Need to replace the stock ball joints in the Rubi D44 I have before it goes on the Jeep.

Synergy seems to be the "gold" standard, but I have heard mixed reviews - that they won't last a year.

The Tereflex joints seem interesting, but it looks like you have to modify the housing in 2012+ years to get them to fit. Really?

Interested in hearing the good, bad and ugly on ball joints.

 

Synergy, Crown, and Alloy are all the same ball joint in different packages.

I've been running them (Crown) for 60,000 miles now with no issues.

Edit - this is with BFG KM2 35s and mild to medium rock crawling and daily driving.

 

I run Synergy but they have been getting a lot of negative reviews lately. Im going with the Prosteers or Rare parts next time around.

 

Synergy because the TF adjustability is to adjust pre-load, unfortunately not an adjustable ball joint for camber like I had hoped. The alloys are another brand to consider. I've got a set in the TJ on 35's and went with synergy in the JK....just because.

I didn't get the tight steering that everyone talks about with the synergy- they just did what they're supposed to do. I had no install issues after borrowing the correct tool kit.


Bottom line- it's a ball joint. Anyone who claims it cured their cancer is a phony. I bought a product and it works.

Side bar- Improper installation can lead to negative reviews.....fwiw.

 

Stay away from anything over $200. They wear out as well. $600 for Dynatracs and they will wear about the same as the Synergy's and then you get to drop another $130 to rebuild them. There is only so much that can be done within the same size ball joint. You hear about more issues now because everyone is running larger tires and upgrading ball joints. You can't run 37" or larger tires on ball joints that were designed to handle 32s.

I think the Napa Gold have a lifetime warranty and hold up well. If they wear, take them back and get new ones. Synergy is also pretty good about replacing worn joints.

Just avoid the hype. That is all it is.

 

^Agreed. Bottomline if they are serviced and installed correctly they will last. I have Synergy Balljoints in my JK and have approx. 105K on them running 37s the whole time. They are starting to get a little loose. Hopefully they will hold up till I get to swap in a Pro rock ultimate 44.

 

I hope you're wrong about those Crowns. They were available from the get-go when the 2007s were released, and I was told they were the OEM supplier. Synergy came along a couple years later, then Alloy USA a bit later than that. I had Crowns, which cost me $80 for all four, and they didn't last worth a poop. Hoping for better from the Synergy.

Crowns after about 20K miles ...



Synergy when installed last year (without boot, which is clearly different than the cracked ones on the Crowns ...

 

Yeah, I retract the part about Crown. I went back and looked in my email for my receipt. I'm running Alloy ball joints.

 

I'm running synergy also with 35k miles on 37's and my steering is nice and tight. One thing to keep in mind is every jeep is set up differently. I maintain the joints greasing them religiously every 5k miles and makin sure the bottom one the grease actually goes into.

Another thing I think helps my set up is I'm running 4.25" offset wheels with 13.5" wide tires so they are pulled inwards as much as possible. Guys running 3.5" or less effective back spacing (due to spacers) will obviously have more issues with ball joints they aren't made to withstand the leverage of the "stance" crowd, lol

 

The crown HD joints are what people talk about not the regular crowns like you have in your pic. If you look them up they look exactly like synergy with the exception of the boot