Upper Ball Joint/Control Arm issues data

[Shawn226]

So there's been many threads and arguments of people with these problems and people without these problems. What if like to do, is have a thread to compile all of the data.

Here could be a template so as each post is uniform and equally as informative

Year:
Model:
2WD/4WD:
Suspension Upgrade:
Wheel/Tire Size:
Self Install or Professional:
Miles/Km travelled:
Problems Noted:


Maybe this could be useful? Maybe it will crash and burn. I don't know but I feel that atleast having everyone contribute their own findings of their personal trucks, we can be better informed

 

[BLKMAGIC]

Year: 2013
Model: 1500 QC
Suspension Upgrade: Rough Country Front/Rear Level Kit
Self Install or Professional: Self Install with Assistance from Professional
Miles/Km travelled: 2000
Problems Noted: None at this time, will update at further mileage

 

[kidwolf908]

I don't have any information to contribute, but I would love to see where this thread goes. I'm currently considering the Rancho QLL because of the Spring promotion they've got going on right now. I can swallow the $400 for a full set of F/R struts, but I'm not willing to drop even more cash on a set of Zone UCAs.

Needless to say, I'd love to know if people that have installed Bilsteins/Ranchos correctly by disconnecting the UCA during installation are having any popped ball joints.

 

[RTS001]

I am interested to see where this goes for the 2wd guys who want to lift. MAYBE INCLUDE MODEL/PART NUMBERS TOO????

 

[SouthernBIGHORN]

I am interested to see where this goes for the 2wd guys who want to lift. MAYBE INCLUDE MODEL/PART NUMBERS TOO????

let us know 4wd or 2wd and rim and tires size also

 

[MiRamDriver]

Lets try to keep this as a data only thread so that it doesn't get cluttered, guys.

Year: 2014
Model: Sport CC 4x4
Suspension Upgrade: 4/3" Zone lift with Bilsteins at 0.7"
Wheel/Tire: Fuel Hostage 20x10 -12 with 325/60/20 Duratracs
Self Install or Professional: Self
Miles/Km travelled: 5200
Problems Noted: None at this time.

 

[11BPSMIKE]

2014 1500 sport crew
Bilstein 5100 at 2.1 without upper ball joint issue
Rear airlift 1000

 

[Lobster Poutine]

Year: 2014
Model: sport 4x4
Suspension Upgrade: procomp nitro lift 2.5/1.5
Self Install or Professional: professional
Miles/Km travelled: 0
Problems Noted: uppers popped on install

*** corrective action, Zone UCA's

No issues since new UCA's

 

[Shawn226]

Year: 2013
Model: express
2WD/4WD: 4WD
Suspension Upgrade: 6 inch RCX
Wheel/Tire Size: 20x12 and 35x12.5
Self Install or Professional: Self
Miles/Km travelled: 2500-3000mi
Problems Noted: None

Just to add, I had a daystar 2.5" level kit for 16000 miles with no problems

 

[Koko]

Year: 2013
Model: Bighorn SLT CC 4x4
Suspension 2.5" Spacer up front and 3/4" rear Top Gun Customz spacer
Wheel/Tire: Stock/Nitto Terra Grappler 275/65/20
Self Install or Professional: Dealer
Miles/Km traveled: 9500 miles
Problems Noted: None at this time.

 

[Jbenson]

Just want to see where this goes.

 

[rod11]

CST doesn't list their spacer product for the 2013/2014 models due to this very issue. I sent an email asking if they would still work on a 2014 and the reply I got was basically a do it at your own risk kind of thing. They strongly discourage spacers on the 2013 and up.

 

[rod11]

Everyone take a look at this reply from Jeff at Performance Lifts. He's a wealth of knowledge regarding this topic.

A 2” coil spring spacer isn’t going to kill ball-joints on these trucks. From what I’ve seen most guys are having problems on their Ram 4x4 trucks that are running top mount spacer kits. On the 4x4 trucks the top mount spacer allows the suspension to travel farther down (additional rebound travel) than it was engineered to and that allows things like the ball-joints to operate at angles beyond their capability. Plus Ram uses crappy ball-joints from the get go. We have a few fleet accounts that run Ram 4x4 1500 trucks including a major Telco… the first thing they do after the service body is outfitted is install a set of aftermarket upper control arms with either a serviceable ball-joint design (like the CST Pro-Joint) or a set of the ICON Uni-Ball Upper Arm Kits with a Cover Cap Kit. That’s because they had loads of Ram work trucks breaking ball-joints in the field (the middle of nowhere) and when the truck is stranded that gets expensive fast.

On a 2wd Ram 1500 the ball-joint cannot operate beyond the factory specification when a spacer lift is installed because the front shock limits the suspension travel. Where you COULD have a potential problem would be if you installed a longer extended length front shock that allowed the upper arm to hit the side of the frame. That metal on metal contact generates a pretty nasty shock load that would have a negative effect on upper ball-joint life.


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[Bravo1]

Year: 2013 Model: Lonestar,4wd,CC. Suspension: Mopar(SuperLift) 2"Lift kit(Frt Bilsteins adj struts setting 2"inch)(Rear spring 2") Wheel/Tire:20x9 Laramine,Nitto Terra Grapplers 305/50/20 Self/Dealership: Install by Dealership Miles:4286 Problems: None,"Tech stated that he did not feel that I should put the frt Bilstein setting at the highest setting".Also the rear springs have a increase in bed payload by 450lbs