Rough Country Flex-Joints worn

[DarksydeXJ]

My joints crapped out after the 2nd trail run. Called rough country had to buy replacements and when the showed up they were nothing like the ones I had on originally. not impressed at all. Only reason I used there kit was because I worked for one of the Canadian distributors at the time. only thing left rough country in my XJ is the 2.2 steering stabilizer.

 

[BotakBeng]

Sent you a PM Jason.

 

[srmitchell]

I think my big joints are going bad again.

Even worse, I was adjusting my caster/pinion angle on thursday, and I noticed that the upper control arm bolts don't do a good job tightening the joints up. It's as if the holes are too big. Slop maybe? The bolts are in great shape.

I did torque those bolts properly, but the front suspension sounds like a freight train on a rough section of track. Clackity, clackity, clackity.

 

[CaliXJ]

I think my big joints are going bad again.

Even worse, I was adjusting my caster/pinion angle on thursday, and I noticed that the upper control arm bolts don't do a good job tightening the joints up. It's as if the holes are too big. Slop maybe? The bolts are in great shape.

I did torque those bolts properly, but the front suspension sounds like a freight train on a rough section of track. Clackity, clackity, clackity.

When i upgraded to Curry upper JJ those use a 7/16 bolt, so i had to drill out the hole where the UCA flex joint attatches to the lower arm. I think RC uses a 10mm. I then took my RC flex joints apart and drilled the centering ball of the FJ to accept a 7/16 bolt. Super easy to do. That should get things nice and tight again.

 

[muddeprived]

I think my big joints are going bad again.

Even worse, I was adjusting my caster/pinion angle on thursday, and I noticed that the upper control arm bolts don't do a good job tightening the joints up. It's as if the holes are too big. Slop maybe? The bolts are in great shape.

I did torque those bolts properly, but the front suspension sounds like a freight train on a rough section of track. Clackity, clackity, clackity.

Not sure if you have the complete RC kit, but also check the sway bar links. Mine are TERRIBLE. Worst sway bar links I've ever had. The teeny tiny joint at the top rattles like crazy. It makes the front end feel like it's falling apart.

You should upgrade to currie joints dude. Do it and forget it. I had the joint problem for 1.5 years straight and no issues with currie joints since I've had em. It's nice to drive it without any noise, except for the $@@!$ sway bar.

 

[srmitchell]

I'll check out the curries.

I don't run sway bars.

 

[lilnapsak]

old thread.. but i have gone through 7 of the older joints and now 2 of their never joints. im just furious and dont even want to bother getting on the phone to complain again.

there are a few differant links to what currie joints i actually need to get to replace the xflex crap joints and im a little confused on what ones i need now..

could someone who has done the currie joint swap please chim in? are these the correct ones?

http://www.currieenterprises.com/ces...t.aspx?id=1262
http://www.currieenterprises.com/ces...9.aspx?id=2629

 

[CaliXJ]

Your links dont work. The currie jj you need got RC arms are
Uppers=CE-9112SP http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestore/Product.aspx?id=1262
Lowers= CE-9114. http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestore/Product.aspx?id=2629

The RC uppers use a 10mm bolt and Currie uses a 7/16 iirc. So you'll need re-drill the upper holes so they don't make a bunch of noise and have a tight fit.
No need to buy Jamn nuts, rc's work just fine.

 

[bcmaxx]

so currie has a swap in replacement bushings? and they are holding out?
I contacted rough country because I like the long arm upgrade and wanted some info on the updated bushing, they would only state that they are upgaraded, but would not give me any feedback on longevity,or what material they upgraded to. their unwillingness to be forthcoming is scaring me off.

 

[johnbizzle02]

I would say the best money I have put into my heep was replacing the rough country joints for these

 

[CJCOffroad]

I talked to someone at Rough Country last week and they said that their joints were basically, or were johnny joints. Would I be wasting my time dealing with their flex joints? At the minimum I should get their replacement poly bushing and then switch to all JJs?

 

[praetorian]

I'll start off by saying I live in Southern California and don't have to deal with the rain, snow, and road salt that other parts of the country has to deal with, but I've had the same RC Flex Joints for 3-4 years. I make sure to grease them a couple times a year and that seems to work for me. Even the Currie joints need to be greased and or they will have issues. I'm curious if you guys with the joint bushing falling apart are making sure to do routine maintenance on them.

 

[BotakBeng]

RC "Newly designed" X-Flex Joints.

Zero mile on it .... can't comment, i'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[johnbizzle02]

I'll start off by saying I live in Southern California and don't have to deal with the rain, snow, and road salt that other parts of the country has to deal with, but I've had the same RC Flex Joints for 3-4 years. I make sure to grease them a couple times a year and that seems to work for me. Even the Currie joints need to be greased and or they will have issues. I'm curious if you guys with the joint bushing falling apart are making sure to do routine maintenance on them.

i greased mine and the passenger lower wore out in less than a thousand miles, I didn't even waste my time talking to rough country just order johnny joints.

 

[kdub41]

i greased mine and the passenger lower wore out in less than a thousand miles, I didn't even waste my time talking to rough country just order johnny joints.

no matter how many times people say use johnny joints they wont listen lol. I gave up on the flex joints after my first ones made noise from when i first put them in. Then i nutted up and saved up 200 bux and got some currie joints. Way better and super quiet....

 

[muddeprived]

RC "Newly designed" X-Flex Joints.

Zero mile on it .... can't comment, i'm keeping my fingers crossed.

This is what I don't understand:

You have the bushings clamped together on the ball. They are basically touching each other. So when you go about tightening the joint, how do they get any tighter if they bushings are already together with no more room to tighten? (not actually YOU, but Rough Country)

This is the problem I saw with the old design then they sent me a prototype of two delrin spacers that had 1/4" space between them when placed on the ball. They allowed the joint to be tightened and it DID work, except that the delrin spacers were made too small in diameter for the housing so it moved back and forth in there. They almost had it......


Too bad UCF doesn't make stuff for the XJ's. They make TJ parts and have RC's long arm kit with johnny joints available for sale.

http://www.undercoverfab.com/long-a...ong-arm-upgrade-kit-for-jeep-tj-wrangler.html

Perhaps we could email them to see if they would supply the XJ kits too?

 

[BotakBeng]

No bashing please :wave1:....

This is the older joints

Looking at the above pics, there is not adjustment on the bushing while the new does.....i could be wrong.

Looks like adjustable to me with the new bushing.
First pic shows the washer that's screwed onto the joint and second shows the locking screw.

I'm new to this...maybe someone with more experience can explain better.

 

[NOTNSUV]

I'm about to buy a '99 XJ with the RC 4.5" Short Arm kit (440 mile/one way trip). The owner says he's had the kit on for a couple years with no issues and is aware of the conversation about it. For what I'm getting it's certainly not a deal breaker but I would like another update on what you guys are finding.

I'm new to the XJ and can't wait to get it.. haven't owned a Jeep since my '75 CJ5 I bought new and got rid of around '80.. yeah, I'm old..

If there's an issue with clunking I'll take what appears to be a no-brainer and go with Currie JJs.. yes, I read the entire thread - but, being old.. what's the fix again for the RC swaybar issue in this tread.


Thanks gang.. looking forward to playing on the forum.

 

[BlueCuda]

These things are hard enough to change I decided not to even call RC, I just ordered some JJs. Thanks for all the info guys.

 

[clean4drxj]

I haven't had a problem with my joints yet(2 years) and still going, I grease them every oil change and make sure they're clean(free of dirty/mud).