Is this how my ball joints are supposed to look?

[rharr]

Jeep is the only vehicle I've ever seen where the ball joints and tie rod ends are ever an issue with the nuts or fitment into the steering knuckles and so on. Every other vehicle I've had "hands-on" time with uses a tapered joint that once it's torqued in place it ain't EVER coming loose, even over 50 years time and 200,000 miles. In fact with any other vehicle, you have to beat the crap out of things to get those parts to come loose or use a special tool.
There's no excuse for a design that allows parts like tie rods to simply pop out or ball joints to "get loose". That's pretty sad.

not sure where you are going with this, but last time i checked, the ball joints and tie rod ends are both taper, and fit tight when torqued correctly. They are not the issue, it's poorly calibrated power tools the factory is using that auto stop at a set torque rating. The tie rod ends and drag link in my cast iron knuckles (ecoD) were nice and tight. I didn't mess with the ball joints cause it's been driving fine, only did the ends cause I had the front axle apart to install a lift.

Maybe it's a issue with the gas knuckles being softer alum and work loose the first few miles and need retorquing?

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[ShadowsPapa]

not sure where you are going with this, but last time i checked, the ball joints and tie rod ends are both taper, and fit tight when torqued correctly. They are not the issue, it's poorly calibrated power tools the factory is using that auto stop at a set torque rating. The tie rod ends and drag link in my cast iron knuckles (ecoD) were nice and tight. I didn't mess with the ball joints cause it's been driving fine, only did the ends cause I had the front axle apart to install a lift.

Maybe it's a issue with the gas knuckles being softer alum and work loose the first few miles and need retorquing?

More than one person in this forum has said that upon removing the tie rod nuts, the tie rod fell out.
They indicated they just dropped out. A proper tapered joint that is torqued properly won't "drop out" and needs some real effort to be taken apart.
If it's the aluminum - then they have a big issue there as it will be like the trunnion suspension of old and things will literally fall apart with time.
If it's a matter of they haven't figured out the correct torque and aren't accounting for the aluminum being even more critical as far as proper torque - they have an issue there, as well.
But seeing how more than one person has said "it was so easy to change xxxx as the joints just fell apart after taking the nut off" - Jeep has a problem.

 

[rharr]

More than one person in this forum has said that upon removing the tie rod nuts, the tie rod fell out.
They indicated they just dropped out. A proper tapered joint that is torqued properly won't "drop out" and needs some real effort to be taken apart.
If it's the aluminum - then they have a big issue there as it will be like the trunnion suspension of old and things will literally fall apart with time.
If it's a matter of they haven't figured out the correct torque and aren't accounting for the aluminum being even more critical as far as proper torque - they have an issue there, as well.
But seeing how more than one person has said "it was so easy to change xxxx as the joints just fell apart after taking the nut off" - Jeep has a problem.

I agree, i am one of the ppl whole has seen rod ends basically fall out on a gas JT.

As that is a known issue I will restate what I said at the beginning. "it's best to go check everything yourself" Who else can you trust?

I suspect it's just poor torque, but time will tell. And BTW it's not just a jeep thing, lots of manufactured stuff is not what it once was, now manufacturing has taken the thinking out of stuff and it's a push a button until it stop or light turns green next. Knew someone with new SXS and the lower radiator hose didn't have the clamp attached, took it to the dealer and they were like "that happens all the time" I suspect a jeep or other brand tech would say the same thing. Mfr's are using dealers as a QC now a days to save money and see what minimal tolerances they can get away with.

Anyone who plans to keep their JT for the long term should at the very least go around and check the torque on their suspension parts at the very least, and just give everything a once over. Or pay a trusted mech to do it for you.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

"it's best to go check everything yourself" Who else can you trust?

I put paint marks on all of the major steering and suspension fasteners.......... simple way to monitor things. If the marks still line up, things haven't moved - if it no longer lines up - red flag, best check it.

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