hey fellas, how often do

superj · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:54 am

how often do the top ball joints go out? my 02 has perfect lower ball joints but the tops are totally goners. i rotated my tires yesterday and found out about the thunking noise being those uppers. they look like they require the whole arm to be replaced to change instead of just pressing out like the lowers but it was super dirty and getting late so i just did a quick visual. are they able to be pressed out and replaced?

i have decided that i am for sure getting those 255/70/16s off and putting on something closer to correct like 225/75/16 or so.

also, for eveyone hanging those large spare tires on the factory mount at the rear door, my door is tearing below the lower right bolt. i read in a thread the other day how everyone said it is safe to hang the larger tires but its not. i have a 1/2 to 3/4 inch long tear from the weight of the tire on bumps and opening the rear door. i had an odd squeek that i was trying to locate so i pulled the spare tire and carrier and thats what it was. the metal was flexing where the tear was and making a horrible squeek.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:22 am

My upper arms were still good at over 100,000 miles, just switched them out due to a deal on JBAs
Spare tire no problem there either? No metal ripped out or anything due to heavier tire back there,

what kind of lift do you have on?

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:22 am

Better change those arms asap before they fail on road and you or someone else ends up injured. A member on here had his fail on road and caused a minor crash, at speed it could have been real bad.
You have to change the whole arm as the ball joints are not replaceable.

Strange on the rear door tear. I have known many to carry 265/75-16's on the rear door and this is the 1st I have read about someone w/ a sheet metal problem back there due to tire size. Are you sure nobody ever hit that tire when you weren't looking?

daspes · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:39 am

I posted a similar problem with my tire mount about 2 years ago. Mounted with 32's on it the sheet metal had dented in at the bottom of the mounts. Not sure if was from the trail (more likely) or the street. I usually carry mine on the rack now to prevent a serious problem. Pic of the problem area...

superj · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:33 pm

my tail gate is not dented like yours, daspes, but i am going to have to relocate the spare because i don't want anymore damage from it. i think the previous owner offroaded this thing fairly roughly and that bouncing around is what caused the issue.

all: it could've been hit but i wouldn't think so from looking over the whole thing. no other signs of anything no the jeep (except maybe a little rougher then i would do it) use off the road.

my jeep is totally stock right now as i've only had it for a few days. my wife bought it used for us.

i am going to research upper arms and replace those things asap

04jeepkj · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 2:20 pm

I have 265/75/R16's on my KJ and for a long while had stock UCAs and had no issues. And i didn't take it lightly on my KJ on the trails. Same with the spare tire carrier same 265 on there no problems (other than getting the rear glass open and closed. . .

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 2:43 pm

Mine was hit in the rear about 3 years ago, dented it some but never hurt anything, ( did total out a PT Cruiser though, guy had to be life flighted out ) Cop kept looking for the vehicle he hit! :lol:

but so far no metal breaking torn etc.

maybe the former owner did treat her pretty bad and the reason for all of the problems now

superj · **Posted:** Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:49 pm

man, i hope not but some of the things i see leads me to believe that.

hallb4 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 12, 2009 3:43 pm

Why are you getting rid of the 255/70/16s? Because of the rear tailgate issue or for other reasons?

I have a 245/75/16 on the back and I have stepped on it with my full weight and not had any problems (180#s + 60#s). I cant imagine that your issue is just from having a spare back there. Maybe you got backed into in a parking lot and they took off or it was there when you bought it.

InCommando · **Posted:** Thu Mar 12, 2009 5:29 pm

tommudd wrote:

Mine was hit in the rear about 3 years ago, dented it some but never hurt anything, ( did total out a PT Cruiser though, guy had to be life flighted out ) Cop kept looking for the vehicle he hit! :lol:

but so far no metal breaking torn etc.

maybe the former owner did treat her pretty bad and the reason for all of the problems now

Tom, a guy hit my KJ from behind & totalled his '00 Intrepid, while it merely popped the bead on my spare!

My ball joints were still in good shape when I put my lift on at 57,000.

Guest · **Posted:** Thu Mar 12, 2009 8:42 pm

hallb4 wrote:

Why are you getting rid of the 255/70/16s? Because of the rear tailgate issue or for other reasons?

I have a 245/75/16 on the back and I have stepped on it with my full weight and not had any problems (180#s + 60#s). I cant imagine that your issue is just from having a spare back there. Maybe you got backed into in a parking lot and they took off or it was there when you bought it.

if you read his sig it says he has those tires on stock suspension. That's probably why. :wink:

superj · **Posted:** Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:26 pm

that is alot of the reason.

mrkake · **Posted:** Sat Mar 14, 2009 1:05 am

I have a 255/75 MT/R hanging on mine and I just rotated my tires so I looked at the carrier. There is absolutely no deformation to the sheet metal at all. I am thinking that these guys had someone back into them or something. Either that or its just a random thing.

Inc · **Posted:** Sat Mar 14, 2009 1:12 am

I had a steel 15x8 wheel mounted to a 31 and a hi lift jack hanging on my stock carrier and no denting or anything. Sounds like something hit it. Pics?

Guest · **Posted:** Sat Mar 14, 2009 1:34 am

icarl wrote:

hallb4 wrote:

Why are you getting rid of the 255/70/16s? Because of the rear tailgate issue or for other reasons?

I have a 245/75/16 on the back and I have stepped on it with my full weight and not had any problems (180#s + 60#s). I cant imagine that your issue is just from having a spare back there. Maybe you got backed into in a parking lot and they took off or it was there when you bought it.

if you read his sig it says he has those tires on stock suspension. That's probably why. :wink:

If 245/75s won't trash the suspension with a lift, they will not trash the front end parts without a lift.

245/75s on a saggy, pre-lowered KJ with no lift:

Really not that bad..

superj · **Posted:** Sat Mar 14, 2009 5:15 pm

i went out and got some pics for you fellas to look at.

you can see how much the front end sags compared to the back end.

i think this brush guard really helps with the sagging though as it appears to have been on this truck for a fair amount of time

here are the tires that were on the front. look at the camber wear from the springs being so worn and allowing the wheels to tilt so much

here is the crack that was making all the noise while driving. looking at hte back a little bit more makes me think maybe they did back into something and its not from the tire's weight but we will never know for sure

i have a couple of minor areas on the body that will require a shop to fix and that crack is one of them. i am thinking of getting the under body steam cleaned and then lined so it won't get to much corrosion on it being that we have the laguna madre at the end of our street. we are about 10 minutes from padre island so we see a bit of corrosion and have a hard time keeping vehicles for any kind of long term ownership

hallb4 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:09 pm

icarl wrote:

hallb4 wrote:

Why are you getting rid of the 255/70/16s? Because of the rear tailgate issue or for other reasons?

I have a 245/75/16 on the back and I have stepped on it with my full weight and not had any problems (180#s + 60#s). I cant imagine that your issue is just from having a spare back there. Maybe you got backed into in a parking lot and they took off or it was there when you bought it.

if you read his sig it says he has those tires on stock suspension. That's probably why. :wink:

He didn't have a sig at the time. I was asking because I was looking into that size of tire for my next set and I was wondering if he had any other comments about them.

superj · **Posted:** Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:08 pm

i like them, they look great on the truck. the truck accelerates decently with this size tire but i am only getting around 15mpg because i spend all my time in the city. the tires have rubbed on the control arm and the inner plastic fender liner in front at one time prior to my ownership but i think its because there used to be 255/70/16 bfg ATs on it (that is what the spare is) and not from these tires. these have not rubbed through any turning at all for me. everyone comments that the truck looks great though

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:49 pm

lol, my 235/70's rub because my shocks and springs are so squishy

DryBones · **Posted:** Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:38 pm

I like that brush guard above. Any idea what brand? Bolts in where the tow hooks go. Could that support being used as a recovery point using that front recever and a shackle?

hey fellas, how often do

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