My ball joints are shot now on my d30 and need to be replaced. I want to upgrade to a rubi 44 but cannot afford that yet. Could I get some quality synergy ball joints and press those in, and if I upgrade to a dana 44 in a year could I swap them into the new housing from the current d30? If removing them would trash them, I might as well use stock ones as replacement as I don't want to throw $200 at an axle I don't plan to keep long term. So to recap: buy synergy and use them in d30 and also d44 down the road, or use stock for the rest of the time I have the d30?

 

With the proper tools, you can usually pull them without damaging them. Use antisieze on the new ones. Sometimes they get stuck and need a little persuasion to come out. That is when damage may occur. Personally, I think that's a lot of extra work just to save a hundred bucks. And that "proper tools" includes the Chrysler/Jeep BJ adapters that auto shops don't usually have to loan out. Use the metal plates trick with what they do loan and you may damage them pulling them out. Hard to say.

 

Look at the crown HD ball joints. They are the exact same as synergy and alloy but you get both sides for under $100. (correction, one complete side (upper and lower) can be purchased for around $75, so you can save about $50 if you do all 4.)

Part # 68004085HD

Make sure the product number has the HD on the end of it - the Crown OEM and HD use the same product number, only difference is the HD designation on the end, that and they are greaseable

 

I took apart some worn Crown JK ball joints. They were smaller than OEM, and were plastic lined like OEM.

Do they have a different design, now?

edit: I see you added HD to your post. Let's hope they are better than OEM.

 

The Crown HDs are metal on metal.

 

Where are you finding a set of four for under $100.00? I checked 3 different vendors and it was $90 a side.

 

I side with Mark for the most part on this one. For me, I'd rather not pull Synergy's (or any) back out of an axle and reuse in another. AND the work to do so just sucks.

Go with the cheapest set you can for now on the 30 to fix your problem and make your 44 build a goal soon and build from there.

 

I modified my post.

You can get them for less than $75 a side here:

PartsTrain.com - Hard to Find Auto Parts and Truck Parts -

If you go with the Crown non heavy duty just to get you by, then those are pretty much like stock with the plastic insert, but if you only need something cheap to get you by until you get your 44, then thats an option.....in that case, you can do that for $47 per side from Quadratec or less than $45 per side from 4WD Parts.

Good luck!

 

Still no where close to under a $100. After shipping and handling it's over $150. May as well buy the Synergy for a couple extra bucks

 

Take a look at Alloy USA. Can be found for 135 shipped, maybe better. I'm running them without issue.