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something in the front end is already shot

md21722

NAXJA Forum User
Location
TN
I don't normally much off wheeling with my 01 XJ and have it setup 'stock'. The entire suspension was rebuilt over the summer - steering, track bar, control arms/bushings, etc. I met a friend in Telluride over the weekend and we decided to go up Imogene Pass. We weren't able to make it all the way because of the snow. We made it as far as anyone else was able so probably 5-7 miles one way.

Back on pavement I noticed the beginnings of death wobble again. It feels like when I accelerate uphill the whole front end shifts a little, so I'm guessing the MOOG track bar is done for. I will check it out before taking it off.

Is that pretty "normal" for stock track bars to go out like that? How much better are the JKS and similar track bars at holding up for this type of service?
 
An oversight I made long ago was using a 3/8" grade 8 bolt as the axle-side track bar fastener (I cross-threaded the flag nut). Bad idea. There was enough play to induce death wobble. 10mm 10.9 bolts only.

Check your alignment as well. 1/8" toe in is ideal.
 
Check torque on all bolts.
Have somebody turn the wheel back and forth with the engine running and watch for any relative motion. Ideally, the entire steering system is composed of rigid joints and links - no relative motion between parts. In practice, though...
 
I appreciate the comments - I am going to check things out in a day or two when I get my 97 XJ out of the garage. I'll let y'all know what I find.
 
x2, check alignment, specifically for a bent tie rod.

No, it is not normal for stock components to last a little over a year, but theres a big differance between stock 'came on the vehicle from jeep' and 'stockish replacement'.
 
I had my buddy move the steering back and forth and everything looked nice and tight.

I jacked up the front end and put jack stands under the axle.

Rocking the wheels at 12 and 6 give noticeable play.

Put a pry bar between the axle C and the knuckle at the upper ball joint and there was a bunch of play. Less so at the lower ball joint. I'm not sure if this is normal as I've never done this test before. I know the upper ball joint isn't really a ball joint - its more or less a centering pin and is supposed to move up and down. Put a long pipe under the tire and I see the play on the top as well, and its much harder to see the play on the bottom. I had some trouble fitting a dial indicator to measure, but where I could fit it, it reads play uniformly with my pry bar or pipe.

Hard to believe that ball joints could be bad at 27,000 of all city/highway miles except for this one trip up to Tomboy on Imogene Pass. I know Colorado roads aren't the greatest, but still.... These are MOOG joints Made in USA changed July 2013.

What should I replace them with?

I have a lifetime warranty on them from Advance. The factory Spicers made it about 280,000 miles much of that was smooth interstate with some rougher fire roads here and there that killed my factory track bar at 80,000.
 
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Ball joints are toast.
There should be *zero* play when testing as you describe.
I use Moog as my go-to for chassis parts but the really abusive guys on this forum seem to favor Spicer, Synergy and Alloy USA.
 
I looked at the NAPA Chassis (Raybestos Professional) ball joints. The lower joints are grease able. Typically the fittings they provide don't allow the joint to be greased because it hits the axle shaft. Anyone know if a 45 degree zerk would work? Or must you use the cap which prevents greasing unless you remove it and put in a zerk temporarily?

I'm leaning towards the Spicers and they are inexpensive, have served me well in the past, and don't have a grease able lower joint.

I'll get the MOOG's warrantied and put them in the FS section for anyone who wants them.
 
spicer for balljoints. there is nothing else worth buying.
X2
I have tried just about every brand of u-joint over the last few decades and Spicers last as long as any of the common, off the shelf u-joints and the price is right.

Moog isn't the company it once was. My XJ blew out a set of Moog ball joints in less than 10,000 miles, before replacing them.
Also had good luck with the premium Napa ball joints. I'm now using their offset lower ball joints, to increase the caster, and they are holding up fine after 30,000 miles of mixed driving/towing/off-roading.

When it come to zerk fittings, the bottom ball joints do not have the room for a grease fitting unless some type of very low profile fitting fits (which I have not found yet).
Once a year, I pull the front axles to inspect the u-joints. At the same time, the lower ball joints get their zerks installed and lubed, after which the zerks are removed and replaced with stock plastic plugs.
 
The Spicers are good (I've installed 3 sets in the last couple months), but Team Petty Cash (cal, etc) have had less than stellar luck with them. Then again, most of us aren't beating the crap out of our rigs at KoH.

As he put it, after a few races the Spicers were like "a dick in a shirt sleeve." They've had great luck with the Synergy ball joints, but they're extremely pricey compared to the Amazon deals on Spicers (sold per-side, 2 sets needed for a complete axle freshening).

On my next axle build, I'm going with Synergy ball joints.
 
The Spicers are good (I've installed 3 sets in the last couple months), but Team Petty Cash (cal, etc) have had less than stellar luck with them. Then again, most of us aren't beating the crap out of our rigs at KOH.QUOTE]
If you have followed Team Petty Cash, you will see that they have broken just about every thing possible over the years.
Very few of us will ever subject our Jeeps to even a fraction of the stresses of KOH or Jeep Speed racing.
 
Agreed. Which is why I say the Spicers are good, but the Synergy stuff is better :)
Hell, my OEM Spicer ball joints lasted 220k.

No argument here! Only consideration is the cost, the Synergy joints cost twice as much as Spicers, well worth it if you tear them up often.
 
The Synergy ball joints look nice. I like the way they have recessed the zerk fitting so clearance with the axle shaft should be a non-issue. I may consider them in the future if the Spicers don't hold up for long.

I put the new Spicers in tonight. The tires now stand straight up and down and no noticeable play with a pry bar. I like the way they are not splined where they are pressed into the axle. Plus they are still Made in the U.S.A. Not that they implies they are not junk, but I prefer to keep the XJ's as China free as reasonably possible.

For what its worth, I bought the OTC ball joint press which is also Made in the U.S.A. and the OTC installer/remover set for Dodge/Jeep vehicles. The installer/remover set are Made in China but the receiver is angled so there is no need to use washers or some other means to press the joints in straight. Made the job very straight forward.
 
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