[pitrack]

Hey guys. I had to replace my factory ball joints at about 85k, which is pretty dang good considering I had 4 years of plowing on them and 35's or 37's on the truck since new.

I bought XRF upper and lower grease-able ball joints off ebay in August of last year and brought them to my dealer and they installed all four. Just a few days I ago I did the 08+ steering upgrade so I went in for an alignment and they won't do an alignment because my upper ball joints are loose. I even went out and they wiggled each tire for me. I just ticked 93k on the clock and only plowed one storm this winter with the truck. wtf? I haven't contacted XRF about it yet, I know there is a lifetime warranty or whatever on the ball joints but honestly I don't want another set if they aren't even going to last me 10k.

The sucky thing about it is I am out the $400 in labor to put them in! I should have just bought the ball joints locally and had the same place put them in so I didn't have any problems but I wanted to save a little money on the ball joints and this is what happens:banghead:.

Thinking about just getting Carli ball joints but does anyone know if the XRF joints make the hole larger than factory and cause a problem for Carli joints? I know some brands of ball joints make the hole larger so you basically have to keep using that same brand.



End rant.

 

[camorhino]

Smooth bore joints should be fine as long as they stay tight, but if you start to use splined bore, then it messes with the hole and you might have to continue using splined joins. Are the XRF's splined or smooth?

 

[pitrack]

Smooth bore joints should be fine as long as they stay tight, but if you start to use splined bore, then it messes with the hole and you might have to continue using splined joins. Are the XRF's splined or smooth?

This I don't know. I don't even see it on their website.


XRF Chassis | Automotive and Heavy Duty Chassis Parts | Ball Joints

 

[OCVeloMan]

The Moog and XRF will expand your ball-joint bore once the splines are crushed that retain them to the Outer-C. We've yet to have a customer "unable" to install ours after installing Moog/XRF. Most will take a center-punch and swell the bore by hitting it 10-20 times. This will give enough bite to hold a machined joint again.

 

[pitrack]

The Moog and XRF will expand your ball-joint bore once the splines are crushed that retain them to the Outer-C. We've yet to have a customer "unable" to install ours after installing Moog/XRF. Most will take a center-punch and swell the bore by hitting it 10-20 times. This will give enough bite to hold a machined joint again.

Do you think a shop will be willing to do something like that or just give me the "These won't work" bs?

 

[Rhinopkc]

That depends on the shop's attitude. Some have a real "can't do" kind of thing going on. It's a really simple thing, if they have an issue, we always provide free tech support to our customers, that extends to the guy installing your stuff.

[email protected]

 

[pitrack]

That depends on the shop's attitude. Some have a real "can't do" kind of thing going on. It's a really simple thing, if they have an issue, we always provide free tech support to our customers, that extends to the guy installing your stuff.

[email protected]

Thanks a lot! I think I will wait until after winter (Might as well plow with these bad joints in then throw in the Carli's once spring comes around).

Thanks again.



Now what do I do about XRF? Do I even bother explaining my story to them?

 

[Rhinopkc]

You can ask for a new set of their junky joints, then sell them to someone who is strapped fur cash, but needs ball joints real bad. I believe they give you some 1,000,000 mile warranty or some gimmick like that.

[email protected]

 

[OCVeloMan]

Agreed. Keep in mind many shops will shy away from it because they do not want to be liable if the joints come loose. They're most likely not familiar with Carli or XRF for that matter. Heck, can't say I'd blame them. You can try a shop but most end up doing the install themselves because they want to ensure the ball joint has sufficient "bite" when installed and you can't be sure of that unless you install them.

 

[bottrigg]

Yep. Just bite the bullet and put in carli's. people always argue about the initial cost, but they always seem to have enough cash to keep replacing the stocks every year or so. Now that yours have been off a few times its a job most can DIY.

 

[pitrack]

Yep. Just bite the bullet and put in carli's. people always argue about the initial cost, but they always seem to have enough cash to keep replacing the stocks every year or so. Now that yours have been off a few times its a job most can DIY.

I was just going to ask is this something that I could possibly do now that the stock ones have been out?

 

[truck11]

I had the same thing happen to mine with xrf. Called them up and told them i had some play on 30k miles and they sent out a new one the next day. Just had to send the loose one back. He also told me on the phone that there should be a little play in them. Not to sure how much i agree with that.

 

[Rhinopkc]

Problem is, you have to do it again, and again, and again....

[email protected]

 

[runninlean]

Yeah I tried XRF once my self believe It was 12k when I checked them and found them worn.

 

[K9Kodi]

im one of those who cant swing the carlis or dynatracs. Yes, i can afford stockers every couple of years or so.....moneys tight so dropping a couple hundred is tough enough.....easier to find a couple hundred then almost a thousand ya know.

 

[Rhinopkc]

Every once in a while you'll get lucky and get a set that was made with some good materials that snuck in by mistake, but if you can pick these warranty replacement joints up, good deal.

[email protected]

 

[CAR67]

So some ball joints will make the bore bigger? I did not know that.

I got Mcquay-norris and will probably have to do them again. So should i expect to have problems if I upgrade to Carli's?

 

[Rhinopkc]

If they were splined, you will have to do a simple procedure to fix your bore. We can walk you through it. It's nothing more than dimpling the bores with a punch to raise some material to bite into the ball joint.

[email protected]

 

[pitrack]

If they were splined, you will have to do a simple procedure to fix your bore. We can walk you through it. It's nothing more than dimpling the bores with a punch to raise some material to bite into the ball joint.

[email protected]

I'm thinking I will go this route come spring, I hope I can install the ball joints myself though!

 

[Rhinopkc]

There is nothing for these trucks that we sell that you cannot install yourself with the proper tools, a few things require welding, but those are very few.

[email protected]