Upper ball joint mod? Your opinion please

Mountainman · **Posted:** Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:00 pm

I've got my old UCA's sitting there just waiting for replaceable balls joints. Has anyone fabricated them to fit a Moog or anything? If there's enough meat to modify them to fit one of the $30 ball joints on the market it might be a lot cheaper alternative to have a quiality ball joint than the alternatives. What do you machinists and fabricators think? How much would it cost to drill each arm to fit a common ball joint (if there's enough material there)? It would be easy enough for me to remove the existing one (ok, not easy but doable with a drill, big hammers, vise, pry bars, 20 ton press ect..), so I'd only have to pay a shop to drill the right sized hole.

Flame away :goink:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:10 pm

Just buy JBA's,cheaper then buying OEM ones and replaceable ball joints.Those "cheap" UCA's are junk and never last and it's a complete waste of time trying to make stock UCA's accept replaceable ball joints,you will spend more then what a set of JBA's cost.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:36 pm

-tjkj2002
sadly I read one of your previous posts about how bad the stock ones are after I have already installed a pair :furious:

Is it the ball joints, or bushings, or both that get trashed fast? I only have a 1.5-2" OME lift (no spacer or clevis lift), so you think I'll have any better luck? How many miles did your stock ones last? And about the machining feasability and cost, it's more of a curiosity thing :frankie:

thanks for your input

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Jan 07, 2014 7:30 pm

Not even feasible to try and retrofit a ball joint into the stock arms.
First I don't think you could find anyone to even do it due to liability issues
Second don't think there would be enough meat to do it
Third with JBA as great options why even try.

They don't necessarily get trashed faster, they are a wear item so some may last 50,000- some 75,000 or more. Its hard to say.
With a lift it also puts the ball joint at different angle which with the stock arms would be difficult to change. With the JBA arms they have that built in so the ball joint sits at a better angle

JeepMorrison · **Joined:** Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:34 am **Posts:** 1236

Mountainman wrote:

I only have a 1.5-2" OME lift (no spacer or clevis lift), so you think I'll have any better luck? How many miles did your stock ones last?

My old KJ was lifted OME with stock arms for 75k and my current KJ has iron man lift and has 130k on the stock arms. I'm about due for new uppers so I'm going with JBA.

I wouldn't drill stock arms, just no meat to them.

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At The Helm · **Posted:** Wed Jan 08, 2014 1:26 am

Another vote for JBA arms. For what it would cost to have the pos stock arms modified you'd be able to just buy the JBA's and have way better parts. I've got a set sitting on the bench waiting to be installed, the quality is awesome.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Wed Jan 08, 2014 11:09 am

Now that's what I call a concensus :BINGO:

. I was hoping for something to mod in my spare time, but off to the trash can with the old stock arms it is. Thanks for all of the replies :rockon:

!

Jeepin'WNC · **Joined:** Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:48 am **Posts:** 191

Another vote for JBA arms...they are top quality, the ball joints are at the correct angle for a lift, they have grease fittings, and are bolt on replaceable..

u2slow · **Joined:** Sun Mar 11, 2012 7:26 pm **Posts:** 160

RRO arms here. Saved $100 over JBA. :ALONE:

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:54 am

Good luck with them

woodtick · **Posted:** Mon Jan 27, 2014 9:27 am

tommudd wrote:

Good luck with them

You obviously have a preference toward JBA arms over RRO. Please enlighten me as to why.

Looking to learn.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Jan 27, 2014 9:47 am

woodtick wrote:

tommudd wrote:

Good luck with them

You obviously have a preference toward JBA arms over RRO. Please enlighten me as to why.

Looking to learn.

Better quality with JBA
Better fitment with JBA
No issues with JBAs
if there are any problems with JBAs new set sent out , ( they have a warranty with them )
where as if you have issues with RRO, well good luck
for instance one persons RROs wouldn't even fit into the holes, but yet they stated he was trying to install them wrong.

Upper ball joint mod? Your opinion please

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