Upper Ball Joint Problems

libertynewyork · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 8:19 pm

Hello,
I am new to the boards, but a long time lurker. The family and I go wheeling once in awhile. My Liberty has 39,000 miles and just had to replace the lower ball joints a few days ago. And now I am told the upper ball joints have to be replaced also.

I have heard there are a lot of people who have had to replace their lower ball joints already too. Has anyone heard of the upper ball joints going so quick also?
And any suggestions on a certain manufacturer to go with for these?

Guyute1210 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 8:27 pm

libertynewyork wrote:

Hello,
I am new to the boards, but a long time lurker. The family and I go wheeling once in awhile. My Liberty has 39,000 miles and just had to replace the lower ball joints a few days ago. And now I am told the upper ball joints have to be replaced also.

I have heard there are a lot of people who have had to replace their lower ball joints already too. Has anyone heard of the upper ball joints going so quick also?
And any suggestions on a certain manufacturer to go with for these?

You will have to get OEM uppers to fix them, or since you have a lift, you could contact Al (www.jeepinbyal.com) and get his that have greasable Moog balljoints. Check here for the group buy going on, you may still be able to get in on it.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 8:33 pm

I had a set of uppers go bad at 9000 miles.

jg45 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 9:29 pm

Actually, MOOG makes an upper as well. It is like the OEM in that it is sold with the upper cotrol arm. Part number is K3198.

Neal · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:01 pm

that one is $116 -- wonder if it has a grease fitting?

jpzkj · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:01 pm

Uppers at 38K

jg45 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:06 pm

I doubt it has a grease fitting. Since it is meant to replace the OE upper control arm, the bumpstop is going to hit right on tip of the ball joint. That would really mess with any zerk fitting there. But it may be better quality than the OEM.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:51 pm

jg45 wrote:

I doubt it has a grease fitting. Since it is meant to replace the OE upper control arm, the bumpstop is going to hit right on tip of the ball joint. That would really mess with any zerk fitting there. But it may be better quality than the OEM.

With Als arm you have to cut the bumpstop b/c of the zerk.

EagleVT94 · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:52 pm **Posts:** 64

I'm replacing my LBJs next week at 71,500 miles. It'll be the second set. The uppers have amazingly survived...checked them last weekend and couldn't find any play.

Libby4Wheeler · **Posted:** Sat Mar 18, 2006 11:34 am

How did you ckeck those, i watched the guy at the dealership when they did my lowers but i cannot think of a way to check the uppers.... and it is cold outside.

1calkid · **Posted:** Sat Mar 18, 2006 1:11 pm

I had a local parts dealer get some of those MOOG stock uppers in. They are not greesable. Also, with the lift, you will run into the same problem as with the current OEM ones. It's the angle that the lift puts the stock uppers in. Al has created a nice set up with a greaseable MOOG ball joint that has the right angle for a lift and will also make it much easier to get your alignment back into specs without maxing out the measurements to do it. That is why I went with Al's uppers. Now if and when I need to replace the upper ball joint, all I need to do is get the ball joint itself and not the whole arm assembly.

Much easier and a lot less time to do.

libertynewyork · **Posted:** Sat Mar 18, 2006 1:24 pm

Here is the kicker in my situation. I took mine Liberty to my local Jeep dealership to have the lower ball joints replaced this past Tuesday. Drove it straight home and on the way I could still hear the same clunking noise in the front. While I was at Jeep I asked them if they saw anything else wrong. They said no.

Next morning, drove it to a different auto shop that usually does all of my work and they told me both the uppers and lowers are bad. I said what do you mean the lowers are bad. I just had them changed yesterday. They said I don't care when you had them changed they are bad.

So right now it is sitting in my driveway and can't be drove until fixed. I have been calling around and I found a price of like $125.00 per side for the uppers. Which have to be ordered. I am going to reaplce them myself. Hopefully this week.

Once I get the uppers fixed and I going to figure out what is going on the lowers now.

Scott

EagleVT94 · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:52 pm **Posts:** 64

I lifted the Jeep at a buddies shop, we took off the wheels, lowered the lift until the suspension was 'relaxed' on a log, then used a massive vice wrench to isolate the ball joint, then used a tire iron to try and wiggle the UBJ. I doubt it was the best method, but the method kept the hanging weight off the UBJs, and allowed us to try and get some play.

CaKJFreedom · **Posted:** Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:32 pm

Libertynewyork. so are you seeing if the dealer can either replace them correctly or cover the price? Either way good luck once you get to drive it again.

Upper Ball Joint Problems

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