Glockman's Rubi LJ

glockman · Mar 26, 2024

Small rant. My LJ is basically a rolling Teraflex advertisement. I have thousands of dollars of TF parts and have been pretty happy with all of them. It's possible this is my last TF order.

I got the replacement ball joint box. They sent me one upper and one lower. Not a big deal, but I sent them the picture above which clearly shows what was missing. At least they err'd in my favor this time and I have a spare upper in theory.

Before I bought them, I called TF and asked if the JK ball joints fit WJ knuckles. They said no, which is wrong. The JK/WJ Spicer part # is the same. So I ordered the JK ball joints. Well, turns out they fit the knuckles and the JK lower fits the TJ inner C but the upper is too small for the TJ inner C. I called them this morning to see if they would sell me just the upper TJ ball joints, or trade my new in the box JK upper ball joints. No on both counts. I explained that I was swapping in WJ knuckles and needed 1/2 of each set. They said, ya that sucks, give us $650 for two sets if you want half of each, sorry not sorry. What a shitty way to treat customers. I'm not asking for custom built parts, just the parts you sell in 1/2 the quantity. Rant off. Now I'm figuring out if I should pull the JK lowers out and return them and just use Spicer parts or show my Utard side and be shady. The shady side is winning at the moment.

glockman · Mar 26, 2024

I got the UCA mount welded together and welded to the axle. The johnny joints are much better than the worn rubber bushings. At ride height the caster is at -4.4 degrees.

Also got the sway bar mounts bent. My swag bender worked great even bending 3/8.

I'm going to copy Carl and order some 1/2 x20 rod ends to screw directly onto the TF sway bar end link. That should put me at the correct length.

Greg · Mar 26, 2024

glockman said:
Small rant. My LJ is basically a rolling Teraflex advertisement. I have thousands of dollars of TF parts and have been pretty happy with all of them. It's possible this is my last TF order.

I got the replacement ball joint box. They sent me one upper and one lower. Not a big deal, but I sent them the picture above which clearly shows what was missing. At least they err'd in my favor this time and I have a spare upper in theory.

Before I bought them, I called TF and asked if the JK ball joints fit WJ knuckles. They said no, which is wrong. The JK/WJ Spicer part # is the same. So I ordered the JK ball joints. Well, turns out they fit the knuckles and the JK lower fits the TJ inner C but the upper is too small for the TJ inner C. I called them this morning to see if they would sell me just the upper TJ ball joints, or trade my new in the box JK upper ball joints. No on both counts. I explained that I was swapping in WJ knuckles and needed 1/2 of each set. They said, ya that sucks, give us $650 for two sets if you want half of each, sorry not sorry. What a shitty way to treat customers. I'm not asking for custom built parts, just the parts you sell in 1/2 the quantity. Rant off. Now I'm figuring out if I should pull the JK lowers out and return them and just use Spicer parts or show my Utard side and be shady. The shady side is winning at the moment.

Who'd you talk to? If it wasn't Jeremy, I'd call back and see what he says. Tell him how many Tera parts you've got on your LJ, mention RME. 😉

I get their point though, they'd be left with two unmatching sets if they did that.

glockman · Mar 26, 2024

Greg said:
Who'd you talk to? If it wasn't Jeremy, I'd call back and see what he says. Tell him how many Tera parts you've got on your LJ, mention RME. 😉

I get their point though, they'd be left with two unmatching sets if they did that.

I have no idea who it was, just customer service. I'm pretty sure they are already missing one upper and one lower so they have an odd number in stock already

N-Smooth · Mar 26, 2024

I can’t say for certain if it’s due to the changes that are happening over there but I’m hopeful that’s the case. I understand the whole wheelpros deal is really starting to get ugly and the OG teraflex peeps are not having a good time. Either way, that’s lame when a company you’ve supported so much doesn’t reciprocate.

Hickey · Mar 26, 2024

Greg said:
Who'd you talk to? If it wasn't Jeremy, I'd call back and see what he says. Tell him how many Tera parts you've got on your LJ, mention RME. 😉

I get their point though, they'd be left with two unmatching sets if they did that.

There are so many people running the WJ setup, I don’t understand why they haven’t offered a ball joint set to support it.

SoopaHick · Mar 26, 2024

N-Smooth said:
I can’t say for certain if it’s due to the changes that are happening over there but I’m hopeful that’s the case. I understand the whole wheelpros deal is really starting to get ugly and the OG teraflex peeps are not having a good time. Either way, that’s lame when a company you’ve supported so much doesn’t reciprocate.

Not new, when I thought I was having ballpoint issues a couple years ago I called asking the same thing if I could buy just half of each set. I didn't even speak to customer service, this was specifically a salesman that I was recommended to.
So it's not new. It's always been their policy.

glockman · Mar 29, 2024

I got set of teraflex tj ball joints yesterday. Pulled them out of the box and sat down with some calipers. Good news is they are identical to JK ball joints in every dimension except one. As you can see below the tj ball joints (left) are 2mm taller in the portion that sticks out of the top of the knuckle, which isn't a critical dimension. Stud taper length, socket diameter, all the same.

So back on the phone with TF. They confirmed they are exactly the same size but claim the bearing preload is different. I don't buy it. The stud sticks out the same went fully compressed which is the state they live in on the axle. So in went the JK ball joints. How you ask when they are too small for the inner C? Well I'm a moron and was sticking the top, non critical part of the ball joints into the C. I guess I was tired or just dumb when I did this.

Knuckles went on, steering is cut and rough fit. Then I realized I have to grind the inner part of the knuckles to fit my RCV axle shafts. Should be a good Friday in the shop. I hope to have the axle assembled and the steering all welded. Track bar will be last to make sure it clears everything.

SoopaHick · Mar 29, 2024

glockman said:
I got set of teraflex tj ball joints yesterday. Pulled them out of the box and sat down with some calipers. Good news is they are identical to JK ball joints in every dimension except one. As you can see below the tj ball joints (left) are 2mm taller in the portion that sticks out of the top of the knuckle, which isn't a critical dimension. Stud taper length, socket diameter, all the same.
View attachment 171213
So back on the phone with TF. They confirmed they are exactly the same size but claim the bearing preload is different. I don't buy it. The stud sticks out the same went fully compressed which is the state they live in on the axle. So in went the JK ball joints. How you ask when they are too small for the inner C? Well I'm a moron and was sticking the top, non critical part of the ball joints into the C. I guess I was tired or just dumb when I did this.
View attachment 171214

Knuckles went on, steering is cut and rough fit. Then I realized I have to bring the inner part of the knuckles to fit my RCV axle shafts. Should be a good Friday in the shop. I hope to have the axle assembled and the steering all welded. Track bar will be last to make sure it clears everything.

Wait? So the JK ones did fit top and bottom? I'm confused.

glockman · Mar 29, 2024

SoopaHick said:
Wait? So the JK ones did fit top and bottom? I'm confused.

Yep. JK top and bottom fit. Knuckles went on and torqued with no issues.

SoopaHick · Mar 29, 2024

glockman said:
Yep. JK top and bottom fit. Knuckles went on and torqued with no issues.

That's..... Frustrating. I mean obviously as you know I do not have that axle housing anymore, But I remember giving up trying to replace ball joints a few years ago because I didn't have the money to buy two sets. It's ok, everything is fine, I've moved on...🤬

Hickey · Mar 29, 2024

SoopaHick said:
That's..... Frustrating. I mean obviously as you know I do not have that axle housing anymore, But I remember giving up trying to replace ball joints a few years ago because I didn't have the money to buy two sets. It's ok, everything is fine, I've moved on...🤬

I thought it was a camber issue with the JK joints in the TJ axle. They physically fit, but give you negative camber.

SoopaHick · Mar 29, 2024

Hickey said:
I thought it was a camber issue with the JK joints in the TJ axle. They physically fit, but give you negative camber.

I don't remember, I just remember being told that they wouldn't fit.

glockman · Apr 3, 2024

Made some more progress.
Got both track bar brackets welded together and tacked on. Checked clearance with the wagoneer pitman arm, it's tight but clears, so I burned everything in.

Mounted the tie rod and drag link with the bungs tacked to verify length.

They all fit but the tie rod ends wouldn't tighten up. I went back and looked, Carl only pointed out 3 or 4 times to get the large taper ends. Guess what I didn't do🤦‍♂️. So another call to Teraflex and I now have the correct taper tie rod ends.
I had to surface the rotors since they have been sitting for a few years.

Got them on with the brakes. Man what a difference. They are huge.

Last thing for the day was to weld the bungs into the track bar. I removed the hiems so they didn't get too hot and somehow melted a thread in one tubing bung. I'll stop by midnight tomorrow to grab a new bung. I guess I'll leave the heim in and weld it in two halfs to avoid melting the nylon. It's getting close.

Hickey · Apr 3, 2024

glockman said:
Made some more progress.
Got both track bar brackets welded together and tacked on. Checked clearance with the wagoneer pitman arm, it's tight but clears, so I burned everything in.

View attachment 171413

View attachment 171414

Mounted the tie rod and drag link with the bungs tacked to verify length.
View attachment 171416
They all fit but the tie rod ends wouldn't tighten up. I went back and looked, Carl only pointed out 3 or 4 times to get the large taper ends. Guess what I didn't do🤦‍♂️. So another call to Teraflex and I now have the correct taper tie rod ends.
I had to surface the rotors since they have been sitting for a few years.
View attachment 171418
Got them on with the brakes. Man what a difference. They are huge.

View attachment 171419

Last thing for the day was to weld the bungs into the track bar. I removed the hiems so they didn't get too hot and somehow melted a thread in one tubing bung. I'll stop by midnight tomorrow to grab a new bung. I guess I'll leave the heim in and weld it in two halfs to avoid melting the nylon. It's getting close.

If you Can find a bolt with the same threads, use that in the bung while welding.

I Lean · Apr 3, 2024

Can you just run a tap through the existing melty bung?

STAG · Apr 3, 2024

What’s the tap thread size on those? If they are 7/8-18 I have taps in RH and LH flavor

I Lean · Apr 3, 2024

STAG said:
What’s the tap thread size on those? If they are 7/8-18 I have taps in RH and LH flavor

I also have those....as well as 7/8-14

glockman · Apr 4, 2024

I Lean said:
Can you just run a tap through the existing melty bung?

Well I could have, but I cut it out in a fit of, err moment of reflection.

RockChucker · Apr 4, 2024

I’ve got taps too Chad. I’d say it is the right call to weld without the joints threaded in then chase threads…

Glockman's Rubi LJ

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