HD Ball Joint and C Gussets
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 221
From: SE Michigan
At 118k, you're on base to replace the ball joints, no issues there. I went with what was popular at the time and added synergy gussets since my parts guy couldn't get his hands on a set of g2's at the time. Obviously with the whole front end torn apart, time is of the essence.
In regards to "throwing away money on a 30"- I'm doing it and it works great. I have a daily driver with 32/33's. If a little better bj and some $50 c gussets are going to keep my camber straight with the potholes on the road and save the pain ($$$) of a 44 for a few years then it's not wasted money. It's been great (read: still in one piece) for 6 years now.
Obviously it's not the solution for everyone but for a daily driver, it's cheap insurance.
In regards to "throwing away money on a 30"- I'm doing it and it works great. I have a daily driver with 32/33's. If a little better bj and some $50 c gussets are going to keep my camber straight with the potholes on the road and save the pain ($$$) of a 44 for a few years then it's not wasted money. It's been great (read: still in one piece) for 6 years now.
Obviously it's not the solution for everyone but for a daily driver, it's cheap insurance.
Cheap insurance until I've had time to evaluate if re-gearing and a Dana 44 is needed, where a Dana 44 replacement, front/rear gears and lockers is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination.
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 221
From: SE Michigan
I've heard that and I've also read these comments in SC Flashpaq discussions. No doubt re-gearing will be preferred, but only I will be able to tell if I will need to go that route or not based upon how I use my JK.
I've got 315's and 3.73 gears with 3.5" or lift in a JKU. I'm getting 18.5 mpg after using the flashcal.
On the stock 255's I was getting 19.5 for the first 40k miles.
It's my DD and I do 120 a day just for work.
I can feel the difference with the 315's but it's not bad. Like someone said 'it's not a Porsche'.
On the stock 255's I was getting 19.5 for the first 40k miles.
It's my DD and I do 120 a day just for work.
I can feel the difference with the 315's but it's not bad. Like someone said 'it's not a Porsche'.
The flashpaqs can read and reset codes, set idle points, has a bunch of different tunes 87,91,93 and crawl and a xs gas saver mode. You can also set shift points with it as well which will make driving the Jeep a lot better than with the procal. I'm on 35's and before I got the flashpaqs and I was running the procal I was considering regearing. After getting the flashpaqs I haven't regeared and I'm at 16mpg average and can get 17mpgs on a long trip maybe a little little more. The procal had me around 14mpgs that's on a 2010 JKU running 35x12.5-17 KO2s with 3:73 gears and about 4.5" of lift.
JK Freak
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 644
Likes: 5
From: Santee
If your trying to take the path of least resistance(pain as you call it) then you better stay away from 35's and a locked front end in a D30
If you want to keep your 3.73 gears. stay away from 35's
If you don't like working on your Jeep then stay away from 35's because at some point your going to end up with DW (sooner than later)
If you have more time for research then you would know that every other forum says the same thing about a D30 and 35in tire combo...Your Jeep isn't exempt from the laws of physics. You may be able to buy you some time but the end result is always the same.
Pay now or pay later or don't play the game.
If you want to keep your 3.73 gears. stay away from 35's
If you don't like working on your Jeep then stay away from 35's because at some point your going to end up with DW (sooner than later)
If you have more time for research then you would know that every other forum says the same thing about a D30 and 35in tire combo...Your Jeep isn't exempt from the laws of physics. You may be able to buy you some time but the end result is always the same.
Pay now or pay later or don't play the game.
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 221
From: SE Michigan
Others are doing it by adding a SC Flashpaq where I will need to get a programmer anyways. I'm going with BFG A/T KO2's which are smaller size 35s. I will evaluate it once I'm there and take a more personal evaluation approach before I commit to re-gearing based upon others advise since there seems to be a mixed bag of opinions if re-gearing is needed or not with this setup. It's in my longer term road map of upgrade path if I decide re-gearing is needed. I'm not wasting money re-gearing and locking a D30, that much I already know.
If you have more time for research then you would know that every other forum says the same thing about a D30 and 35in tire combo...Your Jeep isn't exempt from the laws of physics. You may be able to buy you some time but the end result is always the same.
Pay now or pay later or don't play the game.
Pay now or pay later or don't play the game.
Last edited by Rednroll; Aug 9, 2016 at 01:32 PM.
JK Jedi
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,642
Likes: 486
From: Knoxville
The bfg at's won't beat up components quite like a mud tire.
Back to a portion of your original question- while it is possible to carefully extract bj's and install them into another axle, it's easier to just buy new again. The synergy joints are knurled so anyone who buys the axle from you will have to go synergy or hope the TF knurls can hold onto the grooves that have been cut.
Back to a portion of your original question- while it is possible to carefully extract bj's and install them into another axle, it's easier to just buy new again. The synergy joints are knurled so anyone who buys the axle from you will have to go synergy or hope the TF knurls can hold onto the grooves that have been cut.
JK Freak
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 644
Likes: 5
From: Santee
The majority of people are giving their opinion to not do 35's on a D30, you can find a few people that are doing it and a few running 37's on a D30 but that doesn't mean they are being smart about it.
Of everything you have said you are well suited for 33in tires. You can run the D30, 3.73 gears superchips, BJ's and whatever else you have now without too much worry and still do the mild wheeling you want to do without it breaking the bank.
Of everything you have said you are well suited for 33in tires. You can run the D30, 3.73 gears superchips, BJ's and whatever else you have now without too much worry and still do the mild wheeling you want to do without it breaking the bank.
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 221
From: SE Michigan
Thanks Karl. The TF ball joints come in with knurl or w/o knurl options. I'm not sure what knurled ball joints buy me, but from what you outlined that's one of the reasons I thought the TF w/o the knurl ball joint may be best for my purposes. The TF ball joint is adjustable as well for camber correction and since my camber is slightly out, thought having the adjustment ability might be a good path to pursue. I was hoping to hear more from others who have used the TF ball joints to get a feeling if they were happy or not with them.
Last edited by Rednroll; Aug 9, 2016 at 02:18 PM.
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 221
From: SE Michigan
The majority of people are giving their opinion to not do 35's on a D30, you can find a few people that are doing it and a few running 37's on a D30 but that doesn't mean they are being smart about it.
Of everything you have said you are well suited for 33in tires. You can run the D30, 3.73 gears superchips, BJ's and whatever else you have now without too much worry and still do the mild wheeling you want to do without it breaking the bank.
Of everything you have said you are well suited for 33in tires. You can run the D30, 3.73 gears superchips, BJ's and whatever else you have now without too much worry and still do the mild wheeling you want to do without it breaking the bank.
JK Super Freak
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 2
Thanks Karl. The TF ball joints come in with knurl or w/o knurl options. I'm not sure what knurled ball joints buy me, but from what you outlined that's one of the reasons I thought the TF w/o the knurl ball joint may be best for my purposes. The TF ball joint is adjustable as well for camber correction and since my camber is slightly out, thought having the adjustment ability might be a good path to pursue. I was hoping to hear more from others who have used the TF ball joints to get a feeling if they were happy or not with them.