is wrong. Vehicles with independent rear suspensions might have adjustments in the rear.

While an alignment can help a lot, it can not fix other mechanical issues.

PatHenry

If that's too dirty, you've eliminated 80% of your potential customer base.

Anything much cleaner than that is probably too new to need much service anyway.

I kinda write off the mechanics extreme terms.. like my wheel bearing "about to fall off" and then after having my entire rear brakes done (completely new hardware, drums, shoes and both e-brake cables) my mechanic was like "Those rear brakes were bad... they were f***king bad"... (I had to wonder, was he trying to proactively defend me asking why everything was being replaced? That's silly, I would have had everything replaced anyway since it's already apart...) And beyond that, the job was done... the Jeep's 22 years old and the e-brake was immovable... no **** the brakes were worn...

PatHenry

I'd start with a second opinion on what needs to be done.

There are plenty of tests you can do yourself to get a better idea of how bad each possible bad part is.

There are also write ups on doing the "at home" alignment that you can do to get it close to right if you think it's way off.

EEVEE

I know i just wanted to throw a quick alignment on it for the time being to get a little more life from the new tires im gonna put on it soon. Then a little down the road i am gonna replace the front end stuff. As for the other stuff that is unnecessary as the steering box, track bar and drag link they are NOT bent at all and a matter of fact the track bar is new. And the ball joints are NOT metal on metal. The wheel bearings are newer as they are 8 years old i only put 8k miles on them. While the steering damper needs replacement most likely id rather wait and redo the front with many other parts. While ill agree the bushings may be work they arent metal on metal and they only brought it in then lifted it and put a bar under the tire and lifted one side, shook their head and brought it back downa nd drove it off. Now contrary to the ball joints my dads blazer recently had its control arm bushings explode basically and those were metal on metal and there was WAY more play than mine because i took it home myself and threw it in the air and tested it myself with very little to no play at all and i even did their test with the pry bar under the tire and again very very little play in them nothing near as catastrophic as they said it was that my whole tire was moving. i checked both ways and moved the tire in every single frickin direction and no movement that was excessive. Even my grandfather said what are they talking about. And he worked on cars for 50 years up till 2009 so he knows what he is talking about. I wanna take it somewhere else but the closest one is far away. Oh well but what they said to me was a bunch of lies and my jeep is a danger to drive and my wheels could fall off. Plus what basically told me to just go away was when they said my front axle wasnt connected to the body thats where they lost me.

EEVEE

I may try that tho im not sure about it. And i know it needs work.... I mean 206k miles with original parts is bad yes but nothing like they said. I know the parts are worn but nothing catastrophic as they said. I wanted better tires because my current ones are terrible in the rain and basically anything that is not dry pavement... Kinda embarrassing when youre in 4wd stuck in your own back yard on some wet grass you know lol. So i wanted a more aggressive tire but also not have them get chewed up as fast as i expect them to last atleast a year because these ones are a tad bit worn as theyre used and already had the sides worn down i only got 2k miles out of them before the passenger side looks like bologna and feels like youre sliding a hot dog down a hallway with tile and the drivers side looks like it did before putting it on. I think the po hit a pretty good curb when doing a u turn lol the old rim had a huge scuff mark on the lip so thats a possibility. But like stated nothing is bent at all looks like any other jeeps drag link and track bar.

EEVEE

lol nothing they arent bent at all theyre straight as a (censor words) but the steering box is perfectly fine and going with the memory steer if its what i looked up as the steering does go back to the center, just slowly and need to turn it myself to say do a u turn or a regular turn but anythign on the road like a slight bend or whatnot it goes back to the center and if i let my hands off the steering wheel it does track straight but i think its because the tires are facing way outwards and keeping it straight but the passenger tire is a little off i think because if the road isnt flat it will pull if say im in the right lane but the left lane it goes completely straight with no issues and on a flat road itll track straight only time it really pulls is if its very cold out and i brake then it pulls. I know as i said everything needs work lol.

PatHenry

Get a second opinion - seriously.

8 years is actually a long time for front bearings (you know this because parts stores typical warranty is 1 year and even the Moog ones are only 3 typically)

Also, just my $.02, but I'd fix any front end items BEFORE putting new tires on it. Tires are expensive and you will ruin them if your front end stuff is bad. Unless you have some reason you must put tires on it, fix the other stuff first - you might be able to get a used set of tires if you're just going to burn them out.. just do your research and be smart about your choices.

EEVEE

yes you are right but i just got everything set up for these tires because i kind of need a more aggressive tire for some of the stuff i do that these tires are not cutting it. or else i would have just stuck a cheap tire on it till i get it fixed and i do have one i just dont like the fact its from 2004. Looks new but tires age lol. As you said but i dont see how bearings go bad from just sitting i guess the grease can go bad and i dont blame you for telling me to fix it first, I know it needs work but for 250 bucks i can get some decent tires that will get me through with what i need before i spend all that money on my front end and yes i know that sounds crazy and a very stupid move but what triggered me for new tires was almost slamming into someone in the rain because these tires do not grip for **** and hydroplane at 35 mph but i need tires to get me back and forth from work without needing to air them up constantly, not blowing up or slipping and sliding in the rain lol also where i work i got these with my discount so theyre cheaper than normal. But i need to save up for my front end parts and then more and i plan on dedicating an entire day to fix what needs to be done lol, front end and even wheel bearings because if i buy brake discs they come with bearings, whole frickin brake job, new u joints and exhaust system and maybe another cooling system overhaul and many other things as i plan on keeping this jeep for a good while before i go off to a trade school and want something that wont break as badly as a cheap car would do lol. So im doing all this work while i can.

00t444e

You can replace all the stuff listed and do the alignment yourself for less than $500. I highly doubt half of that stuff is actually bad because if it was you would have a death wobble. You can check that stuff your self by getting underneath the front of the vehicle and having someone turn the wheel back and forth you can see if there is any play in the steering components, and track bar. You can check the wheel bearings by jacking the wheel up and seeing if there is any play in it. The ball joints can be checked by putting a prybar under the tire and prying up on it while you check for movement in the joints. Also what made them determine that the steering stabilizer was bad? The only way to test it is to take it off and see how easy it moves in and out, and your steering stabilizer and shocks don't affect the alignment.

BwanaBob

If you want to look at the Jeep yourself instead of just taking a shop's opinion:
Replace any of the four tie rod sockets that have play in them. Jack up the front
wheels and grab the tire at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions and try to move it.
If you feel play, then you can replace the ball joints (Spicer is the original
brand and is very reasonably priced).

Unless your front end is really messed up, or unless you have a lift kit
with adjustable control arms and ball joints, you can do the basic alignment
on your driveway. It is basically just twisting the tie rod to lengthen or shorten
it. Turn the steering wheel so the front wheels are eyeball straight, turn off
the motor, jack up the driver side wheel an inch off the ground. Then loosen
the nuts on the collars at each end of the straight tie rod. Place a long 2x4
across the front of the Jeep, touching the front of both tires, pick a tread groove
on each tire and mark the board where the groove hits, then put the board
behind the tires and mark where the same grooves hit. Then twist the tie
rod to shorten or lengthen it so the distance between the grooves in the front
of the tires is about 1/8 inch less than at the rear of the tires (the "toe-in").
Tighten up the collars and keep the 2x4 in your garage for next time.

If the steering wheel isn't straight after that, just loosen the 2 bolts on the
collar of the drag link, and turn the collar and that will move the steering
wheel. When you have it straight, tighten the collar back up and you're done.