Best ball joints out there

[grimmjeeper]

I can't say we've ever tested our ball joints with the Reid knuckles ourselves, but given how our ball joints work in both the aluminum and steel Mopar knuckles, they should be compatible.

Thanks. I'll give them a try and post up the results after EJS.

Well, it's after EJS and it's time to get ready for the upgrade. It'll probably be a couple of weeks before I can make the time to get them in but they're here and ready to install.

 

[AZRubicon]

Nice rig. What is your YT Channel. ? As soon as my 2022 gets delivered, I will have my stuff up on my channel as well.

https://youtube.com/c/AZRubicon1

 

[AZRubicon]

https://youtube.com/c/AZRubicon1

So my install is completely finished. Apex ball joints in. Keep in mind 8 have the Cooper STT Pro 37x13.5x17 and they are huge.

First impression is DAMN they are stiff!!! When I picked it up my guy said it'll take time to break them in, 7ntill then ... Be careful. HOLY SHIT ALL'S, he was not lying. They are insanely stiff. Break-in on the road was not happening fast enough. Driving was interesting to say the least. Then I hit the rocks and after 6 hours climbing and flexing I noticed a difference. Road driving much better. Second trail run, even better. After the third it's now back to normal. Be BE AWARE, the rig will not drive the same until breaking in period is done. It was crazy how stiff. Now that it's done, the RCVs and when setup make it insanely capable climbing up the walls here in AZ. Last upgrade will be the new Metalcloak dual res shocks when the arrive this year.

 

[eldiego]

When I re-geared, I did all of that:

CrMo axles (RCV front and DS rear)
Dynatrac ball joints
Mojave steering knuckles
Artec trusses, gussets, and LCA skids (front and rear)

It was a hit, but I did not spend as much if I would have done it separately.

I am about to do a similar upgrade since I will be re gearing to 4.88, Dynatrac ball joints and Reid knuckles but I have to say the whole axle shaft part confuses me. I have not been able to find an answer and I do apologize if what I am about to ask are the dumbest questions you will read on this forum:
Why doesn't RCV make rear axle shafts? Why do you need to mix and match an RCV front axle with a DS rear. I think the fact that many go with the RCV fronts and (insert brand) rears is throwing me for a loop. Rear axle has a different configuration than the fronts? Thank you and I apologize in advanced

 

[Roky]

I am about to do a similar upgrade since I will be re gearing to 4.88, Dynatrac ball joints and Reid knuckles but I have to say the whole axle shaft part confuses me. I have not been able to find an answer and I do apologize if what I am about to ask are the dumbest questions you will read on this forum:
Why doesn't RCV make rear axle shafts? Why do you need to mix and match an RCV front axle with a DS rear. I think the fact that many go with the RCV fronts and (insert brand) rears is throwing me for a loop. Rear axle has a different configuration than the fronts? Thank you and I apologize in advanced

They make them…..

https://www.polyperformance.com/rcv...iN1kYmQmo_zY9s-Pi1uxYtGY2E8jF_aRoCLp8QAvD_BwE

I think that for most people it’s the price that’s the determining factor…… You can get Yukon shafts for just over 600.00……….

 

[CarbonSteel]

I am about to do a similar upgrade since I will be re gearing to 4.88, Dynatrac ball joints and Reid knuckles but I have to say the whole axle shaft part confuses me. I have not been able to find an answer and I do apologize if what I am about to ask are the dumbest questions you will read on this forum:
Why doesn't RCV make rear axle shafts? Why do you need to mix and match an RCV front axle with a DS rear. I think the fact that many go with the RCV fronts and (insert brand) rears is throwing me for a loop. Rear axle has a different configuration than the fronts? Thank you and I apologize in advanced

They do make them--though I think they just came out with them, but lead time is unknown AND the price is crazy $2000 (link below). I paid $447.10 to the door for my DS rears and though the RCV may be stronger (no specs that I see), the weak link is still the spline area which cannot be increased in size to make it any stronger than the DS shaft. In fact, there comes a point (at least in my humble opinion) where you would want the shaft to twist versus tearing up the carrier. You have to ask yourself if the RCVs are worth 4x the cost of Dana.

With that said, I think the Dana Spicer rear axle shafts are plenty stout and I would have no issues running them (I am). I am about to pull my front RCVs and go back to stock with plans to switch to Dana Spicer CrMo front shafts after the summer. I had DS CrMo front and rear, but the shop that installed the fronts was clueless and I had problems with them and pulled them out and sold them. I plan to do it myself this time so that I know how they were installed.

Hope this helps!

https://www.rcvperformance.com/ultimate-300m-dana-44-rear-axle-set-for-jeep-jl-rubicon-2018.html

 

[word302]

They do make them--though I think they just came out with them, but lead time is unknown AND the price is crazy $2000 (link below). I paid $447.10 to the door for my DS rears and though the RCV may be stronger (no specs that I see), the weak link is still the spline area which cannot be increased in size to make it any stronger than the DS shaft. In fact, there comes a point (at least in my humble opinion) where you would want the shaft to twist versus tearing up the carrier. You have to ask yourself if the RCVs are worth 4x the cost of Dana.

With that said, I think the Dana Spicer rear axle shafts are plenty stout and I would have no issues running them (I am). I am about to pull my front RCVs and go back to stock with plans to switch to Dana Spicer CrMo front shafts after the summer. I had DS CrMo front and rear, but the shop that installed the fronts was clueless and I had problems with them and pulled them out and sold them. I plan to do it myself this time so that I know how they were installed.

Hope this helps!

https://www.rcvperformance.com/ultimate-300m-dana-44-rear-axle-set-for-jeep-jl-rubicon-2018.html

I forgot, why did you pull the RCVs?

 

[CarbonSteel]

I forgot, why did you pull the RCVs?

A few reasons (will be pulling them this week):

1. Jeep Slop Shop tore the boots when they installed them so I have to pull them to replace those anyway.
2. I am not really a fan of the grease they sling
3. I really wanted the DS CrMo shafts (and had them), but the same shop "had no clue" on how to install the DS shafts and there was binding, that in retrospect had to be the shop and not the shafts.

I am re-installing the OEM shafts and will be selling the RCVs. Nothing wrong with them (I have new boots from RCV that came in last week), they are just not for me.

 

[eldiego]

@Roky @CarbonSteel Thank you both! I was insanely confused haha and I couldn't understand the why lol

Now poses the next question.
Why are the RCV more expensive? Do they think the rears fail more often than the fronts? Are the rears more important than the fronts?

 

[CarbonSteel]

@Roky @CarbonSteel Thank you both! I was insanely confused haha and I couldn't understand the why lol

Now poses the next question.
Why are the RCV more expensive? Do they think the rears fail more often than the fronts? Are the rears more important than the fronts?

RCVs are known as "the best" and while they are really good, it is hard for me to justify 4x the cost. The rears "could fail" more than the fronts as they are in constant operation and take the bulk of the load when off-roading. The caveat here is what I have seen fail are OEM rears typically when tires that are too large for the setup are used and OEM FAD failures on the front (housing breaking at the FAD).

IMHO - "any" CrMo shaft and trusses on the axle housing will handle the vast majority of what most of us do. There are always those who do "extreme" off-roading and need more than that, but (IMHO) when your off-roading surpasses "normal" CrMo axles and trusses, you are looking at Dana 60 territory.

 

[Roky]

@Roky @CarbonSteel Thank you both! I was insanely confused haha and I couldn't understand the why lol

Now poses the next question.
Why are the RCV more expensive? Do they think the rears fail more often than the fronts? Are the rears more important than the fronts?

I honestly don’t know, but I do know that DS shafts, or Yukon shafts have proven themselves over the years…… I have Yukon’s on the way myself……

 

[grimmjeeper]

RCVs are known as "the best" and while they are really good, it is hard for me to justify 4x the cost. The rears "could fail" more than the fronts as they are in constant operation and take the bulk of the load when off-roading. The caveat here is what I have seen fail are OEM rears typically when tires that are too large for the setup are used and OEM FAD failures on the front (housing breaking at the FAD).

IMHO - "any" CrMo shaft and trusses on the axle housing will handle the vast majority of what most of us do. There are always those who do "extreme" off-roading and need more than that, but (IMHO) when your off-roading surpasses "normal" CrMo axles and trusses, you are looking at Dana 60 territory.

Yep. I'm over building my front axle. I'm running 35s now so most everything I'm doing is overkill. Well, except for getting rid of the aluminum knuckles. Even when I go to 37s, it'll still be more than I need. But that's so I never have to worry about breaking anything.

My Comanche is going to be running something larger than 40s when I'm done building it. But I'm swapping superduty axles under it. A Dana 60 front and Dana 80 rear will be hard to break given how light that truck is.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

@Roky @CarbonSteel
Now poses the next question.
Why are the RCV more expensive? Do they think the rears fail more often than the fronts? Are the rears more important than the fronts?

The RCV rear shafts are M300 steel that has greater hardness and tensile strength compared to 4340 chromoly steel. It costs more.

 

[eldiego]

The RCV rear shafts are M300 steel that has greater hardness and tensile strength compared to 4340 chromoly steel. It costs more.

Good to know! Thank you

 

[BadA$$Rubi]

A few reasons (will be pulling them this week):

1. Jeep Slop Shop tore the boots when they installed them so I have to pull them to replace those anyway.
2. I am not really a fan of the grease they sling
3. I really wanted the DS CrMo shafts (and had them), but the same shop "had no clue" on how to install the DS shafts and there was binding, that in retrospect had to be the shop and not the shafts.

I am re-installing the OEM shafts and will be selling the RCVs. Nothing wrong with them (I have new boots from RCV that came in last week), they are just not for me.

Do the RCV’s sling grease even if the boots aren’t torn?