on getting a recall going for the UCA/UBJ assembly? I've got less than 15K miles on my 2ND SET!!!! and just got told they're gone (NOT SAFE!!) I replaced them with OEM (sorry, JBA, just didn't trust the design you had at the time. ). So, with a total of less than 45,000 miles, I've killed two sets of upper ball joints. Glad I replaced the 2nd set of lowers with Moogs. Seriously considering a SAS, considering there's a stock Comanche sitting in my driveway waiting to get torched and rebuilt. I think I can talk the guy out of the HPD30 for storage fees.

Anyway, Where is THAT thread 'cause I honestly don't feel the stock setup is safe, anymore.

_________________
Ron


"There are few problems in life the liberal application of duct tape can't solve."

_________________
- Mike
'12 JK

Jeep Tech Files

to file a complaint with the NHTSA...

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm

_________________
- Mike
'12 JK

Jeep Tech Files

Why would you expect OEM balljoints to last with a lift?

To get the NHTSA involved in an issue that affects a part of your Jeep that is stressed BECAUSE OF MODIFICATIONS YOU CHOSE is ridiculous.

2 sets in 45000 miles man thats bad, I have my stock set with 106,000 on them and they are still tight even with a lift, sure theres not another problem somewhere?

_________________
MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

Thanks. Complaint submitted. The first link in the thread I was asking about seems to be dead, tho'.

_________________
Ron


"There are few problems in life the liberal application of duct tape can't solve."

Hmmm, worked for me just now. do a search for UBJ in the General Forum. Thread started at the end of April titled "Government probe into KJ upper ball joint faillures"

_________________
- Mike
'12 JK

Jeep Tech Files

Yeah, but this is like complaining that your engine blew up because you put a 100 shot of nitrous on it. Mine are still tight, too, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna complain when they die.

To hold ChryCo responsible for such a thing is just putting another nail in the coffin of Jeep. You did what Jeepers do by lifting your Jeep, now you're paying the price that Jeepers pay by wearing out parts. Deal with it.

I don't want to be re-paid. Didn't ask for payment when I switched to Moog LBJs so that's not the point. I just want to make sure that everyone driving a KJ is safe doing so.

_________________
Ron


"There are few problems in life the liberal application of duct tape can't solve."

You pretty much told us all that you knew you needed aftermarket UCA's. There is no point in bitching.
IMO the only reason the NHTSA should be investigating is cases for unlifted, stock, pavement pounders.
You wheel, you lift, you modify, you WEAR OUT PARTS. Period. Get JBA arms.
[/soapbox]

Regardless of lift, the design is very bad. A non-greasable, non-replaceable ball joint!? What the #$%&
I had an upper ball joint FAILURE, lots of fun. Yes I had a lift, but if the parts weren't so bad to begin with you could at least work with it, in other words replace the ball joints or grease them. It's like Chrysler wants to swim in our money because more than 800,000 KJs sold all came with upper control arms that can quite easily go bad just like the LBJs, and you HAVE to buy a whole new arm to fix any ball joint issue.
It's a Jeep, it isn't supposed to fall apart. That's just my Joe Schmoe moral stance. Chrysler should replace the a-arms with something better, and admit that their original 'maintenance free' design is rather maintenance INTENSIVE after you realize all the suspension parts your having to replace to make your Jeep safe. If Jeepin By Al can give me new, better control arms after his original design broke on me, why the heck can't Chrysler do it?
Don't even get me started on the D30a aluminum front diff of ours
Yeah, it's a Jeep, and mods lead to heavy wear on certain parts. But what was the last time you had a friend with a Wrangler or a Cherokee talk about his tire falling off just because of his lift kit? Thousands of people have lifted other vehicles without these problems and this sort of disclaimer loophole should not shadow the real problem: bad product design, Chrysler's lack of responsibility, and their (for the majority of us) horrible dealerships.

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2003 Limited, Silver - L.O.S.T. # 068957 Rockies
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2127390/14
2006 Kawasaki KLR650

You have ANY clue how many vehicles are like that?

Honda went to a strut front suspension so they only had ONE balljoint per side to worry about instead of uppers and lowers.

there are a LOT more than 800,000 '97+ F150s/light duty F250s and '98+ Rangers that are exactly as you just described. and their upper AND lower balljoints are worse than ours!

Yet, we should just shell out the extra bucks to fix it ourselves, just to feel safe? In the words of Penn and Teller, I call, "B#!!$#!+"!!

_________________
Ron


"There are few problems in life the liberal application of duct tape can't solve."

You shelled out the dough for your lift, didn't you? Something you decided Chrysler designed wrong, and corrected yourself, yes?

You modified your vehicle and didn't use enough aftermarket parts for said modifications. You have the gimme-gimme-gimme i-did-nothing-wrong mentality in this issue that is killing this country.

I am out of this discussion.

You're trying to normalize this problem by showing its common occurance. Just because it has happened elsewhere, even if very common, does not make it OK, IMO.
Your argument makes it sound like you work for some major automanufacture and are tenaciously supporting them because you don't want to lose money when they get sued. I'd like to see you tell everyone face-to-face who feels wronged by unsuspected and unwarranted vehicle problems that it's "tough luck" and that they should have known better by not buying that vehicle. It's like you're telling anyone who's had these problems, "screw you, you're just a number!"

How does that makes any of this right, or even SAFE for that matter? Every consumer wants a safe vehicle. It seems that according to you that's asking too much.

_________________
2003 Limited, Silver - L.O.S.T. # 068957 Rockies
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2127390/14
2006 Kawasaki KLR650

Take it easy everybody. This is quickly going down the wrong road.

_________________
My Jeep Build ----> Big Black

Point is NO manufacturer today makes a vehicle with any greaseable parts due to people being too lazy to grease them properly. You can not blame Chrysler or any other company its a cost saving matter plus what I have already said. For me if something wears out I replace it and go on, part of owning a vehicle. Also I do not want them touching mine or have their replacement parts so I upgrade to better parts, something everyone should consider doing when its time.

I just do not understand why anyone gets on here and starts blaming Jeep/Chrysler or anyone else, parts wear out and some fail before others !!!
Deal with it and move on and enjoy driving your Jeep

_________________
MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^X2^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

By filling with NHTSA about a stock suspension part failing after YOU modified the suspension you are actually commiting fruad since you messed the part up by your actions and if they investigate your claim and find you at fault Chrysler can actually take action against you for slander.Go look at any newer vehicle,95% of them have sealed balljoints so it is not a bad design.Sure you will have some failures,it's called mass production and with over 1 million KJ's out there you are going to have some failures of all kinds.The LBJ's where found to have a design flaw,hence the recall but the UCA's do not have a design flaw untill you lift the KJ.Then you are making the UCA and balljoint work outside of it's intended "SAFE" working angles,hence your failures.

Again just remember these two phrases,a staple for Jeeps...............

1) Just Empty Every Pocket
2) You gotta pay to play