[brymac66]

I have an 87 YJ 4.0 with 4 inch RC lift. I just had an alignment done and found the the drivers upper ball joint has some play. Not bad but will be addressing soon and will change them all. As I was looking at parts I came across the Moog adjustable and wasn’t aware of them. I don’t have issues with caster or camber so not sure that I need the adjustable ball joints. What do you guys recommend for ball joints on the YJ with a Dana 30. FYI The alignment shop wanted $900 for the job.


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[JonStevens]

I did my ball joints, tie rod ends, center link, wheel hubs, and steering stabilizer for around $400 iirc.

I can look up my Moog part numbers when I get a chance.

MOOG K3134T Ball Joint-Upper

MOOG K3161T Ball Joint-Lower

Moog ES3095R Tie rod end- right inner

Moog ES3094L Tie rod end-at Pitman

Moog ES3096L Tie rod end- Left Outer

MOOG DS1237 Tie Rod End-Right Outer

 

[Morris4x4Center]

I HATE doing ball joints of all things. That's just me haha but I'd pay a decent chunk of money if I had a set that lasted the life of the vehicle. I did G2 on my JK. If you have a friend with a lift, a torch, and a hammer, and a long day, you can do it. (ball joint press too *you can rent them at most auto stores).

-Julia

 

[brymac66]

No issue doing it myself just curious about the adjustable ones and if I need them.


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[agalloch07]

The adjustable ones are for correcting camber usually if you have bent C's you probbaly dont need them. If your caster is off you are better off shimming it than using adjustable ball joints because adjustable ball joints are weaker.

Do not use Moog ball joints they are weaker than spicer and quality control is poor. Spicer ball joints are not hard to find and they are not expensive.

 

[JonStevens]

100% evidence and 0% bias! THAT is the way we like it!

 

[agalloch07]

When i was building my D44 i came across a video by an axle builder that i cant find now. He was comparing Spicer vs Moog ball joints and the Moog was loose in the socket. He said that they had that problem a lot with Moog joints because they are now Chinese made and have looser tolerances because of it. Spicers are still made in the USA with better steel and they last longer and break less when wheeling hard. Spicers are a little more expensive but not much and you are supporting American workers.

The spicer joints that came in all of the jeeps i have ever owned lasted a long time. I think the only jeep i ever had to replace ball joints on was my 2wd Comanche. A friend of mine used to buy the cheapest ball joints the parts store had and broke them all the time (they were not Moog). So i dont see any reason to not buy Spicer ball joints.

There are aftermarket heavy duty ball joints you can buy for about $300-600 a set but i dont see the point of it when you can get a set of Spicers for $120 and i have never broken one. Maybe if you were running 37's or bigger but at that point you should be looking at D60's with kingpins.

Also dont buy knurled ball joints unless the C's are sloppy get standard non knurled. I ordered mine from this seller BALL JOINT KIT JEEP WRANGLER CHEROKEE COMANCHE DANA 30 OR 44 BOTH SIDES | eBay

 

[JonStevens]

Spicer is no longer exclusively Made in USA, so that is no longer a valid point. I am sure they have been global for decades just like everyone else.

When I bought my Jeep, I wanted to redo the front end and heard Spicer was the way to go. I found ujoints and ball joints but couldn't find wheel hubs or tie rod ends. Then I noticed that Spicer makes no claims to be any better than OE! No better than they made them in 1993?! Wow

I have had zero issues with Moog, so I bought all of my components from them because I like that they are all the same brand name. Plus, I can grease my lower ball joints, just like my upper ball joints, makes sense, right? The Spicer lower ball joints are not greaseable? Or did I just not look hard enough?

 

[JTPhoto JK]

Factory Mopar balljoints are Spicer and I agree, they have lasted the longest of all on our Jeeps. I had issues with Synergy which were suppose to be one of the best at the time.
Greaseable units are not necessarily better or stronger as they are compromised with grease ports, as with U joints. Grease zerks can actually let water and mud in ( simple experience over 40+ years farm and off road equipment).


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[agalloch07]

Spicer 706944X are greasable, Spicer 706116X are non greasable. I always go with the non greasable ones since the factory ball joints were non greasable and have lasted 300K on the jeeps i have owned. And the chevy knuckles i run would have an exposed grease zerk hanging down begging to be busted off by a rock. The D30 ball joints are mounted upside down preventing that from happening.

 

[brymac66]

FYI, My Spicer ball joints arrived today and they were made in Canada.


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[agalloch07]

FYI, My Spicer ball joints arrived today and they were made in Canada.


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Let us know if Moog got the holes drilled int he correct spot for the cotter pin. Every time i buy Moog chassis parts with a castle nut and a cotter pin the hole is always in the wrong place. I bought all Moog tie rod ends for my steering several years ago when i replaced my factory steering. Most of the holes were drilled to high and did not engage with the castle nut and i think the same thing happened with the Chevy TRE's I'm running now. I think Moog is the best aftermarket parts you can buy but the quality control is still horrible. The Spicer ball joints i used lined right up though, if Spicer made TRE's i'd buy them but i don't think they do.

 

[brymac66]

Let us know if Moog got the holes drilled int he correct spot for the cotter pin. Every time i buy Moog chassis parts with a castle nut and a cotter pin the hole is always in the wrong place. I bought all Moog tie rod ends for my steering several years ago when i replaced my factory steering. Most of the holes were drilled to high and did not engage with the castle nut and i think the same thing happened with the Chevy TRE's I'm running now. I think Moog is the best aftermarket parts you can buy but the quality control is still horrible. The Spicer ball joints i used lined right up though, if Spicer made TRE's i'd buy them but i don't think they do.

I went with the spicer ball joints so I hope that I have no issues.


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[agalloch07]

I went with the spicer ball joints so I hope that I have no issues.


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Oh, I misunderstood i keep getting you and john stevens confused. I bought a Moog unit wheel bearing for my D30 when i still had it because it was reportedly better than other bearings. Moog seems to be hit and miss like everything else made today in this multinational craptastic automotive aftermarket.

 

[brymac66]

Oh, I misunderstood i thought you said you bought moog. I bought a Moog unit wheel bearing for my D30 when i still had it because it was reportedly better than other bearings. Moog seems to be hit and miss like everything else made today in this multinational craptastic automotive aftermarket.

I was looking at the Moog reviews on Amazon and it verified exactly what you were saying about spotty quality control. Thanks for the heads up on the Spicers. Once I get around to installing I’ll let everyone know how they go in.


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[agalloch07]

I was looking at the Moog reviews on Amazon and it verified exactly what you were saying about spotty quality control. Thanks for the heads up on the Spicers. Once I get around to installing I’ll let everyone know how they go in.


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I have a hard time of remembering who posted what i need to pay more attention i just remember seeing a list of moog part numbers. I generally try to avoid Moog but sometimes you just cant and they still end up being better than the generic brands.

Anyways, I have never installed the adjustable ball joints. I remember when i was 16 i bought a replacement ball joint for my MJ and it said adjustable on the box and i didn't know wtf i was supposed to do with it. So i called them back and long story short i ended up using it anyways. The D30 and D44 use the same ball joints but they are mounted differently. The D44 uses a shim to get the preload correct and the D30 does not. So i don't think you can even adjust the camber on the D30 even if you buy the adjustable ball joints because the D30 does not use the preload shim so an adjustable one wouldn't do you any good anyways.