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ASSFROW

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You good bro? People disagreeing with get you all upset? Facts > feelings.
LOL, mad? Nah Bruh. You just get the replies you've earned. You spew opinions and call them facts, then babble on. It's boring and tired.
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JT1

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As you stated they didn't need the last rebuild and you're only on your now 4th set because your swapping axles. In reality your be on your 2nd set at 139k hard use miles. That's the more realistic math. And the new $800 set for the new axle further proves my point about rebuildable ball joints. In reality just replacing the stockers with teraflex would have gotten you exactly to where you are with a new axle and new ball joints to go with it. $300 vs $1,000 between the ball joints, the unneeded rebuild, and glue. I'm not convinced dynatrac will last any longer so I don't see the value. Others might.
One feature that no one has mentioned is the upper ball joint retainer that metalcloak and synergy if you think the circlip will hold is knuckle retention following a u joint failure on an obstacle.

Slim odds, but I've seen it happen once. Also trashed the knuckle. Baller joints most likely would've saved him $1000...
 

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How many sets of ball joints? I'm guessing not 5? Body on frame holds up much better to being wheeled extensively. Run a unibody rig through trails like the Rubicon for a couple years and then look at all the cracks developed around the steering box, track bar mount, leaf spring mounts, etc. I've done it on multiple rigs. They don't like it. All the xjs and grand cherokees we wheeled over the years lasted 200k+, but none of them were bought with less than 150k or were wheeled before that. All started developing cracks if they didn't get to the point of full failures.
Original ball joints were replace around 96,000 miles with Synergy ball joints and they were holding up great when I sold it. I greased them liberally and frequently with Mobil

I can´t speak to the WJ´s and XJ´s. Only YJ, JK, and JL.
 

Zandcwhite

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I've lost track with all the back and forth, or maybe it was never said. ZandC, do you have OEM ball joints on your Jeeps? Have you run the aftermarket ball joints in the video above?
My JT mojave is still on the stock ball joints and will pass 30k miles on the roadtrip we are currently on, all but the 1st 1100 miles have been on 37s. The wife's JLUR is on teraflex and 39s. Made it just under 30k before they were swapped. Currently at 40k. I'm not arguing dynatracs aren't a quality product but I haven't seen them last any longer than other hd aftermarket options and at $800 plus $150 for the rebuild kit and $38 for the glue (that should be included in the rebuild kit) you're looking at $1,000 for 2 sets of ball joints where the teraflex would cost you $900 for 3 and in my opinion that's more than the life of the Jeep.
 

Zandcwhite

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One feature that no one has mentioned is the upper ball joint retainer that metalcloak and synergy if you think the circlip will hold is knuckle retention following a u joint failure on an obstacle.

Slim odds, but I've seen it happen once. Also trashed the knuckle. Baller joints most likely would've saved him $1000...
I've seen the ball joints knocked out with a ujoint failure, but we "pressed" them back in in the trail with a hammer and large socket. The one off break that destroys the knuckle I think is pretty rare and I'm not sure how any ball joints hold up in that case.
 

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Zandcwhite

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LOL, mad? Nah Bruh. You just get the replies you've earned. You spew opinions and call them facts, then babble on. It's boring and tired.
I don't think I stated anything as facts aside from the fact that a rebuild doesn't save any time as it's effectively more work minus the pressing. Everything still comes apart and the time degreasing and gluing alone would take longer than the pressing. Everything else is experience and simple math. If I can buy nearly 3 sets of hd ball joints for the cost of 1 set of dynatrac and 4 sets would be the break even point that math doesn't math for me.
 

3TV

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My JT mojave is still on the stock ball joints and will pass 30k miles on the roadtrip we are currently on, all but the 1st 1100 miles have been on 37s. The wife's JLUR is on teraflex and 39s. Made it just under 30k before they were swapped. Currently at 40k. I'm not arguing dynatracs aren't a quality product but I haven't seen them last any longer than other hd aftermarket options and at $800 plus $150 for the rebuild kit and $38 for the glue (that should be included in the rebuild kit) you're looking at $1,000 for 2 sets of ball joints where the teraflex would cost you $900 for 3 and in my opinion that's more than the life of the Jeep.
Thanks. I have Dynatrac ball joints in my 392 and haven't had any problems with them. They have already lasted longer than the OEM ball joints did. I really think the steering feel is better now with 40s than it was even when brand new and totally stock. And it is night and day better than it was compared to when the OEM ball joints needed replaced. I also had visible play in the drag link ends. So when I changed ball joints I also replaced the OEM tie rod and drag link with Metalcloak parts, and added a Metalcloak sector shaft brace and track bar brace, all at the same time. The improvement from all of that completely blew me away. I have had Jeeps since the early 70s and I've never had one drive that good.
 

Apples491

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My JT mojave is still on the stock ball joints and will pass 30k miles on the roadtrip we are currently on, all but the 1st 1100 miles have been on 37s. The wife's JLUR is on teraflex and 39s. Made it just under 30k before they were swapped. Currently at 40k. I'm not arguing dynatracs aren't a quality product but I haven't seen them last any longer than other hd aftermarket options and at $800 plus $150 for the rebuild kit and $38 for the glue (that should be included in the rebuild kit) you're looking at $1,000 for 2 sets of ball joints where the teraflex would cost you $900 for 3 and in my opinion that's more than the life of the Jeep.
Where are you getting $800 from? The Dynatracs are $550. Add the $160 rebuild kit and they're a little bit over $100 more than two sets of Teraflex. For that premium, you don't need to worry about pressing the joints again, which was a PITA on the set I helped do this past weekend.

The Metalcloak Ballers are $699. If the pricing holds true, it would be ~$300 for upper and lower rebuild kits. But I didn't buy them thinking about rebuild cost. I liked the shared load capability, the in-axle rebuild capability and the adjustability. They're the only set that has all three.

Hopefully by the time I need to rebuild them the price on the kits have gone down. $179 for just the lowers (so theoretically $360 for a full set) is ridiculous.

Also, you may have gotten 30k miles out of stock ball joints, but I just rolled over 11k and the symptoms were bad enough to make me replace them. There are other reports on this forum of people having to replace them at much lower mileage than me, so making any assumption on stock durability doesn't seem like a good bet.
 

Zandcwhite

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Where are you getting $800 from? The Dynatracs are $550. Add the $160 rebuild kit and they're a little bit over $100 more than two sets of Teraflex. For that premium, you don't need to worry about pressing the joints again, which was a PITA on the set I helped do this past weekend.

The Metalcloak Ballers are $699. If the pricing holds true, it would be ~$300 for upper and lower rebuild kits. But I didn't buy them thinking about rebuild cost. I liked the shared load capability, the in-axle rebuild capability and the adjustability. They're the only set that has all three.

Hopefully by the time I need to rebuild them the price on the kits have gone down. $179 for just the lowers (so theoretically $360 for a full set) is ridiculous.

Also, you may have gotten 30k miles out of stock ball joints, but I just rolled over 11k and the symptoms were bad enough to make me replace them. There are other reports on this forum of people having to replace them at much lower mileage than me, so making any assumption on stock durability doesn't seem like a good bet.
$730 in the 1st quick search I did. I see Northridge has them for $550 so that makes it closer. I've also seen people on 37s get 50k out of the stock ball joints so it's definitely a crap shoot there. The break even point would still be at the 3rd set of teraflex hd ball joints vs the dynatrac so I'm still confident most would be better served with that option over the life of the Jeep.
Jeep Wrangler JL The Ultimate Ball Joint Comparison!!! Screenshot_20250603_155239_Chrom
 
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I think it’s fair to also include the “labor” or if you are doing it yourself the time it takes to replace as well when making considerations. Time is not free.
 

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Zandcwhite

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I think it’s fair to also include the “labor” or if you are doing it yourself the time it takes to replace as well when making considerations. Time is not free.
True but even the rebuild means the same amount of time as replacing a non-rebuildable set so isn't that a wash across any set of ball joints? I don't think anyone is arguing to replace the stock plastic lined joints with stock, but from what I've read all the hd joints seem to last about the same?
 

ASSFROW

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1. Attached is the receipt. Granted, it was pre Covid pricing.
2. Nowhere did I say you shouldnt buy any brand or type of balljoints. I was simply telling you my opinion. Your user case may be different. You make the best decision on your Jeep.
3. What you believe or do not believe is irrelevant to me. I make my assumption. You make yours.
4. Actually, I paid less than $4,000 for a set delivered, as you can see. Again thats pre covid. And we only talk about front, arent we?
5. Appreciate you pointed out the solution to the problem, that, I do not have. Or would have in 30+ year. I cant guarantee I will still be around.
6. You are right, there is more than one way to skin a rocket surgeon.


edit: By the way, its a great thing that you want to remove all the parts that needed to be removed, as if you were replace the ball joints, to rebuild the ball joints. I am no pro, I really cant tell you if that is significantly easier.
So, my bad. The quips about saying what people should buy and facts/opinions were a poor attempted digs at Zandc and it was douchie. I only offered a solution to your;)conundrum, because you brought it up.

I'm assuming the axles were used? That's awesome. I think they've always been about $5k new. Wish I could've found a set of quality JK Rubi axles for that 5 years ago.
 

ASSFROW

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I don't think I stated anything as facts aside from the fact that a rebuild doesn't save any time as it's effectively more work minus the pressing. Everything still comes apart and the time degreasing and gluing alone would take longer than the pressing. Everything else is experience and simple math. If I can buy nearly 3 sets of hd ball joints for the cost of 1 set of dynatrac and 4 sets would be the break even point that math doesn't math for me.
Yeah man, that's not a fact, it's what you believe, an opinion.
 

Zandcwhite

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Yeah man, that's not a fact, it's what you believe, an opinion.
How is a rebuild faster? The disassembly is the same and you're trading pressing for rebuild, degreasing, and gluing. Unless you've never used a ball joint press before it couldn't possibly be. That's a fact not an opinion. If you could rebuild them without pulling shafts, knuckles, etc there's a time savings but that's not the case. That's like arguing a brake pad replacement will save you time vs buying a set of loaded calipers. The work is the same.
 

ASSFROW

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How is a rebuild faster? The disassembly is the same and you're trading pressing for rebuild, degreasing, and gluing. Unless you've never used a ball joint press before it couldn't possibly be. That's a fact not an opinion. If you could rebuild them without pulling shafts, knuckles, etc there's a time savings but that's not the case. That's like arguing a brake pad replacement will save you time vs buying a set of loaded calipers. The work is the same.
Sounds like an opinion.
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