Ball Joint Shot Already...

Mr Nick · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 4:11 pm

Just under 30,000 miles, about 10,000 of them have the 2" Revtek lift installed. Driver's upper ball joint is already clunking. Rotated my tires today and confirmed... :roll:

Not too pleased about this.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 4:13 pm

Will try not to say anything negative
but....
spacer lifts do cause that problem

Mr Nick · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:15 pm

Oh I know, I was aware going into it. I bought the wheels and tires first hoping they would fit without a lift kit. Well they didn't so I had to get a budget kit so they would clear. I knew ahead of time I'd probably end up getting a real lift kit later, which would replace any worn out factory parts from the spacer kit. I just didn't think it would happen this quick, I was hoping to make it to next summer! :roll:

I don't have $500 around right now for the JBA arms, so I'm going to check at work and see what my cost is for a stock replacement arm. As much as I hate double labor, I might just have to do it that way...

SilverKK09 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:18 pm

that sucks Nick.....
Do you still have the stock wheels and tires?
Maybe if you return everything back to stock, the dealer will honor a warranty on the ball joint... just a thought

Mr Nick · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:32 pm

Sold the stockers 2 weeks ago, and if I was going to rip into the factory struts again... then I would just put a JBA or lift kit similar to Boblemoche on there. Swapping everything over to stock, and back again would be too much double labor, at that point I'd just put it on the credit card and pay a few months interest on it. Time is money, to an extent...

SilverKK09 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:37 pm

Ohh I see..
Im sorry I had no idea
let us know how it goes

Mr Nick · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:40 pm

Sa'll good, I don't get worked up over stuff like this! Cool as a cucumber...

Hopefully we stock the factory control arms at work, sometimes we don't carry replacement parts on a new model till it's 2-3 years old.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 6:51 pm

The young gentleman I got my used ARB bumper from went through 2 right and 1 left upper control arms in under 25,000 miles with a spacer lift, thats when his Dad told him that Libertys could not be lifted and he had to return it back to stock. They were a Jeep family with two Wranglers, a Cherokee and a Grand Cherokee in the driveway all lifted, kid was sad but....I go a killer deal!! :lol:

Hope you find one cheap enough to keep you going, does bite though

Guest · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 7:42 pm

Even the cheap aftermarket KJ UCA's are ridiculously expensive. Can't imagine what the KK arms will cost :shock:

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 7:52 pm

Nick, drop me a pm if you want. I still have my stock ones. The stock arms are like 125 each.

Guest · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:06 pm

Holy crap, seriously?

KJ UCA's are like $200ea for OE, $80ea for the cheapies, and $120ea for the Moogs

Maybe it's time to trade the ol' beater in

BTW DF...get the PM? :twisted:

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:34 pm

52125112AE
52125113AE

MSRP 135

TBJ, oh yeah :twisted:

Mr Nick · **Posted:** Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:45 am

How long does it take to swap one of them?

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:52 am

the passenger side is easy, less than 30 minutes. The driver side is a little harder since you have to move the battery and fuse block to make it easier... maybe 40 minutes..

If you have help around an hour, with out could be two hours... just make sure you have a ball style universal to get to the rear drive side bolt

KKeith · **Joined:** Thu Oct 09, 2008 3:06 am **Posts:** 58

How high can you go before needing JBA UCA? I notice the basic 2.5" lift for a KK doesn't come with JBA UCA are they needed?

And why did Mr Nicks UCA wear out so quick with a spacer lift?

Mike08Liberty · **Posted:** Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:20 am

KKeith wrote:

How high can you go before needing JBA UCA? I notice the basic 2.5" lift for a KK doesn't come with JBA UCA are they needed?

And why did Mr Nicks UCA wear out so quick with a spacer lift?

Naturally when you add a lift kit even just a spacer lift it will put wear on other parts, i.e. control arms. The stock control arms where designed to be used with a lifted truck. As for how high, from what we can see with Nick if you have money replace the control arms with any lift.

As far as why his failed so quickly, no one can really answer that. There are a lot of factors that can go into why a part failed.

Mr Nick · **Posted:** Mon Jun 08, 2009 7:51 am

Mike08Liberty wrote:

As far as why his failed so quickly, no one can really answer that. There are a lot of factors that can go into why a part failed.

Right, I'm hoping this was just a fluke, which is why I'll probably put a stock arm back on this time. If it happens again quickly, then I'll upgrade. The vast majority of my driving is easy highway stuff to work and back. The only off roading I've done is messing around in a few empty construction sites. So with the exception of the lift, my suspension has led an easy life so far.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:45 pm

Do you have the stock bumpstops yet? If so replace them that will give you a little more time maybe before it goes again

KKeith · **Joined:** Thu Oct 09, 2008 3:06 am **Posts:** 58

tommudd wrote:

Do you have the stock bumpstops yet? If so replace them that will give you a little more time maybe before it goes again

Tom do you mean extended bump stops? Do they help?

Mike08Liberty · **Posted:** Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:10 pm

http://jeepinbyal.com/prod-TeraFlex_Bump_Stop-653.aspx

Ball Joint Shot Already...

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