New Ball Joints, Home Brew Gusset, and Poor Steering.
07-31-2011, 04:57 AM
#1
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New Ball Joints, Home Brew Gusset, and Poor Steering.
So, I tore into the D30 and installed greasable ball joints and home made c-gusset this weekend. 
Now, I had Off Road Evo gussets... seems they do not fit with the AEV High Steer kit installed. So, after a few hours of my brother and I chopping the Evo gussets to hell trying to get them to fit, I settled on a 3/4" thick section of hardened steel welded in as seen for the support. We had the whole thing tore apart to do the ball joints and there was no way I was putting it back together without some type of reinforcement.
Now to the actual question: The new ball joints were a tight fit. The steering is stiff. The steering wheel will not even return to center on its own while driving. Is that stiffness normal after replacing ball joints and will it loosen up? Or did we do something stupid?
Now, I had Off Road Evo gussets... seems they do not fit with the AEV High Steer kit installed. So, after a few hours of my brother and I chopping the Evo gussets to hell trying to get them to fit, I settled on a 3/4" thick section of hardened steel welded in as seen for the support. We had the whole thing tore apart to do the ball joints and there was no way I was putting it back together without some type of reinforcement.
Now to the actual question: The new ball joints were a tight fit. The steering is stiff. The steering wheel will not even return to center on its own while driving. Is that stiffness normal after replacing ball joints and will it loosen up? Or did we do something stupid?
07-31-2011, 06:22 AM
#2
Did you torque them to spec? I think it was 70 on the bottom and 125 up top (it's been a while so I'm not certain). And they were to be torqued in stages 35 -70 -125
As an aside, why didn't you weld in the gussets then modify the AEV bracket for the stabilizer bar bracket and weld it on? Looking further, isn't the stabilizer link supposed to be in the middle hole for the 3.5" lift and the top hole for the 4.5?
As an aside, why didn't you weld in the gussets then modify the AEV bracket for the stabilizer bar bracket and weld it on? Looking further, isn't the stabilizer link supposed to be in the middle hole for the 3.5" lift and the top hole for the 4.5?
07-31-2011, 09:44 AM
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The ball joints are the part numbers specified for the 09 JKU. I'm fairly certain they are the correct ball joints. The top originals were shot.
I suppose we could have taken the AEV brackets out, gusseted, and then reinstalled. I didn't think of it at the time. Most likely due to the
, but I'm certainly no mechanic either. 
Though we started with a torque wrench, the installation called for tightening (as oppsoed to loosening) the nut to line up the cotter pin hole. This was especially done on the passenger side. Would over-tightening alone cause the stiff steering?
Well, I bought the Jeep with the AEV kit and 3" lift already installed... all seemed well and it tears up the sand dunes so I didn't think to review the installation of the stuff. I shall now, though. It has developed quite a creak/groan on the front right when flexing.
I suppose we could have taken the AEV brackets out, gusseted, and then reinstalled. I didn't think of it at the time. Most likely due to the
, but I'm certainly no mechanic either. Though we started with a torque wrench, the installation called for tightening (as oppsoed to loosening) the nut to line up the cotter pin hole. This was especially done on the passenger side. Would over-tightening alone cause the stiff steering?
Well, I bought the Jeep with the AEV kit and 3" lift already installed... all seemed well and it tears up the sand dunes so I didn't think to review the installation of the stuff. I shall now, though. It has developed quite a creak/groan on the front right when flexing.
07-31-2011, 11:27 AM
#7
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The ball joints are the part numbers specified for the 09 JKU. I'm fairly certain they are the correct ball joints. The top originals were shot.
I suppose we could have taken the AEV brackets out, gusseted, and then reinstalled. I didn't think of it at the time. Most likely due to the , but I'm certainly no mechanic either.
Though we started with a torque wrench, the installation called for tightening (as oppsoed to loosening) the nut to line up the cotter pin hole. This was especially done on the passenger side. Would over-tightening alone cause the stiff steering?
Well, I bought the Jeep with the AEV kit and 3" lift already installed... all seemed well and it tears up the sand dunes so I didn't think to review the installation of the stuff. I shall now, though. It has developed quite a creak/groan on the front right when flexing.
I suppose we could have taken the AEV brackets out, gusseted, and then reinstalled. I didn't think of it at the time. Most likely due to the
, but I'm certainly no mechanic either. Though we started with a torque wrench, the installation called for tightening (as oppsoed to loosening) the nut to line up the cotter pin hole. This was especially done on the passenger side. Would over-tightening alone cause the stiff steering?
Well, I bought the Jeep with the AEV kit and 3" lift already installed... all seemed well and it tears up the sand dunes so I didn't think to review the installation of the stuff. I shall now, though. It has developed quite a creak/groan on the front right when flexing.
Just a quick note, make sure your steering stabilizer isn't all cockeyed on the tierod. And/or try taking it off and see if there is a difference.
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07-31-2011, 12:15 PM
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I just installed ball joints this weekend and from what I could find, the torque was 75lb on the bottom and 70lb on the top. I torqued to these amounts and then a little more to get the castle nut lined up with the cotter pin holes. I don't know for sure, but I can see how over-torquing could cause stiff steering. My steering feels just like it did before and much better on the highway since I don't have a steering wheel shimmy now. Also, you can measure the C's to see if the welding expanded them. Mine were exactly 9-1/8" from outside machined edge to outside machined edge.
09-29-2011, 09:22 AM
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The ball joints are the part numbers specified for the 09 JKU. I'm fairly certain they are the correct ball joints. The top originals were shot.
I suppose we could have taken the AEV brackets out, gusseted, and then reinstalled. I didn't think of it at the time. Most likely due to the , but I'm certainly no mechanic either.
Though we started with a torque wrench, the installation called for tightening (as oppsoed to loosening) the nut to line up the cotter pin hole. This was especially done on the passenger side. Would over-tightening alone cause the stiff steering?
Well, I bought the Jeep with the AEV kit and 3" lift already installed... all seemed well and it tears up the sand dunes so I didn't think to review the installation of the stuff. I shall now, though. It has developed quite a creak/groan on the front right when flexing.
I suppose we could have taken the AEV brackets out, gusseted, and then reinstalled. I didn't think of it at the time. Most likely due to the
, but I'm certainly no mechanic either. Though we started with a torque wrench, the installation called for tightening (as oppsoed to loosening) the nut to line up the cotter pin hole. This was especially done on the passenger side. Would over-tightening alone cause the stiff steering?
Well, I bought the Jeep with the AEV kit and 3" lift already installed... all seemed well and it tears up the sand dunes so I didn't think to review the installation of the stuff. I shall now, though. It has developed quite a creak/groan on the front right when flexing.