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Alternative to JBA upper control arms

27K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  Legofan 
#1 · (Edited)
Found these and I'll be getting them instead of the JBA arms. I'll try to do a write up successful or otherwise.

Specialty Products Company
23420 - JEEP ADJ CAMBER BALL JOINT


Add camber adjustment to your lifted Jeep Grand Cherokee or Commander with the highest quality ball joint on the market! This joint is specifically designed to work with raised suspensions and features:

Induction hardened and oversized 18mm stud for extreme strength and high durability
700 hour salt spray resistant coating for long life
Hybrid 2-piece race and internal spring compensate for wear over time
Fully sealed greasable design to protect from the elements
80° of articulation to maximize travel without binding vs 66° on the factory joint

Front Adjustment range: Camber ±1.25°
Installation time: .6 hr/side
Required: 1 kit per wheel

http://www.spcalignment.com/instructions/23420-INS_WEB.pdf



http://www.spcalignment.com/compone...Commander&year=2010 - &from=USAFrom&to=USATo
 
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#3 · (Edited)
O'Reilly auto parts has them for $134 plus $25 discount on $100+ orders so I might do that and make two separate orders.


A large c-clamp and some sockets will do the same job as probably $100 worth of specialty tools. You can also rent bushing press tools as well.

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#6 ·
I've seen a few offset ball joint options like this, and while I'm sure they reduce stress on the ball joints themselves, they do lack the other benefits of JBA UCAs.

The JBA UCAs are thicker and feature a ball joint with 90 degrees of motion. The ball joints are also easily serviceable and replaceable without a ball joint press. The longer arms also allow a much larger range of motion before hitting the strut than the stock UCAs do, and make sure that the ball joint is angled correctly for a lifted suspension. For off roading, these features mean the JBA UCA is much less of a failure point, and in an emergency a ball joint can be swapped out quickly.

With that being said, for a street lift I do think these offset ball joints are a great option without breaking the bank. They should help with alignment problems for a lifted XK, and they do appear to be designed stronger than the stock options.
 
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#15 ·
I've seen a few offset ball joint options like this, and while I'm sure they reduce stress on the ball joints themselves, they do lack the other benefits of JBA UCAs.

The JBA UCAs are thicker
I think you meant to say they are made with tube steel.

and feature a ball joint with 90 degrees of motion.
These give 80 deg of articulation which is plenty for just street driving. There's only so far they will travel before stopping and most likely before 90 deg of articulation.

The ball joints are also easily serviceable and replaceable without a ball joint press. The longer arms also allow a much larger range of motion before hitting the strut than the stock UCAs do, and make sure that the ball joint is angled correctly for a lifted suspension. For off roading, these features mean the JBA UCA is much less of a failure point, and in an emergency a ball joint can be swapped out quickly.
The ball joint is the failure point, not the arm, they just made a fancy one out of tube steel. The seat is pressed in, the SPC ball joint can be unbolted and removed for service.

With that being said, for a street lift I do think these offset ball joints are a great option without breaking the bank. They should help with alignment problems for a lifted XK, and they do appear to be designed stronger than the stock options.
I agree and I won't be doing much off-roading anyway.
 
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#9 ·
Ive seen these around and considered using them for awhile. I have MOOG problem solvers in the stock arms atm and that works ok, though some extra adjustability would be better.

I tried getting my stock ball joints off with a ball joint press like the one shown in the OP video and ended up giving up and asking a nearby shop to do it for me. If you dont have a large freestanding press I wouldn't recommend it...

I look forward to hearing about your experience.
 
#13 ·
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