2009 Unlimited Sahara 109K
I've only had my jeep a few months. Bought it used from a guy who had already made a few modifications(3" suspension lift, FOX 2.0 remote reservoir shocks, wheels, 35" tires, and an aftermarket programmer) I'm not sure if he upgraded any of the front end components(ball joints, tie rod ends, etc.) I haven't noticed anything to make me think something is going out. I just want to be able to go off road on trails and some rock crawling in the future. I have no idea where to start or what the best brands are to use for these upgraded replacement parts. It is a daily driver so I would need the best parts to keep the optimal on road handling while also getting the off road capabilities. Any suggestions or recommendations from experienced enthusiasts would be greatly appreciated!

 

If it ain't broke, why not just go enjoy the trails?

You can do that now. As crazy as it sounds, lots of folks get out on the trails while completely stock.

Once you are on the trails and actually see the terrain and how your jeep handles, that might be a better time to start thinking about upgrades. So at least you have an idea of what could benefit you and you aren't just throwing money at unnecessary stuff. And when it is time to replace worn out/bent/broke parts, Synergy might be a good place to start for steering components. Suspension? Depends on what you have now. Ball joints? There are several good aftermarket options for when they are needed, but which way you go will depend on the budget.

 

Generally agree with nthinuf above.....just go use it. Things to keep an eye on, the factory TR will bend fairly easily if you smack it into or down on a rock. Seen so many of them go that route. That said, I do have a buddy that will follow me through about anything, and he's somehow still rockin' a factory TR after 4 years! He must rub it with unicorn tears. Just keep an eye on it and replace when/if it does bend.

Your drag link will most likely be fine for quite some time. I got several years of heavy wheelin out of my factory DL. Most people upgrade sooner as a byproduct of doing a high steer kit. Unless you're planning on a high steer kit, just wait till the factory joint dies.

You likely have an adjustable TB with the lift kit already.

Ball joints are a ticking time bomb with 35s IMO. That is the one thing to watch closest or even replace as preventative maintenance IMO. I do differ in thinking there really aren't great aftermarket options here. They're all kinda crap cuz manufactures only have so much space to work with in the D30/44 axles. You're going to have a few options in the ~$250 range, and then there will be a huge jump to $500-$600 for DT and Rare Parts models. Just my opinion, but the Teraflex model is probably the best bet at this time for the lower range, and Rare Parts if your budget allows and you never want to deal with shot BJs again. Don't buy in to the DT "rebuild" crap....you can look up my thread on that and see for yourself.

Have you gotten an alignment on that jeep? Do you have some sort of caster correction (drop brackets, control arms, cam bolts in the axle's LCA mounts)? If not, you likely have pretty low caster setting and might want to research that. When you buy a used lifted vehicle, half the problem is identifying what the previous owner has done, or has not done.

 

resharp001
TR - Tie Rod?

What creates the need for a high steer kit?

I haven't gotten an alignment on it yet. Will be researching low caster, and trying to figure out what more has already been done.

 

yes, sorry, TR=tie rod.

a lot of lift is what causes need for a high steer. with 3", you are probably very border line (probably not high enough to need it), but depends on actually net lift achieved, not just stated lift of the springs. Most won't get in to a high steer kit until over 3.5". It just helps to level out the angles your DL and TB are running at, and helps to reduce/eliminate some bump steer associated with sharper angles.

If you snap some good pictures of your components, people here can help try to identify what you have, or if something is factory. snap pictures of BJs, DL, TB, TR, the lower control arm mounts axle side, the lower control arms, and the lower control arm mounts frame side. Also snap the rear TB, and the TB mount on the rear axle.

You can also measure your actual net lift. Here's pic of stock measurements at the front spring perch.

 

Cool, will do. And reply with my results.

 

If you aren't overly familiar with the various components, the colorful picture at the top of this thread is a good start.

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-w...obbles-260145/

As you can see, the trackbar and draglink are angled up from the axle toward the frame. As you lift, that angle gets steeper. A draglink flip / high steer flattens this angle by either raising both bars from the axle side (the more preferable solution), or lowering both bars from the frame side (cheaper, but less preferable). This is something to research so you know about it, but probably not something to run out and do without a reason.
Add another vote for an alignment. You don't necessarily have to pay for the full thing! Some shops will do a free check where they will throw your jeep on the rack and print out the 'before' specs without actually changing anything. That's what you need for now. Then post the results, along with the pictures of your components, and people here can give feedback and thoughts.

 

That helped out a lot. I will definitely be updating with the results.