On my TJ I have 33x12.50's on 15x10 rims, and they're kinda boxy when viewed
from the front. I don't know what size/shape tires you have, but when I was
told my ball joints needed replacing I took it home and parked it in the
driveway, with the tires pointed straight. I then got a few feet back and
looked at each side from the front and saw that indeed on the left side the
tire was leaning just a tad. I tried to pry them up with the bar like the
guy at the tire shop but he was about 50 lbs heavier than me, so I didn't
make it move that much either. I didn't have any tire wear however cuz mine
were tweaked outta shape from an accident that pushed me around and slammed
me into a big curb.
You said the lift and all is only 1000 miles old, did you get an alignment
after? I'm sure someone was gonna ask you that sooner or later. When I
lifted mine I took it in and it didn't need alignment they said but some
people's tj's do need one I read.
Hope this helps a little
Troy
"Dean" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Thanks for the replies. Today I decided to get started, but before I
> started removing stuff I decided to get a helper to wiggle the tires
> and steering wheel so I could confirm that the ball joints are bad.
> Try as we might we couldn't get any side-to-side motion from the ball
> joints. Using a pry bar we were able to get maybe 1/32 up and down
> play.
>
> Wiggling the steering wheel created a clicking noise that I traced to
> the pitman shaft moving side to side in the steering box. There is
> about 1/32 - 1/16 of movement back and forth on the shaft.
>
> I'm running a Rubicon Express Long Arm lift, and the lift, shocks,
> and tires are all about 1,000 miles old. The front tires are wearing
> into a scalloped pattern on the outer side. The wear pattern is on the
> backside of the tire lugs when you look at the top of the tire.
>
> Is the up and down play in the ball joints bad enough to replace them?
> And could the sloppy pitman shaft be the cause of the scalloped wear on
> the tires? Is the pitman shaft slop even a problem worth fixing?
>
> Thanks
> Dean
>
> (I'm half tempted to replace everything on the general principal that
> those tires were so EX$PEN$IVE they are going to have to last a
> loooooooonnnnnngggggg time <lol>)
>
> Mike Romain wrote:
>> The plugs work perfectly. I have then in one axle u-joint too, the
>> other has a standard central zerk
>>
>> I own a CJ7 and a Cherokee and the only thing below my bottom u-joints
>> zerk fittings is the ground or pavement.
>>
>> What the 'heck' are you guys driving???? LOL!
>>
>> Mike
>> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
>> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
>> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
>>
>> Troy wrote:
>> >
>> > About the bottom ball joints you mentioned there doesnt look like
>> > there's
>> > room for a fitting... I bought my balljoints from Napa and the bottoms
>> > came
>> > with the zerk fittings and also with what I can only explaint as a
>> > bolt/cap... at first I put the zerks in but the ujoints wouldnt rotate
>> > because they hit the fittings. I greased it then removed the zerk
>> > fitting
>> > and screwed in the cap. I dont know if unscrewing the cap and screwing
>> > back
>> > in the zerk fitting repeatedly over time is gonna be good but that's
>> > how I
>> > grease mine.
>> >
>> > Troy
>> >
>> > >I can understand what you are saying, but after taking a quick look at
>> > >the lower ball joint I don't see where you could get a grease nipple
>> > >in
>> > >there. It seems like there isn't enough room. (well maybe)
>