ShutterBug

I still haven't quite narrowed down what I should do.

I hear Synergy makes a great ball joint - but others say they are just as failure prone as stock.
I see no point in buying a $600 set of ball joints unless they last 10x longer than all the others

It seems (based on a different thread) that no matter what I do, they all may last 10K miles or 100K miles - it's a crap shoot.

I do know that I will replace the ball joints on the Rubi axle I am building. I just don't know which ones to get.

Running 35s at the moment but will want to go to 37s at some point within the next 12 to 18 months.

Synergy ($250)
Teraflex ($240)
G2 ($215)
Alloy ($155)
MOPAR ($300)
Dana Spicer ($200)
Crown ($90)

I've been leaning toward Synergy, because that's what all the cool kids are wearing, but I am beginning to rethink that.

AirJordan613

I think your lean towards synergy is a good one. I've got about 12,000 miles on them. I'm a happy camper. Don't forget to grease them.

Invest2m4

Dynatrac for sure. They are the best. If you look on the box, it says Dynatrac. They are also rebuildable for about 25% more than the cost of new Crown BJs too.

ShutterBug

And I hear they get a ringing endorsement from WOL, so I think I'm sold.

So are you suggesting to just stay OEM? Seriosuly, if the Synergy, et. al. are going to wear out just as quick on me (35s with 4.5" of backspacing) or once I go to 37s, I see no point in spending any more than I have to.

But I don't want to be swapping out ball joints every 15K miles. If I spend 50% and get 100% more life out of them, I'd do it.

You run such a big tire I'm surprised you're not swapping them out once a month.

Invest2m4

Because I am running XRF! Haha. What is on the axle now? Or, are you swapping knuckles over? If you have joints that are fine, leave them in until they are bad.

What has your research told you about the Crown? I'd give XRF a serious look. For as much as the diesel truck crowd swears by them, they can't suck that much in a JK. Plus, they are pretty cheap.

ShutterBug

Not swapping knucks, but will be taking them off to de-rust and paint them. They have 40K on the joints.

From what I see above about Crown, the ball is pretty damn small.

XRF, cheap, as compared to .....

Can you point me to a source?

Invest2m4

Yeah, saw that about Crown. Looks like XRF went up in price and are $190. I have no data on those for JKs, so cannot recommend them. You'd be testing them.

Monte417

I was going to give those xrf joints a shot. I'm going to install a set this spring before the season

Invest2m4

Let me know how that works out. Make sure to grease them and keep them greased. I think that is often the failure issue is people don't grease ball joints enough. There is very little room for grease and it can work out pretty fast. And use the high pressure stuff that Synergy or RCV sell. Not the stuff from Lowes or autozone. Need that fancy moly shit.

Monte417

Will do. Whats weird is the driver side is fine at 40k miles but the passenger side upper is shot after 10k miles. I use the high pressure grease to. I guess its just luck of the draw with these things