Ball Joint Spins When Torqueing

[nU7OuxIx]

How does it feel when driving?

Well, that's why I'm here. I know solid axles drive differently than IFS. But I've always felt like there was something that just wasn't right with the steering, and I've just written it off, but don't have much driving solid axles. I would say anything over 70 is white knuckle driving.

Basically, I feel like it's a lot of tiny corrections when driving. And if you take your eyes off the road you tend to drift. I've tried airing down and it helped but didn't resolve the issue. My caster is probably around high 5 to 6 degrees, as I'm seeing about 89.8* on the spot next to the pumpkin. Noise-wise there's nothing that stands out.

Never took it back to the dealer because I feel like it would be a waste of time. And I've always just thought that is how Wranglers drive because that's what mostly everybody says.

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[nU7OuxIx]

Just checked and the bottoms are fine now with the wheels on the ground. I was able to check the torque and the studs didn't spin and the bolts didn't get any tighter. I didn't bother checking the tops because it looks painful to get the cotter pins out and a wrench in there with the axle in.

I suppose it will be something to keep an eye on. Since I was able to torque it down without it budging, I'm guessing that the knuckle still has enough bite on the stud to keep it in place. I will say that the drivers side bolt did tighten about 1/8", as the factory torque paint line is now a little bit different and I had to gently tap a cotter pin in. I didn't want to move to the next castle notch for fear it will strip the stud.

 

[Headbarcode]

Just checked and the bottoms are fine now with the wheels on the ground. I was able to check the torque and the studs didn't spin and the bolts didn't get any tighter. I didn't bother checking the tops because it looks painful to get the cotter pins out and a wrench in there with the axle in.

I suppose it will be something to keep an eye on. Since I was able to torque it down without it budging, I'm guessing that the knuckle still has enough bite on the stud to keep it in place. I will say that the drivers side bolt did tighten about 1/8", as the factory torque paint line is now a little bit different and I had to gently tap a cotter pin in. I didn't want to move to the next castle notch for fear it will strip the stud.

Future reference, it'll take a good bit more to strip that nut, than it takes to tighten to the next available opening for the cotter pin hole. It does sound like you probably caught it quick enough that there's no real damage.

A test drive to see if there's improvement would be the final determining factor, but typically a loose ball joint would cause a steering shimmy or full on wobble depending on how loose they were.

If your rubi is all stock, and is still wandering at speed and not wanting to track a straight line, you might consider adding the front lower control arms from the mopar lift kit. They can be purchased separately for less than $100, and have a good track record for fixing the wandering on a lot of members stock Rubicons.

And good on you for starting with lower tire pressures.

 

[nU7OuxIx]

If your rubi is all stock, and is still wandering at speed and not wanting to track a straight line, you might consider adding the front lower control arms from the mopar lift kit. They can be purchased separately for less than $100, and have a good track record for fixing the wandering on a lot of members stock Rubicons.

It is still all stock. I have steel bumpers and a winch, which makes it drop a bit. I've thought about adding the lift LCA's. But my thinking is that if it's about 90* on the flat spot next to the pumpkin, that means it's about 6* of caster, if that old tale still holds true. If I add the LCA's, then that would put me around 8* of caster, which is probably too much. Which then makes me wonder if it's just me and that's just how a jeep drives.

I've been thinking about taking it to firestone to see if I can just get an alignment check...not actually do anything.

 

[jjvincent]

I ran into this issue because I took my Jeep out to Moab right after I bought it. After going around there, it developed a metallic click when turning. When I got back, both lower nuts were loose (uppers were tight). I also noticed that the cotter pin was pretty much doing nothing. When I tightened it up, it was like it hit a wall when tightening. Plus, the ball joint was was rotating.

I'm also a mechanic and work with ball joints on all sorts of vehicles and including Jeeps and pickups with solid front axles. What I think is that it was a QC issue with the upright. They drilled the lower taper a bit too far. Thus the nut was tightening on the ball joint step on the stud. I could see it after removing the nut.

My solution was to buy some large washers from McMaster Carr along with nylock nuts. I do know that the front nuts on the panhard bar would work too. Now it feels like a proper fastener when tightening and so far, never have come loose.

 

[Headbarcode]

It is still all stock. I have steel bumpers and a winch, which makes it drop a bit. I've thought about adding the lift LCA's. But my thinking is that if it's about 90* on the flat spot next to the pumpkin, that means it's about 6* of caster, if that old tale still holds true. If I add the LCA's, then that would put me around 8* of caster, which is probably too much. Which then makes me wonder if it's just me and that's just how a jeep drives.

I've been thinking about taking it to firestone to see if I can just get an alignment check...not actually do anything.

If spending the small amount of time and money isn't an issue, an alignment check is never a bad thing.

Since Jeep decided to use the same exact control arms on every Wrangler model, the taller Rubicon ended up with the lowest caster out of the factory. The .25" longer arms from the mopar lift typically adds about 1°, which is usually just enough to instantly fix the wandering. See what the alignment says, and go from there.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

It is still all stock. I have steel bumpers and a winch, which makes it drop a bit. I've thought about adding the lift LCA's. But my thinking is that if it's about 90* on the flat spot next to the pumpkin, that means it's about 6* of caster, if that old tale still holds true. If I add the LCA's, then that would put me around 8* of caster, which is probably too much. Which then makes me wonder if it's just me and that's just how a jeep drives.

I've been thinking about taking it to firestone to see if I can just get an alignment check...not actually do anything.

Your stock jeep isn't at 6° caster. No more than the longer LCAs will put you to 8° caster. Your eyecrometer is off.

 

[word302]

It is still all stock. I have steel bumpers and a winch, which makes it drop a bit. I've thought about adding the lift LCA's. But my thinking is that if it's about 90* on the flat spot next to the pumpkin, that means it's about 6* of caster, if that old tale still holds true. If I add the LCA's, then that would put me around 8* of caster, which is probably too much. Which then makes me wonder if it's just me and that's just how a jeep drives.

I've been thinking about taking it to firestone to see if I can just get an alignment check...not actually do anything.

If you are stock, your caster is somewhere in the mid 3s/low 4s. There’s no way the lift LCAs would bring you to 8.

 

[word302]

Your stock jeep isn't at 6° caster. No more than the longer LCAs will put you to 8° caster. Your eyecrometer is off.

Beat me to the punch.

 

[nU7OuxIx]

OK, challenge accepted! I'll either eat crow or be the first to show a stock rubicon at 6* caster!

When I used an angle meter, I'm seeing about 89.8* on the bolt holes next to the pumpkin. When I put it on the bottom of the knuckle, I see somewhere around 7* of caster. My floor where the front tires are is pretty much level.

I made an appointment to go in Friday and actually put it on a rack to get numbers. I don't disagree with everybody because everybody is telling me that stock rubicons are 4*. But from what I see at home, it's much more than 4*. This is why I'm bringing it in, paying the 20 bucks and seeing for sure what it is.

 

[nU7OuxIx]

Your stock jeep isn't at 6° caster. No more than the longer LCAs will put you to 8° caster. Your eyecrometer is off.

I started another thread about this but wanted to follow up here. I ended up getting an alignment check yesterday and my caster on my stock JLUR is 5.6 degrees. Not the 6 degrees I mentioned, but pretty close. Definitely not the 4 degrees that almost everybody here sees. Don't know why mine is different than everybody else. I was really hoping it was 4 so I had an easy fix.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

I started another thread about this but wanted to follow up here. I ended up getting an alignment check yesterday and my caster on my stock JLUR is 5.6 degrees. Not the 6 degrees I mentioned, but pretty close. Definitely not the 4 degrees that almost everybody here sees. Don't know why mine is different than everybody else. I was really hoping it was 4 so I had an easy fix.

Very odd for sure.

 

[word302]

I started another thread about this but wanted to follow up here. I ended up getting an alignment check yesterday and my caster on my stock JLUR is 5.6 degrees. Not the 6 degrees I mentioned, but pretty close. Definitely not the 4 degrees that almost everybody here sees. Don't know why mine is different than everybody else. I was really hoping it was 4 so I had an easy fix.

Either you got a unicorn or the alignment machine is out of calibration. Either way adding another degree will help with wander.

 

[Bill007123]

I started another thread about this but wanted to follow up here. I ended up getting an alignment check yesterday and my caster on my stock JLUR is 5.6 degrees. Not the 6 degrees I mentioned, but pretty close. Definitely not the 4 degrees that almost everybody here sees. Don't know why mine is different than everybody else. I was really hoping it was 4 so I had an easy fix.

I have a 24 JLRX and I installed the Mopar lift kit. After install with the included LCA's my caster is 4.4 left and 4.5 right. I was hoping for a little more, but it is what it is. These readings come from the alignment machine, not checking with a carpenter's level. If you add any more to the LCA's you start having pinion angle problems, it's a catch 22 for sure. With the FAD delete too much pinion angle is no good.

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