JBA arm - spring contact

[hadtomer]

Hello - after 6 years I finally replaced my JBA UCA's because one broke. however - on a recent trip with the new JBA's I started to get bad noises whenever the jeep hit a bump. after 7 years I sure do know my ckunks, grinds, screeches - but this was new. the noise is audible when it's at its highest point (excuse my english).

then i noticed something: when i was climbing some rocks my front end was in the air and then it hit me: the UCA is touching the spring! one of the bolts that hold the balljoint is hitting the spring at full droop - and it is even worse on the passenger side where the UCA is closer to the spring. in fact - the UCA's are limiting my front down travel - which is not that great to begin with. from 0:50

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I can feel the UCA "kissing " the spring. it sounds like a trouble.

Any idea what to do? after all - the JBA UCA's are there for a reason: so there will be no contact between the stock UCA and the spring. I thought about flipping the balljoint - installing in below the balljoint mount on the UCA - but i dont know if that will do the trick - and i dont know if its safe.. Ideas welcome!



PS: the kj is aligned to perfection.

 

[tommudd]

Yes after you get to 3.5 inches of lift they will hit , some even at a little over 3.25 inches
Common issue and why I went JBA coilovers years ago

 

[hadtomer]

hey Tom. thank you.

this info leaves me in a tight spot since coil overs are no longer available. any words of wisdom?

 

[duderz7]

JBA does not suggest flipping the ball joint to the other side because it would no longer be captured if mounting bolts broke. I tried it on mine because I too was having uca/spring contact. It definitely cleared but then I had to max out the cam adjusters and it still wasn't enough. So I considered a small cradle drop which would require trimming fan shroud as the engine drops with it. I decided I was chasing one problem into the next and ultimately lowered the jeep at the clevis. I jacked it up with the suspension hanging, removed the front wheels and put another jack under the ball joint. Starting lifting slowly the clevis loose and tightened the clevis once I could slide a piece of paper between coil and UCA, tightened clevis and double checked my work. Rides nice and quiet now.