Ball joints bang for buck..

This probably could have gone in another section, but I mostly stick to this section.. and I think it's relevant
- unless I stick with OEM?

Any reason not to? Not a DD, BUT riding 35s on a HP Dana 30 with dubJ knuckles.
Looking for a balance of bang vs buck. Been reading a bit and damn there are a ton of options these days!

I guess I've just gown up leaning Spicer. For u joints, ball joints, seals, I just always have. Is that logic now flawed??
The coin for something like Teraflex is a little off putting... but, maybe something in between?
Jeep alloy USA?
Never thought I'd look rough country... but the price and look of these (similar to above mentioned ausa) might be an option?
https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/rough...8Tm0dUUCvMnDI1RbNm8CxFhl3HcD5hbIaAjL8EALw_wcB


What say you?

The rc ones I'm betting are alloy USA repackaged.....

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It depends on whether someone before you screwed up and put moog in it last time. The moogs are over sized and ruin the holes for anything else.

You've seen this thread?

https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?p=246497927

I to wonder. I got balljoints from autozone they are bad inside a year and I don't put many miles on.

Also have a bad napa balljoint on my truck from napa it also lasted only a few miles.

I've kinda been looking into balljoint eliminators.

Also not sure I believe the claims of moog ruining bores. But I did have a lower get loose and literally fall out of its bore. Was a cheap autozone balljoint. I did a makeshift line bore job with a brake hone to fix it. Been tight ever since.

I would think bores are ruined when a balljoint is to undersized then works loose in the bore and beats tge bore out of round. Is this why moog have the reputation they do?

Im collecting stuff to do wh knuckles and will need to swap to wj lower balljoints. Thats a ways off as I haven't yet gathered stuff to redo steering and track bar.

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Having the dubJ knuckles means I need wj lower ball joints? Guess I just don't recall that being a step with the steering upgrade.

I also want to add gussets, and think this is the perfect time?

A. Burn in c gussets
B. Pop out old crap ball joints (while C is still warm maybe?)
C. Install new ball joints.
D. Full send.

Sounds like a good order of operations?

SlowXj said:

The rc ones I'm betting are alloy USA repackaged.....

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Click to expand...

They look similar no doubt... but cheaper from RC? Doesn't make sense does it, for a rebrand?
$199 vs $129... pretty big difference.

No one has experience with the RC? That's the way I'm looking rn... or Spicer.


I'll peep the thread posted, thanks for the replies guys

There was a few threads a couple years ago raving about Mevotech joints, I don't recall the ending to the story!

What are you running RCP?

I've been trying to recall but it's been over 5 yrs. I have never any issues but I grease everything before and after a trip.

RCP Phx said:

There was a few threads a couple years ago raving about Mevotech joints, I don't recall the ending to the story!

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I've installed lots of Mevotech balljoints and steering components on various vehicles over the last few years. I have never been impressed with their quality and would not choose to run them on my vehicle. For highway use I'd run moog or Spicer. I chose the Teraflex joints to go with my WJ knuckles since the jeep sees more abuse

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Teraflex would be the ideal choice but I find it to be a fools errand investing more and more into the smallish Dana 30.
My jeep sees the road only on the way to camping and wheeling... is not a dd. But the 35s I know aren't kind to ball joints. I'm stuck between Spicer and the rough country looks nice.
I'm a little confused with the lowers needing to be wj specific? Is this true? Why not both? Are the Cs any different on the 2 Dana 30s?

I've run Alloy USA, Mevotech TTX and have XFRs in one I am building. The Alloy USA were to replace stock. I ran them a year or so. No issues. Some other guy on a Forum used them and had issues within a month. I do still have them on the upper ball joint.
I did a WJ Bib Brake on that XJ. I could not find just the lowers. Others were all four for a set. Except Mevotech. I went with their TTX. Still, good. They use a plug on the grease fitting. Then you have to take out the shaft, and then put in a grease fitting, to grease it.
I haven't put any real miles on the XFRs. Also, a WJ Big Brake set up. I did search and about all the complaints were they were stiff, at least initially. Some said to bench brake them in. I did move them around a bit on the bench with a vise. I did have issues with the grease fittings that were supplied. Way to tall. I did get some shorter ones. Might be able to use those with the Mevotech. Also, I should be able to grease them with one of the slip on grease ends.
I also have some from an EBay dealer. suppose to be all steel and US made. I have not installed them. I think under $100 shipped. Only offers stock XJs. So, i could not go this route for WJ Big Brakes.

ShoeterMcgav said:

I'm a little confused with the lowers needing to be wj specific? Is this true? Why not both? Are the Cs any different on the 2 Dana 30s?

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The C's are the same , only the knuckle is different. The WJ lower BJ uses a larger taper but the top is the as all the others.

RCP Phx said:

The C's are the same , only the knuckle is different. The WJ lower BJ uses a larger taper but the top is the as all the others.

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Ah ya that makes perfect sense.. so, I should be searching wj ball joints instead right? Top being the same, I can just get a full dubj set and be good right?

Not sure if I like or don't like the little cut out for the grease fittings on the Ruff country

ShoeterMcgav said:

Ah ya that makes perfect sense.. so, I should be searching wj ball joints instead right? Top being the same, I can just get a full dubj set and be good right?

Not sure if I like or don't like the little cut out for the grease fittings on the Ruff country

Click to expand...

A full WJ set does work. The top ball joint is the same. There is a WJ Big Brake thread somewhere here. I could not find it. As posted before, the lower WJ ball joint has a larger taper. It is significant. Also, the WJ brackets do permit Cross over steering. I have done two with Ruff Stuff Chevy 1-ton and OTK trackbars. Rusty's and SFR's. I like SFR's. Although my actual OTK trackbar is a fabricated one.

75SV1 said:

Also, the WJ brackets do permit Cross over steering.

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That's the key word, but it does not require it. I've been running my Currie Correct-link for 4 yrs now.

The real question is whats a dubJ knuckle

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RCP Phx said:

That's the key word, but it does not require it. I've been running my Currie Correct-link for 4 yrs now.

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'The real question is whats a dubJ knuckle' -WJ Knuckle for a WJ Big Brake 'Upgrade'.

Also, I believe the stock XJ steering setup will work with the WJ Knuckles. I looked into it. The TRE tapers are the same, as I remember. I tired parts at a PnP. Time constraints, I installed the GM 1-ton. I remember someone using the stock though.

Evan03 said:

The real question is whats a dubJ knuckle

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DUB = W. It’s too hard for young adults to use English. They need to use slang for everything.