WJ knuckles on a TJ

[ebryson]

Well I've now had Carl's knuckles and brakes for over a year. I think this is going to get put on the lj this fall/ winter.🤣
Is there any reason not to just buy a teraflex tie rod and drag link? They aren't much more than buying the offset tre's and the solid aluminum is pretty bling.

I used Tera offset TRE's but made my own adjusting sleeve from tube adapters and some tube that was laying around. I think the best part about the Tera TRE's is that they're a 7/8 thread and not the weird WJ metric. I still need to do the drag link but like the bottom adjusting sleeve a whole lot better.

 

[Gravy]

I have the generic part number for those offset tre s in a binder somewhere..m they're not expensive FYI... Problem is I'm in España.

If it where me I'd ream the knuckles out and use 1ton GM stuff and never worry again. I felt like those offset tre s rolled the tie rod/ drag link over and didn't improve my already poor handling XJ manners.

 

[I Lean]

I have the generic part number for those offset tre s in a binder somewhere..m they're not expensive FYI... Problem is I'm in España.

If it where me I'd ream the knuckles out and use 1ton GM stuff and never worry again. I felt like those offset tre s rolled the tie rod/ drag link over and didn't improve my already poor handling XJ manners.

The knuckles are already reamed for the big "1 ton" taper ends. The offset ends are necessary on the tie rod for clearance reasons, not needed on the drag link. The tie rod rolling won't affect its length, so it will have no effect on handling in this case.

 

[Hickey]

Midnight 4x4 has all of the offset 1-ton tie rods in stock.

 

[glockman]

Ball joint question. The wj knuckle lower ball joint is different than the tj. Looks like jk/wj ball joints are the same. Will jk/wj upper ball joints work with the tj axle?
I hear good things about TF jk ball joints, if you are replacing them, may as well upgrade.

 

[SoopaHick]

Ball joint question. The wj knuckle lower ball joint is different than the tj. Looks like jk/wj ball joints are the same. Will jk/wj upper ball joints work with the tj axle?
I hear good things about TF jk ball joints, if you are replacing them, may as well upgrade.

From my understanding they are different. So you have to run TJ Uppers and WJ lowers. Makes it annoying because you can't just buy a kit like that.

I went through that headache a couple years ago and was begging TF to sell me individual Ball Joints and they wouldn't do it.

 

[Gravy]

The knuckles are already reamed for the big "1 ton" taper ends. The offset ends are necessary on the tie rod for clearance reasons, not needed on the drag link. The tie rod rolling won't affect its length, so it will have no effect on handling in this case.

Makes sense.
I forgot you flipped the tre taper to the top of the steering arms.

I do think I had to tack my jam nuts however when I had mine because the "rolling" loosened them no matter how tight and how much red loctite I used.
***Your experience may vary***

 

[mbryson]

@ebryson just did this. He probably knows about the upper-lower ball joint thing?

 

[ebryson]

I just bought some "Precision" balljoints from O'Reilly, I hear from my friends there that Moog has gone down hill.
I kept the stock TRE taper because I didn't like how little material was left after you reamed out the knuckles for the 1 ton taper. I can also say that the TJ taper is the same as the WJ taper.

 

[XJEEPER]

Ball joint question. The wj knuckle lower ball joint is different than the tj. Looks like jk/wj ball joints are the same. Will jk/wj upper ball joints work with the tj axle?
I hear good things about TF jk ball joints, if you are replacing them, may as well upgrade.

Glancing back at this thread.......I've been running both upper and lower Teraflex Premium 07-12 JK ball joints on my XJ HPD30/WJ knuckle setup for the past 7.5 years. They are still getting the job done.

 

[glockman]

Just to update this thread for future reference, the JK upper is too small for a TJ inner C. They will not work.
Edit
Scratch that, they fit, user error.