JBA upper "A" arms

MaineSleddah · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2010 9:26 pm

After finding a bad OEM upper passenger side ball joint, I decided to upgrade... I have a pair of JBA's generation 4.5 upper "A" arms on order. I am having my mechanic install them. His "book" says it will take 4.5 hours to install em. Does anyone have any tips or shortcuts that will shorten up the install time??

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:01 pm

Well a CRD is harder to install the JBA's then a gasser it can be done in about 1-1.5 hours(45mins for a gasser).

zip0154 · **Joined:** Sat Feb 13, 2010 12:59 am **Posts:** 17

I just had replacements put on mine today (2005 Limited Liberty), they got me for just $180. I provided the parts, not sure of that made a difference or not.

Groo2 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 13, 2010 2:28 pm

I have the parts, and am thinking about doing it myself, anybody know what size socket? Any helpful extensions, and what would be the best brand of lithium grease to pack the ball joints with. I know some greases don't play well with other greases. Sorry about pirating the thread. I know there used to be a tech article about this by USAFCOP, but it seems I am having search function malfunction.

Cheers,

Groo2

Prospect62 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:16 pm

What a pain in the stupid job this is...

Not necessarily the hardest thing I've done, but probably the most mind-numbingly tedious. Hell of a job. But it can be done. There was a thread or two around here or KJ Country outlining the proper size sockets and swivel adapters and extensions you need to do this job. Search and ye shall find.

Disclaimer: I know tjkj will chime in saying he could do this job drunk, blindfolded with one hand tied behind his back on a gravel road in a snowstorm. And I'm sure he could. But for us mortals, it's a tough job.

jeepdaddy · **Posted:** Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:24 pm

Prospect62 wrote:

Disclaimer: I know tjkj will chime in saying he could do this job drunk, blindfolded with one hand tied behind his back on a gravel road in a snowstorm. And I'm sure he could. But for us mortals, it's a tough job.

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Sun Mar 14, 2010 4:24 am

jeepdaddy wrote:

Prospect62 wrote:

Disclaimer: I know tjkj will chime in saying he could do this job drunk, blindfolded with one hand tied behind his back on a gravel road in a snowstorm. And I'm sure he could. But for us mortals, it's a tough job.

Lets see, Him, Ted and Marty installed the ones on my KK. Ted and Troy were buzzed, it was cold, there was 6 inches of snow outside and trying to work in RL garage is worse then working on a dirt road :goink:

TexasRock · **Posted:** Sun Mar 14, 2010 11:37 am

Nothing wrong with druken wrenching!!

Maine... do it yourself, gain VALUABLE experience and save some coin. :2cents:

Neatus · **Posted:** Sun Mar 14, 2010 11:59 am

Maine, I would say this is and easy enough job except for the fact that you live in Maine and you may have stuck bolts (road salt, rain, snow) which if stuck would be very hard to remove on the drivers side. I think you should really give it a shot though.

Prospect62 · **Posted:** Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:35 pm

Yeah I didn't mean to discourage the OP from doing this himself. By all means, do it. You'll learn alot. It can be done, it's just a witch. I don't know if Maine is like New York with road salt, but if they are, soak those bolts in penetrating oil for a week before you start.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:09 pm

FYI -
TJKJ did pull an A arm out of one KJ in the Moab campground parking lot (gravel) and then install it in Ted's - which was stuck in the middle of a trail (Poison Spider?) in the rain (in Moab proper - the snow was on the top end of the trails) and that was the year he was discharged because of back pain - although - he wasn't blindfolded........ it didn't take him too long either..

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:15 pm

Troy and Ted are bomb mechanics

USAFCOP · **Posted:** Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:52 pm

Diggerfreek wrote:

Troy and Ted are bomb mechanics

I never worked on a bomb....

I am a gun mechanic, but not certified on autos...
Troy can claim the certification... I am just Certifiable, much better at the destruction... :dead:

And it was not poison spyder, it was Cliffhanger...
Thanks to PXLDSN (Don) for noticing before it bacame worse.

stumpjumper_09 · **Posted:** Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:08 pm

jeepdaddy wrote:

Prospect62 wrote:

Disclaimer: I know tjkj will chime in saying he could do this job drunk, blindfolded with one hand tied behind his back on a gravel road in a snowstorm. And I'm sure he could. But for us mortals, it's a tough job.

MaineSleddah · **Posted:** Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:28 am

I have plenty of experience under my KJ. I did install the lift, including the strut work, myself. I just am running outa time. Leaving on an 11 day vacation this weekend, on a Caribbean cruise and some sport fishing adventures. I'm going to leave the Jeep with my mechanic when I leave and pick it up when I get back. But thanks for the input everyone. I was hoping that I could print some detailed directions for him to follow, from someone who has been there and done that and maybe save some $$$ along the way.

Neatus · **Posted:** Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:48 pm

Here are the instrcuctions from JBA website
http://jeepinbyal.com/PDF_Files/Installation_of_A-arms_10-06-07.pdf

MaineSleddah · **Posted:** Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:46 pm

Ok so I got a little bored yesterday and installed the easy side. :lol:

I dropped it tonight for the driver's side install and an alignment. Later this summer I will replace the lower ball joints and install JBA Adjust-A-Strut Assemblies. http://jeepinbyal.com/prod-JBA_Adjust_A ... y-692.aspx Those should finish the suspension side...

Then on to the ARB bumper and winch...

Prospect62 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:10 pm

What did you think of the 'easy side'? Not too terrible, right?

How did the install go?

MaineSleddah · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:05 pm

The passenger side was a cake walk. About 45 to 50 minutes, start to finish. The driver's side now... I pulled the battery, swung the electrical distribution box outa the way and pulled the battery tray. 10 minutes. I could have gotten the front UCA bolt no problem, but the rear bolt, I just plain didn't have the extensions and swivels needed. So I put it back together and dropped it off the next day at my mechanic's garage. It's all done and resting back in the yard. I will tell you this, the next time it needs an upper ball joint, it will now be a 15 minute job on either side! Love those JBA, generation 4.5 control arms! That's the best engineering I have seen yet! No press, just simple tools and it should be easy... :pepper:

I am looking forward to the coil over’s later this summer! :SOMBRERO:

Thanks again everyone for the input!

Prospect62 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 19, 2010 7:35 pm

MaineSleddah wrote:

I will tell you this, the next time it needs an upper ball joint, it will now be a 15 minute job on either side! Love those JBA, generation 4.5 control arms! That's the best engineering I have seen yet! No press, just simple tools and it should be easy..!

Indeed!

Congrats on getting the job done. :JEEPIN:

JBA upper "A" arms

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