HOW TO CHECK YOUR BALL JOINTS.

W3CSX · **Posted:** Wed Jul 12, 2006 8:34 pm

Add me to the failure club.

I just checked my lower ball joints. I have about 3/16th" play in the passenger side and over a 1/4" on the drivers. Then I checked the upper and the passenger side is leaking. It has grease all over it. So far I have put 23,156 miles on the clock in 9 months. 11,000 of them with the lift.

Where is Al :?:

Jason

corwyyn · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 4:22 pm

Checked mine last weekend and didn't see any obvious play in them. I took pics to compare with and without load and they look good. One question I have - in the image below, is the higlighted piece the 'heat shield' that is installed per the recall?

Yeah, I know - look at all that crud caked on the suspension. That is Grade A, worlds finest Arizona mud under there!

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 5:05 pm

Yes, the highlighted piece is the recall. Kinda stupid I think.

corwyyn · **Posted:** Sun Jul 23, 2006 6:28 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Yes, the highlighted piece is the recall. Kinda stupid I think.

Hmm, so the 'shield' keeps the high heat from the rotors from reaching the LBJ? Yeah, I can see where that can be helpful in preventing a ball joint failure :roll:

Once I get caught up on some bills I am going to order some Moogs. I gotta say this - my dad had a '66 Ford Falcon that he put 250K on and I don't ever remember him having a problem with ball joints (since he lubed them regularly). If I can get anywhere near that in the KJ I'll be a happy man...

BioDoc · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:42 am

What source have you CRD owners used to purchase Moog LBJ's? I have scoured the web, and have come up empty. Many of the parts sites use the same search engine. The online reps of these companies have been less than helpful.

Still schmoozing the service manager at the local dealer (who didn't sell me my CRD Jeep, CA doesn't sell them) to make sure he doesn't take a "You voided the warranty by lifting the vehicle" attitude.

Video Guy · **Posted:** Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:03 am

Has anyone been able to get a dealership's service department to install Moog lower ball joints? I'm guessing they'll refuse; kind of like ordering a Double Whopper at McDonalds. (Sorry for the lame analogy.)

T.J.

Loopkey · **Posted:** Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:52 am

Video Guy wrote:

Has anyone been able to get a dealership's service department to install Moog lower ball joints? I'm guessing they'll refuse; kind of like ordering a Double Whopper at McDonalds. (Sorry for the lame analogy.)

T.J.

They will install them if you buy them.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:58 pm

Tokyojoe wrote:

I finally checked mine with 25,000 miles on it. I noticed the heat shields were already on them. No problems. Barely moved even when I almost lifted the KJ off the floor jack. No wiggles.

Wow!! You must be a big boy!! That or you had a pole that was about 1k feet long!!

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:22 pm

corwyyn wrote:

Checked mine last weekend and didn't see any obvious play in them. I took pics to compare with and without load and they look good. One question I have - in the image below, is the higlighted piece the 'heat shield' that is installed per the recall?

Yeah, I know - look at all that crud caked on the suspension. That is Grade A, worlds finest Arizona mud under there!

That heat shield is from the old recall, not this new one. A pathetic solution. We will have to wait and see what they install for this new recall. Once I know, I'll decide if I go with it or not. Lifetime warranty means nothing if it still fails and kills you.

05JeepKJ · **Posted:** Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:26 pm

Video Guy wrote:

Has anyone been able to get a dealership's service department to install Moog lower ball joints? I'm guessing they'll refuse; kind of like ordering a Double Whopper at McDonalds. (Sorry for the lame analogy.)

T.J.

I guess it depends on the dealer. Two of the dealers by me refuse to use anything but mopar parts. The only exception to this rule is the motor oil.

ttarmoom · **Joined:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:26 pm **Posts:** 9

I was noticing some loss of control when driving over bumps, and wasn't sure what it was. I headed over here to see if other had similar problems, and I found this thread. After checking the lower balls joints in the manner Clint described, it was apparent that they were the cause of the loss of control and swaying. They each had about 1/4" play. I pretty much stopped driving the Jeep after that and borrowed my dad's car (he's retired...he goes no where except to the tv chair!)

I just got done tonight replacing them with serviceable Moogs. Tearing most of the beast apart was fine and dandy, but pressing in and pressing out the ball joints is for the birds. I'd rather milk a bull.

It been a while since I've been on this forum, but I'm glad its here. I especially want to thank Clint and Ted for the information you posted on this.

- Tarwhat

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Sat Sep 02, 2006 9:23 pm

No kidding, I didnt think I would ever get those things pressed out and in. :shock:

mvef · **Posted:** Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:53 pm

RFCRD wrote:

Cacher123 wrote:

54K & she's at the dlr right now for LBJs! (& I've only offroaded 2x, light stuff too!) :cry:

You made it to 54K miles, what's your secret? Dealer just replaced both my LBJ's last week at less than 15K miles and it's never been off road. Come to think of it, the last time I owned a vehicle that needed LBJ's was my high school beater '74 Super-beetle over 20 yrs ago.

I have about 70K on my 02 Liberty with NO PROBLEMS WITH MY LBJs UNTIL NOW. I dont get how some people can have problems with their lbj with so little miles. Some have to change them again after they got new ones. To me, that doesnt seem right.

My Liberty was new when I bought it in 2002 and Ive been driving it for 4 YEARS!!

PitViper · **Posted:** Wed Sep 27, 2006 9:19 pm

Pressing them out and in wasn't to bad with mine after dad bought the tool and I got to practice on his libby. :lol:

Buzzer · **Posted:** Mon Oct 16, 2006 2:17 am

has there only been 1 recall on these? also i have a grinding sound when i crank my wheel left or right (backing up or taking off) any ideas? i have no fluid leak and no air bubbles in the line....

kf4lkv · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:32 pm

I am taking mine to the dealer Monday Oct 23 so far no problems to my knowledge but they are going to replace them any way it seems funny thought I asked about alignment and the service manger said that i would not need to be realigned that seems funy to me.

Buzzer · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:46 pm

well i'm in line to get mine done now.... if anyone needs the part # (part# CBXEF230) lower ball joints......

kf4lkv · **Posted:** Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:10 pm

Got mine back from the dealer today no hassles at all here in Tupelo they replaced both lower joints for no cost to me at all and where even friendly about it.

aardvark4x4 · **Posted:** Fri Nov 17, 2006 1:17 pm

Just had the 24000 mile service on my '04 CRD (highway use only). Left hand LBJ replaced for the second time (was done at the 12000 mile service too) and Right hand one replaced for the first time. I'm told the joints I now have (#CCBXEF230) are the ones that will be fitted for the planned worldwide recall which should cure the problem for good. In another 6 months I'll have done another 12000 miles, so if that left hand joint is still good then I'll know they've fixed it.

jcphoto20 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:36 am **Posts:** 507

i have a prelowered 02 with almost 50k miles, never had any ball joints changed, never received the first recall. got the latest one today. ive jacked it and pryed and checked, driverside no play, passenger, negligible amount.

its also a drum brake jeep, and while i was under there i checked all the brakes, front still has at least a 1/3 life on original pads, rear drums and shoes about half life left. yes i did notice what they looked like when new.

have gone 4 wheeling probably 8 times, moderate intesity.

HOW TO CHECK YOUR BALL JOINTS.

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