RCV + Teraflex = 👎🏻

[WK2JT]

that’s a good idea. I’ll have to try it out this weekend I can’t get myself to take it all apart 3 times in 2 days lol

God speed… I can’t even get myself worked up to do it once. Really want to, but just can’t get there.

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[calipoontappa]

So I found this little Gem…

This is for the JKs but I’m fairly sure this is what Teraflex is going to say.
I also found a few TJ owners with the same issue.

 

[Rusty PW]

So I found this little Gem…

This is for the JKs but I’m fairly sure this is what Teraflex is going to say.
I also found a few TJ owners with the same issue.

So the ball joint orientation is 180* out.

 

[calipoontappa]

So the ball joint orientation is 180* out.

Those are the instructions for the JK not the JL/JT.
Nowhere on the JL/JT instructions does it say that…

Pretty irritated if that is the case…going to have to take everything apart for the third time. I’m not even sure how to push it out without damaging the top of the ball joints.

 

[WK2JT]

Time for some Dynatrac ball joints… zerks on the sides

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

Time for some Dynatrac ball joints… zerks on the sides

Just a slight cost difference.

 

[Bonanza]

So I found this little Gem…

This is for the JKs but I’m fairly sure this is what Teraflex is going to say.
I also found a few TJ owners with the same issue.

Some teraflex products are just badly designed, and this is one of them. Almost every other BJ on the market has recessed, if only marginally, zerk fittings. Another Teraflex product that comes to mind as poorly designed is the rear shock absorber with the reservoir hanging down, as if tailor made to hit rocks. Absolutely one of the worst-thought out designs I think I've ever seen in the Jeeping world. Every time I see this I wonder how it was put into production. But with this, and the ball joint issue (which I've experienced myself), I have little faith in the engineering of Teraflex products.

 

[TeraFlex]

Sorry about the delayed reply here! We had a 3 day holiday weekend here in Utah.

There is a few factors that are in play here. When we were designing our ball joints, we did multiple tests with RCV shafts to make sure that they would work with our ball joints, like they did with our JK ball joint design, save the note to install them 180 degrees from normal U joint install. We tested with the factory aluminum knuckles, and steel knuckles; and while the clearance was close, we ran into zero clearance issues with the grease zerks facing in towards the center of the Jeep.

However, within the last 2-3 months there have been a few recent issues with customers seeing interference issues with RCV shafts that have popped up. From what we've been able to gather, there have been a few common variables that have aligned to create the clearance issue. The biggest notable variance is all the RCV shafts that have had issues have been a newer production run from RCV, and from what we can tell RCV either did a running diameter change on the orange bell, or had a batch with larger outer diameter which resulted in an overall larger than expected diameter, thus resulting in the clearance issues. The other factor that has been noted and observed is the use of aftermarket knuckles, such as Ranco or Reid Racing, which can slightly change the axle shaft orientation in relation to the lower ball joint, thus also decreasing the already minimal clearance to the point of interference and contact.

One thing that is worth checking is the install of the upper and lower ball joints. All 4 joints look similar, and can actually be installed in any location due to them all sharing the same outer size. However, the uppers and lower have different ball stud lengths and tapers, which can be noted on the end of the ball stud with a U for upper and a L for lower. If the uppers and installed on the lowers, or vice versa, it can create some off centering of the knuckle and related parts.

If everything is installed and verified correctly, we have seen where flipping the joints '180 will gain just enough clearance to have the grease zerks clear the RCV bell. Currently that is an untested orientation, but clearance wise it seems to resolve the issues. Hopefully this helps.

 

[calipoontappa]

Sorry about the delayed reply here! We had a 3 day holiday weekend here in Utah.

There is a few factors that are in play here. When we were designing our ball joints, we did multiple tests with RCV shafts to make sure that they would work with our ball joints, like they did with our JK ball joint design, save the note to install them 180 degrees from normal U joint install. We tested with the factory aluminum knuckles, and steel knuckles; and while the clearance was close, we ran into zero clearance issues with the grease zerks facing in towards the center of the Jeep.

However, within the last 2-3 months there have been a few recent issues with customers seeing interference issues with RCV shafts that have popped up. From what we've been able to gather, there have been a few common variables that have aligned to create the clearance issue. The biggest notable variance is all the RCV shafts that have had issues have been a newer production run from RCV, and from what we can tell RCV either did a running diameter change on the orange bell, or had a batch with larger outer diameter which resulted in an overall larger than expected diameter, thus resulting in the clearance issues. The other factor that has been noted and observed is the use of aftermarket knuckles, such as Ranco or Reid Racing, which can slightly change the axle shaft orientation in relation to the lower ball joint, thus also decreasing the already minimal clearance to the point of interference and contact.

One thing that is worth checking is the install of the upper and lower ball joints. All 4 joints look similar, and can actually be installed in any location due to them all sharing the same outer size. However, the uppers and lower have different ball stud lengths and tapers, which can be noted on the end of the ball stud with a U for upper and a L for lower. If the uppers and installed on the lowers, or vice versa, it can create some off centering of the knuckle and related parts.

If everything is installed and verified correctly, we have seen where flipping the joints '180 will gain just enough clearance to have the grease zerks clear the RCV bell. Currently that is an untested orientation, but clearance wise it seems to resolve the issues. Hopefully this helps.

The uppers and lowers are placed correctly verified this at install you guys labeled it very clearly.
I can move them around 180° but how does one push them out Without damaging the tops? There is no place to push against other than the where the zerk fittings go…pushing against them will 100% damage them.

 

[calipoontappa]

Some teraflex products are just badly designed, and this is one of them. Almost every other BJ on the market has recessed, if only marginally, zerk fittings. Another Teraflex product that comes to mind as poorly designed is the rear shock absorber with the reservoir hanging down, as if tailor made to hit rocks. Absolutely one of the worst-thought out designs I think I've ever seen in the Jeeping world. Every time I see this I wonder how it was put into production. But with this, and the ball joint issue (which I've experienced myself), I have little faith in the engineering of Teraflex products.

Those are the Special Edition Mall Crawl Falcons…just high enough to miss all curbs lol

 

[TeraFlex]

The uppers and lowers are placed correctly verified this at install you guys labeled it very clearly.
I can move them around 180° but how does one push them out Without damaging the tops? There is no place to push against other than the where the zerk fittings go…pushing against them will 100% damage them.

Pushing the joints out of the axle does need to be done carefully to not flatten the grease zerks. The easiest way to do so it to apply the pressing force in the middle of the joint, between the grease zerk "frog eyes", using a square piece of metal, such as a large allen key, screw driver shaft, etc. Anything that can apply pressure to the middle while gaining clearance above/around the grease zerk openings.

 

[calipoontappa]

Pushing the joints out of the axle does need to be done carefully to not flatten the grease zerks. The easiest way to do so it to apply the pressing force in the middle of the joint, between the grease zerk "frog eyes", using a square piece of metal, such as a large allen key, screw driver shaft, etc. Anything that can apply pressure to the middle while gaining clearance above/around the grease zerk openings.

Thanks I think I’ll just go a different route altogether since I’m going to have to push these out.

Word of advise… If you guys have known about a clearance issue with new RCV axles for a while now, you should really take down that note on your site, “Grease zerks are accessible with axle shafts installed even w / larger RCV shafts” kind of a crappy way to find out there are clearance issues after the fact.

 

[Bonanza]

Pushing the joints out of the axle does need to be done carefully to not flatten the grease zerks. The easiest way to do so it to apply the pressing force in the middle of the joint, between the grease zerk "frog eyes", using a square piece of metal, such as a large allen key, screw driver shaft, etc. Anything that can apply pressure to the middle while gaining clearance above/around the grease zerk openings.

Why not just change the design? I'm still annoyed from years ago having to press out the Teraflex ball joints and moving to one of the many other designs where the grease fitting is recessed. I can't imagine the amount of these balljoints that have been returned for clearance issues.

Synergy:

 

[DocMike]

Ummm.... Mine went in this way....
Which model is that?

Some teraflex products are just badly designed, and this is one of them. Almost every other BJ on the market has recessed, if only marginally, zerk fittings. Another Teraflex product that comes to mind as poorly designed is the rear shock absorber with the reservoir hanging down, as if tailor made to hit rocks. Absolutely one of the worst-thought out designs I think I've ever seen in the Jeeping world. Every time I see this I wonder how it was put into production. But with this, and the ball joint issue (which I've experienced myself), I have little faith in the engineering of Teraflex products.

 

[Hootbro]

Ummm.... Mine went in this way....
Which model is that?

That picture he posts is a red herring. It is a Wrangler model rear end that is different.

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