Has Anybody Had To Replace Your Ball Joints yet?

[irishtim7]

So, I've been getting the dreaded Death Wobble Lite lately. It's getting progressively worse. I've always had it a bit, even at 3k miles with stock suspension, wheels and tires. It was just a little steering wheel wobble on the larger bumps. I don't have any wander. Never did. The Jeep drives great as long as I don't hit any large bumps - hard not to do in NE Ohio. Caster is at 6 deg. Toed in 1/8".

I've recently replaced my entire front suspension with the complete Synergy setup - track bar, drag link, tie rod, track bar sector shaft brace, and Fox TS steering stabilizer. Yes, everything is torqued to spec. The only thing left are the ball joints. I'm at 18k miles. 15k of that is on 37's.

I'm going to try and test them this weekend. Not sure how that will go considering the tolerances are 0.050". I'm not really going to be able to see that with my eye. I was hoping these things would last until Synergy or Dynatrac came out with HD options. Synergy is testing now but I'm certain I can't wait any longer.

Anybody have to change yours out? Did it fix any problems? Hate to just throw parts and money at it but I've got to get this sorted before EJS.

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[AnnDee4444]

I've recently replaced my entire front suspension with the complete Synergy setup - track bar, drag link, tie rod, track bar sector shaft brace, and Fox TS steering stabilizer. Yes, everything is torqued to spec. The only thing left are the ball joints. I'm at 18k miles. 15k of that is on 37's.

I don't have any experience with the JL's ball joints, but I thought of one more possible thing to check. Does your steering box have any play? I could see how even with perfect linkage, a loose steering box may allow enough play for death wobble to get started.

 

[ChattVol]

So, I've been getting the dreaded Death Wobble Lite lately. It's getting progressively worse. I've always had it a bit, even at 3k miles with stock suspension, wheels and tires. It was just a little steering wheel wobble on the larger bumps. I don't have any wander. Never did. The Jeep drives great as long as I don't hit any large bumps - hard not to do in NE Ohio. Caster is at 6 deg. Toed in 1/8".

I've recently replaced my entire front suspension with the complete Synergy setup - track bar, drag link, tie rod, track bar sector shaft brace, and Fox TS steering stabilizer. Yes, everything is torqued to spec. The only thing left are the ball joints. I'm at 18k miles. 15k of that is on 37's.

I'm going to try and test them this weekend. Not sure how that will go considering the tolerances are 0.050". I'm not really going to be able to see that with my eye. I was hoping these things would last until Synergy or Dynatrac came out with HD options. Synergy is testing now but I'm certain I can't wait any longer.

Anybody have to change yours out? Did it fix any problems? Hate to just throw parts and money at it but I've got to get this sorted before EJS.

Have you retorqued the ball joints?

 

[irishtim7]

I don't have any experience with the JL's ball joints, but I thought of one more possible thing to check. Does your steering box have any play? I could see how even with perfect linkage, a loose steering box may allow enough play for death wobble to get started.

there is no excessive play in my steering. Never had that at all.

 

[irishtim7]

Have you retorqued the ball joints?

i did a couple of months ago. They were clicking. They were surprisingly loose. I’m going to go over every damn bolt this weekend. Recheck the tow and possibly reduce it a bit.

What a pain in the ass.

 

[ChattVol]

i did a couple of months ago. They were clicking. They were surprisingly loose. I’m going to go over every damn bolt this weekend. Recheck the tow and possibly reduce it a bit.

What a pain in the ass.

Likely a loose bolt...if retorquing doesn't help, check for bad joints turning steering back and forth with you holding steering components.

 

[roaniecowpony]

So, I've been getting the dreaded Death Wobble Lite lately. It's getting progressively worse. I've always had it a bit, even at 3k miles with stock suspension, wheels and tires. It was just a little steering wheel wobble on the larger bumps. I don't have any wander. Never did. The Jeep drives great as long as I don't hit any large bumps - hard not to do in NE Ohio. Caster is at 6 deg. Toed in 1/8".

I've recently replaced my entire front suspension with the complete Synergy setup - track bar, drag link, tie rod, track bar sector shaft brace, and Fox TS steering stabilizer. Yes, everything is torqued to spec. The only thing left are the ball joints. I'm at 18k miles. 15k of that is on 37's.

I'm going to try and test them this weekend. Not sure how that will go considering the tolerances are 0.050". I'm not really going to be able to see that with my eye. I was hoping these things would last until Synergy or Dynatrac came out with HD options. Synergy is testing now but I'm certain I can't wait any longer.

Anybody have to change yours out? Did it fix any problems? Hate to just throw parts and money at it but I've got to get this sorted before EJS.

What suspension parts did you change? If you have checked the pitman arm for play and found none, I'd look at control arm bushings too, after ball joints. And check the trackbar bolt torque while you're under there. Gotta check mine.

 

[irishtim7]

I checked every bolt on the front suspension. Everything was torqued to spec. LCA's are Synergy BTW. The only components that are stock on front are the UCA's and the ball joints. All the new Synergy joints have no play as I suspected. I tried checking the ball joints for play and saw none. TBH, I don't know how well I did though. I don't think I was able to get enough leverage to really check.

I adjusted the drag link at the knuckle. I was not liking how it looked. It was a little cockeyed. The biggest thing I found was the toe setting. I was at a full 1/4" toe in. Ouch! When I originally set it, I was using these.

https://bleepinjeep.com/product/bleepinjeep-alignment-tool/

When I measured today, I took them with the tires on. I set it to about 3/32" toe in. I know too much toe in can be bad for death wobble and the initial test drive confirms it's much better. The wobble is still slightly there though. I'll know more tomorrow after my commute to work on the highway.

 

[irishtim7]

No wobble on the highway. Crisis averted, I believe.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I checked every bolt on the front suspension. Everything was torqued to spec. LCA's are Synergy BTW. The only components that are stock on front are the UCA's and the ball joints. All the new Synergy joints have no play as I suspected. I tried checking the ball joints for play and saw none. TBH, I don't know how well I did though. I don't think I was able to get enough leverage to really check.

I adjusted the drag link at the knuckle. I was not liking how it looked. It was a little cockeyed. The biggest thing I found was the toe setting. I was at a full 1/4" toe in. Ouch! When I originally set it, I was using these.

https://bleepinjeep.com/product/bleepinjeep-alignment-tool/

When I measured today, I took them with the tires on. I set it to about 3/32" toe in. I know too much toe in can be bad for death wobble and the initial test drive confirms it's much better. The wobble is still slightly there though. I'll know more tomorrow after my commute to work on the highway.

How did you measure it with the tires on? My alignment shop jacks the tire, spins it and scribes a line on the front tires, then uses toe trammel . I've used a tape measure with the help of another person.

 

[irishtim7]

How did you measure it with the tires on? My alignment shop jacks the tire, spins it and scribes a line on the front tires, then uses toe trammel . I've used a tape measure with the help of another person.

Placed the front axle on stands. Picked a center lug and drew a line down the center for reference. Did my best to measure front and back at the same height using a tape measure.

 

[sourdough]

Glad to hear you resolved the wobble. When I set the toe, I went with 1/8th inch by tape measure, tires on. I read somewhere less is better, so I’ve been trying it. Never had a wobble and still don’t but haven’t the miles on my rig that you do. I’ve got like 5/6 thou. driving with 37” tires and aftermarket steering , about the same flat towing. Like you I’ve wondered about the ball joints and how long they will last. I’ve swapped out everything else also. Watching for Synergy’s release. Good to know yours are still good at 17 thousand.

 

[jeepdabest]

Has Anybody Had To Replace Your Ball Joints yet?
Yes....but I'm 67 years old

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