BALL JOINTS AGAIN...WATCH THEM

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:31 pm

Well I took the KJ in today to have the LBJ checked to verify if they needed replacement. I checked them myself and they were right at the point of max play (approx 1.5 mm movement). They verified that the LBJ had some play in them, but they would have to contact DC to get ok to replace them since I have oversized tires with aggressive tread(245/75 16 MTRs).

How do I find out who the Service Rep is in my area?

lilmatty · **Posted:** Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:35 pm

There's a customer support number in the user's manual. They seem to be more accomodating about helping with the BJ problem

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:40 pm

I will look in the owners manual tonight.

They guy at the desk actually asked if it had been in an accident because of all the scrapes and scratches along the skids and the small dents and scratches in the body. :lol:

I dont think they new of the previous recall for the 02-03 KJ's LBJs. They looked at me like I was from outer space.

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:40 pm

How can they point to the tires when there's a recall on that part?

"well, our part is known to be defective, but YOURS wore out because you have taller tires."

I bet you can sue and WIN if you crashed as a result of the LBJ failure even if you had those tires. Feel free to point that out to them. Need my wife's number? She can do it for you? (Lawyer :twisted:

)

They're such retards!

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:52 pm

Well I am hoping to talk to the Service Rep tomorrow and will probably talk to their Service Manager as well to point out the fact the there was a recall on the previous model years for the same part failure.

I dont see how they can deny the repair, the tire and wheels came off another stock Jeep(Rubicon). Its not like I am running boggers or supper swampers. That is what I would call and aggressive tread, not Goodyear MTRs.

sstenner · **Posted:** Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:08 pm

So, I have some time and I decide to nose around the board for a while... see the sticky here and start reading... starting to get concerned because I have an '03... checked out the NHTSA notices and according to the vin numbers listed, my jeep should have been recalled in December of '03. The only recall I ever got was something to do with the flipper window. Guess I'll be calling the dealer in the morning to have a little chat and see what's up.

Just had a front end alignment last week and DH thinks the mechanic should have noticed if there was something wrong - I think I want a second opinion.

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:40 pm

I had mine aligned just before noticing thread here too. Did the "clint 2x4 test" and was so freaked out by how much play I saw, that I drove straight to dealership the next morning where they immediately replaced the LBJ's under recall warranty. THEY WERE SHOT! Thank goodness (and this forum) nothing terrible happened. I drive a lot of miles, many with my young kids.

Alignment shops should check this stuff, usually do (to try and get more work out of the warranty job) but don't always in the interest of time.

RkyMtnKJ · **Posted:** Thu Nov 17, 2005 10:53 pm

now this concerns me....i have an 05' placed the lift on at about 3000 miles and now a little over 7000 miles on and im going on a pretty hefty road trip through Colorado north from Durango to Boulder for thanksgiving tomorrow (400 miles) should i be concerned at all as of now or should i be able to hold out for a while?

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2005 7:48 am

You'll be fine. I'm not sure if they include the heat shields on the 05's now, but either way, with only 7k on the clock, you'll be ok.

I guess the bottom line here is that the OEM ball joints have a short life. Reducing heat will help, but if we run OEM, the only thing to do is check them and change them often. Anyone have anything to add to that?

(Obviously, the next step would be to go aftermarket.)

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2005 10:31 am

Spoke to the Service Manager today and he said to call him Monday to check and see if the repair will be covered under warranty. He said he will not know until the General Manager returns from a corporate meeting in Vegas this weekend.

Guess that I have to pray that my wheels dont fall off in the mean time :evil:

However, if they do, I will be a rich man :lol:

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:17 pm

Good news. The Service Manager called and informed me they would cover the LBJ under warranty and they were ordering the parts. He told me they would be in next week sometime and they would call when they came in so they could install them.

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Mon Nov 21, 2005 5:02 pm

wahoo.

They knew better than to mess with a LOST group!

TheChucklesStart · **Posted:** Fri Dec 02, 2005 1:41 pm

Would this explain the clunking sound that I get when I go over bumps? If so, I am really disapointed, I don't even have 10,000 on my 04.

To bad my jeep is 85 miles away from me, and the vehicle I have now is broken....

I will definatly have to check this out.

EDIT: Do the MOOG parts work ok after they have been submerged in water?

KJ04 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:23 pm

My 04 came with the heat sheilds, and the ball joints went at 18,425 a few weeks ago. My left lower was making a creaking noise when I turned the steering wheel. Dealer replaced them under warranty, not recall.
I'm lifted,locked, ARB w/winch, full armor, with 32" M/T's. They just replaced them no questions asked.

I was previously denied warranty on the front housing due to OFF-ROADING .

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Sun Dec 18, 2005 9:54 pm

KJ04 wrote:

I was previously denied warranty on the front housing due to OFF-ROADING .

I find that so infuriating!

But check this out, this year's Jeep Jamboree catalog comes directly FROM JEEP! Not from JJUSA, but corporate Jeep! If they ever try to deny me, I'm going to throw that in their faces. hell, the catalog suggests what aftermarket parts are required for certain trails.

Also interesting to see that all they're doing is adding heat shields even on 2004's. They're insane. They're askign for a lawsuit. People will have the recall done and think their Jeeps are "fixed." after 60k or so, when the BJ's fail AGAIN, if htey cause injuries, owners (and attornies) will sue and win, RIGHTFULLY SO!. FIX THE PROBLEM, don't invent better band-aids!

KJ_Dave · **Posted:** Mon Dec 19, 2005 12:42 am

I was noticing a sound from the front end of my 05 with 20,000 on it. I took in the other day and they found that it was a dry frony swaybar bushing. They greased it and there is no sound now. I think I am going to check my BJ next weekend.

Hope this helps.

Guest · **Posted:** Mon Dec 19, 2005 12:59 am

ok, stupid comment...

what heat are the heat shields even supposed to shield the balljoints from? and if there IS a source of heat...wouldn't it just help keep the heat IN, especially when doing something like...oh, i dunno...DRIVING?

Guest · **Posted:** Mon Dec 19, 2005 1:04 am

2003KJ wrote:

This would explain the shaking I have in my wheel at highway speeds, and possibly my shaking while turning and braking. I tried balancing the tires and that didn't make a difference.

oh boy...and my service dispatcher thought I was smoking crack when I told him that mine started shaking, and that it did it intermittently.

they know me VERY well, and they know I'm VERY rough on my vehicles, so I KNOW they're going to start pointing fingers at four wheeling to be at fault. Maybe I should email the service manager a link to this thread.

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:10 am

ThunderbirdJunkie wrote:

ok, stupid comment...

what heat are the heat shields even supposed to shield the balljoints from? and if there IS a source of heat...wouldn't it just help keep the heat IN, especially when doing something like...oh, i dunno...DRIVING?

Brakes = heat.

KJ_Dave · **Posted:** Mon Dec 19, 2005 3:59 pm

I made an appt for wed morning to have them check out my ball joints. I am starting to notice the same vibration and symptoms that I had with my 03 dakota a few years ago. 3 of the 4 were bad on it, and then they recalled the lbj. Its an 05 lib sport with only 19539 on it. If the bj are bad I am going to have a nice long conversation with a few people. :evil:

BALL JOINTS AGAIN...WATCH THEM

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