TrailHunter
Hooked
Did you unbolt it from the body? (above the rear end) Thats what I had to do... It just sort of hangs there now. 2 door might be different though.
A Dirt Head's JK
- Thread starter DirtHeadDavis
- Start date
DirtHeadDavis
Hooked
Huh, thanks for the input! I suppose I’ll leave it alone for a while and do that if need be.
DirtHeadDavis
Hooked
No but I’ll check thanks Kirk!
Seahawkfan
Hooked
How many miles did you have on them? Original OEM? MachinedAlso took it for a drive and all I can say is... wow. Can't believe I hadn't replaced these sooner. Been fighting a slowly worsening shimmy and loose feeling at the wheel, as well as death wobble symptoms when braking on top of horrid bump steer. All gone just like that. Should've done this months ago.
Drives super solid again and the steering is TIGHT. Finally time to get back on the trail. Oh, I also reserved a spot at Jeep Bash next month
DirtHeadDavis
Hooked
I had 63k miles on the original ball joints. Pretty short compared to others I’ve seen get on their ball joints but to be fair I tend to drive through the desert like I’m on coilovers at times… LolHow many miles did you have on them? Original OEM? Machined
See the 25:00 minute mark for an example
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Seahawkfan
Hooked
Thanks. I'm at 56k and starting to feel some weird shit. I started with 35's when new and 37's for probably the last 35k. Had that little death wobble incident. 1/16 of toe fixed that. Feels a little flighty sometimes. My tires are well used and getting really close to replacement time. So, I'm torn between is it my tires, ball joints or upper control arm bushings?
DirtHeadDavis
Hooked
When are you feeling the wobble? When braking? At speed?
DirtHeadDavis
Hooked
Hoping to get back on the trails regularly soon now that the front end is in order. Planning a trip to Big Bear next month to run everything up there, and hitting Valley of the Moons very soon. Anyone in SoCal run that trail before?
Up next in upgrades is probably a Synergy drag link and the Wayalife ACC Bar paired to a hard mounted GMRS/Race radio. Any input there? Looking at ICOM, Midland, Rugged, etc. Leaning towards 2-way GMRS for the price point, and since I use my handy little Baofeng quite often already for both frequencies - want a hard mounted solution or alternative. No harm in keeping both in the Jeep.
Up next in upgrades is probably a Synergy drag link and the Wayalife ACC Bar paired to a hard mounted GMRS/Race radio. Any input there? Looking at ICOM, Midland, Rugged, etc. Leaning towards 2-way GMRS for the price point, and since I use my handy little Baofeng quite often already for both frequencies - want a hard mounted solution or alternative. No harm in keeping both in the Jeep.
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Seahawkfan
Hooked
Wobble is gone. Jeep just feels different. At speed in corners feels a little loose or flighty, I guess.
rubiDave
Active Member
You mean down by Jacumba? Yeah, I've been there. You can get in and out with a regular 4wd / awd vehicle. Lots of little loop trails and various extra credit lines. Probably pretty rutted right now after last weekends storm. A lot of smuggling & coyote activity there so it ought to get filled in pretty quickly.
DirtHeadDavis
Hooked
Yes! I heard it's great fun. We'll be sure to bring rifles. Lol.
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
It’s not that great. Not worth the drive in my opinion.
rubiDave
Active Member
Agree. Too many weirdos there.
But I think he's in San Diego.
rubiDave
Active Member
You won't be the only ones with rifles. Watch your six.
DirtHeadDavis
Hooked
Well shit
Maybe it’s not worth the drive… It just an hour and a half or so from me, I’m in Northern San Diego
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
It was closer than that to me when I lived down there and wasn’t worth it.Well shit
DirtHeadDavis
Hooked
Spent my days off at Big Bear this week!
Ready to head out from home in Del Mar
About a 2.5 hour drive, after grabbing some breakfast at the the Grizzly Manor Cafe, we hit the easy but beautiful Gold Fever Trail!
Went with my buddy and his stock 4Runner he plans to build up
Overlooking this beautiful clearing in Holcomb Valley
Thanks to the rain there were many fun water crossings!
This trail was stunning visually. Crossing a creek and deeper into the wilderness
Wilbur’s grave. Didn’t know him.
Belleville cabin - the last standing building of what once was in the gold mining settlement of Holcomb valley. There were also multiple mines accessible along this trail.
Another gorgeous clearing of where the town of Holcomb Valley stood in 1860
There were MANY water crossings. It turned out to be a lot of fun! Luckily the mud didn’t really stick.
Ready to head out from home in Del Mar
About a 2.5 hour drive, after grabbing some breakfast at the the Grizzly Manor Cafe, we hit the easy but beautiful Gold Fever Trail!
Went with my buddy and his stock 4Runner he plans to build up
Overlooking this beautiful clearing in Holcomb Valley
Thanks to the rain there were many fun water crossings!
This trail was stunning visually. Crossing a creek and deeper into the wilderness
Wilbur’s grave. Didn’t know him.
Belleville cabin - the last standing building of what once was in the gold mining settlement of Holcomb valley. There were also multiple mines accessible along this trail.
Another gorgeous clearing of where the town of Holcomb Valley stood in 1860
There were MANY water crossings. It turned out to be a lot of fun! Luckily the mud didn’t really stick.
DirtHeadDavis
Hooked
This one was the deepest of them all, up to my rocker guards and I was running no doors!
Next up, we went down Holcomb Creek! Obviously leaving the 4Runner and it’s 32s behind haha
Got to really stretch the Jeep’s legs throughout this trail. This was my favorite bit of the trail.
Another shot, probably still had an inch or two of travel too! Was happy with the Jeep’s performance.
This rock garden tested the limits of my open diff and 35s for sure. Kissed my control arm mount, shock mount and rear diff a touch on a few of the boulders but most of all…
Busted yet ANOTHER steering stabilizer lol. First the stock one now the Rancho. Even punched a whole in the shaft and it’s leaking oil now.
As luck would have it, the Jeep dealer down the street from my work had 1 JK stabilizer left in stock! Excited to go back to the stock stabilizer like I should have in the first place. Still running the Rancho shocks though, no complaints there.
TrailHunter
Hooked
Eventually you will want to get the stabilizer moved up higher.
I run a rancho shock now... but this is when I welded tabs to the EVO Draglink Flip bracket and installed a clamp to the tie rod. Gets the shock up out of the way.
I run a rancho shock now... but this is when I welded tabs to the EVO Draglink Flip bracket and installed a clamp to the tie rod. Gets the shock up out of the way.
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DirtHeadDavis
Hooked
For sure. Forgive me as I’ve never looked into it, where would the axle side relocate too?