More Proof Jeeps Hate me!

[moab_cj5]

Vehicle: 2010 JKUR with Fabtech 5.5" lift and 37" tires. Sleeved and Gusseted stock D44 front axle. Barely over 20k miles on the Jeep.

The problem: Coming home from skiing on Tuesday, I felt a vibration in the front of my Jeep. Not having a ton of time to tinker with it right now, I took it to a shop yesterday to have them identify the problem. Well, the news isn't good. All 4 ball Joints are shot (fairly big deal), my drag link has a slight bend in it (not a big deal) and the TRE on the pitman arm side is shot (fairly big deal), the tie rod has a slight frown to it (not that big a deal), and then comes the fun part, the vibration is a shot U-joint on the passenger side axle. It lost a cap, and when it did, it messed up the stub shaft.

Forgive the terrible Cell Phone Pic, I will have a better one when I pull the axle out to replace it.



You can see the cap is gone from the U joint, and you can barely see the whole in the stub shaft for the cap is no longer round.

So, now at a minimum, I will be replacing the stub shaft and u joint on the passenger side, all 4 ball joints, and the TRE on the pitman arm side of the drag link. I am leaning toward replacing the whole axle on the pass side with something stronger to handle the 37's, replacing the drag link and Tie rod with something much stronger, and getting the best ball joints I can find.

Questions are, what are the JK guys with 37+ tires on a stock D44 doing for these upgrades? Which axle should I get for the pass side? Which Ball joints? Who has a good drag link and TR setup?

When I had my 05, I did a Currie Drag Link and Savvy TR, and they were much better than stock, but $$$! What other options have folks that use their jeeps used?

I haven't done ball joints on a rig yet, so I don't know if the TereFlex ones are as good as Synergy. I like the price of the TF joints, but does anyone have experience with them?

Any info on upgraded replacement parts is greatly appreciated!

 

[sixstringsteve]

crappy news, sorry to hear it.

 

[moab_cj5]

So, in looking at my options, I feel I am lost at sea! :chris: Having no experience doing these upgrades, I really value any input I can get.

Ball Joints: Teraflex, Synergy, dynatrac, Alloy USA?
Drag Link and Tie Rod: Rock Krawler, Currie, Teraflex, or Synergy?
Axle: Superior, G2, Alloy USA, Spicer?

Its only money, right? You can't take it with you!

 

[Kssting]

I am only running 35's but after snapping the passenger inner axle on the 44 I went with the G2 axles and 20k miles later they are still going strong. For the ball joints, tie rod, and drag link I went with Synergy. The ball joints went on with the truss and I just installed everything else so time will tell on durability but the components are well built.


The RK tie rod is also built well.


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[DAA]

I don't have any personal experience with JK parts. So, grain of salt and all that. But on the ball joints, I hear lots of good things about the Synergy, and Dynatrac has a solid rep. My personal experiences with TJ Alloy USA parts says they aren't the greatest - I won't buy anything Alloy USA ever again.

Drag link, again, no JK experience, but I've seen LOTS of Currie and Currie/Savvy TJ parts hold up to abuse and they can be straightened when they do bend. Teraflex looks good too. I've never been terribly impressed with RK anything. Didn't even know Synergy made drag links, but I'm sure it's worth considering.

Axle, I'd do both sides, not just the passenger, and probably go with Superior. My Alloy USA TJ axles were total crap, I had to replace the "X" joints with Spicers right out of the box they were so shitty. Eventually had to replace the axles with Superior, been happy since. If Spicer makes a set of chromo shafts that would be worth looking at too. The one JKU on 37's I am most familiar with and have wheeled with quite a bit, he's running RCV's and loves them. But I hear mixed reports. Enough mixed, I think I'd just stick with chromos and good Spicer u-joints, unless you feel you need CTM's or Yukon's.

I'm surprised you haven't heard more from guys actually running these parts on JK's already. Can't leave the house and swing a dead cat without hitting a couple JKU's on 37's. I'm sure you'll get lots more experienced voices chiming in.

- DAA

 

[BCGPER]

I too installed Synergy a year ago at 30K miles, and they're holding up fine to my 37's. Not a real hard fix, and I've got the press for them if you need to borrow one.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I'm surprised you haven't heard more from guys actually running these parts on JK's already. Can't leave the house and swing a dead cat without hitting a couple JKU's on 37's. I'm sure you'll get lots more experienced voices chiming in.

x2. Must be the holiday weekend.

 

[skippy]

The Teraflex ball joints are second to none I know guys that have ran been running them since the day teraflex released them and they run them hard, they are still tight to this day with no signs of wear at all. Not to mention the price is much better than comparable synergy or other high end ball joints.

 

[1993yj]

I thought that Superior went out of business

 

[rondo]

not a JK expert either but doesn't teraflex make a pass side steering knuckle that corrects the steering angle? that might take care of the steep drag link angles.

 

[lhracing]

I have been running the Synergy ball joints and the Teraflex drag link but still have the stock tie rod, along with the TF sleeves and gussets. I like the Synergy ball joints because they are grease able, not sure about the TF. The Teraflex drag link is a nice part, very well built.

 

[N-Smooth]

x2. Must be the holiday weekend.

X1,000,000 hahaha. I can't drive 5 miles without seeing a soccermom in a JK on 35-37's.

Jeeps don't hate you, it's just physics. 37's aren't exactly tiny tires and they will wear stuff out much faster. Luckily the aftermarket is overwhelmed with JK parts but unfortunately they're all $$$

 

[moab_cj5]

I too installed Synergy a year ago at 30K miles, and they're holding up fine to my 37's. Not a real hard fix, and I've got the press for them if you need to borrow one.

Thanks! I will likely hit you up on that press. Is it different than the one I can rent from Autozone?

X1,000,000 hahaha. I can't drive 5 miles without seeing a soccermom in a JK on 35-37's.

Jeeps don't hate you, it's just physics. 37's aren't exactly tiny tires and they will wear stuff out much faster. Luckily the aftermarket is overwhelmed with JK parts but unfortunately they're all $$$

Those soccer mom's likely don't use their Jeeps like I do mine... And the whole story behind Jeeps hating me started with my 99 XJ, then was passed on to my 05 LJ, and now this one. I know 37's will DEFINITELY take a toll on the vehicle, but I seem to have the ability to find Chrysler's weak spots in engineering way before their time. I am not sure what caused the u joint and stub shaft to fail, especially when it did. The other stuff I know the tires took out, but c'mon Jeep, engineer a ball joint that can withstand stock use at least! Everything I have read about the stock joints is disturbing.

Thanks for the advice! I checked the Teraflex website for Ball Joints and they are out of stock. How soon do they usually get more in? Do you guys at AllJeep.com have any in stock? I was going to order everything tomorrow or Monday so I can get it back on the road by next weekend.

 

[Kssting]

The Autozone press won't have the offset cup that you will need for the Dana axle so if BCGPER has the right press it will save you lots of time. We angle cut a piece of pipe and it worked but it slipped around.


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[XJEEPER]

not a JK expert either but doesn't teraflex make a pass side steering knuckle that corrects the steering angle? that might take care of the steep drag link angles.

JK's and WJ's already have a knuckle similar to the Tera knuckle, which was designed for TJ's and XJ's

I have several buddys running Synergy ball joints, some on Ultra4 rigs, and are highly recommended.

 

[BCGPER]

Thanks! I will likely hit you up on that press. Is it different than the one I can rent from Autozone?

Yup much different, it's free....

Those soccer mom's likely don't use their Jeeps like I do mine... And the whole story behind Jeeps hating me started with my 99 XJ, then was passed on to my 05 LJ, and now this one. I know 37's will DEFINITELY take a toll on the vehicle, but I seem to have the ability to find Chrysler's weak spots in engineering way before their time. I am not sure what caused the u joint and stub shaft to fail, especially when it did. The other stuff I know the tires took out, but c'mon Jeep, engineer a ball joint that can withstand stock use at least! Everything I have read about the stock joints is disturbing.

Thanks for the advice! I checked the Teraflex website for Ball Joints and they are out of stock. How soon do they usually get more in? Do you guys at AllJeep.com have any in stock? I was going to order everything tomorrow or Monday so I can get it back on the road by next weekend.

Yup


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[moab_cj5]

I just talked to Teraflex and they don't have an eta on thier next shipment of ball joints. Its too bad because they are rated high and the price is right, but I need them ASAP so I am going to go with Synergy. I am also going to get the Synergy drag link. I will hold off on the TR for now since the ends are still good and it can be alligned with the slight bend in it.

The last piece of the puzzle is the axles. I know DAA heard some poor reviews of the RCV axles, but that is the only negative I have heard about them. Dave, can you expound on the negative you have heard? The lifetime guarantee is tempting, even at the HUGE price. If I don't get RCV's, I will go with Spicer if I can confirm they are a chrmolly shaft like the G2. Otherwise, it will likely be the G2 (but I prefer to buy high quality USA Made components when I can).

Thanks again for all the input!

 

[skippy]

I just talked to Teraflex and they don't have an eta on thier next shipment of ball joints. Its too bad because they are rated high and the price is right, but I need them ASAP so I am going to go with Synergy. I am also going to get the Synergy drag link. I will hold off on the TR for now since the ends are still good and it can be alligned with the slight bend in it.

The last piece of the puzzle is the axles. I know DAA heard some poor reviews of the RCV axles, but that is the only negative I have heard about them. Dave, can you expound on the negative you have heard? The lifetime guarantee is tempting, even at the HUGE price. If I don't get RCV's, I will go with Spicer if I can confirm they are a chrmolly shaft like the G2. Otherwise, it will likely be the G2 (but I prefer to buy high quality USA Made components when I can).

Thanks again for all the input!

Natrbatr on here ran RCVs in his rubicon for one trip to WOTR last year and ruined a set so he yanked them out and went a different direction.

 

[moab_cj5]

Natrbatr on here ran RCVs in his rubicon for one trip to WOTR last year and ruined a set so he yanked them out and went a different direction.

What size tire was he running? Their warranty is void over 40". I am already struggling with spending $500 more for the RCV's, but real world experience helps make me feel better about saving the money and going Spicer.

 

[DAA]

That's one of the poor experiences I was thinking of too. Have heard similar, albeit second had rumbles from a couple of other sources as well.

Most I've talked to seem to love them though, including my buddy who runs them on his JKU. I'm just personally not quite convinced of the real world utility they provide on a dual purpose rig vs. chromos and good u-joints. Considering how they are marketed as being so super strong and all, but guys do still tear them up. That, and I'm just comfortable with changing a u-joint on the trail.

I may be all wet too.

- DAA