Will RCV CV shafts and Dynatrac ProSteer work together? yes, here are the details

[usmcdoc14]

Yes, they fit. YES THEY MOTHERFUCKING FIT !!! No you do not need a specialty ball joint tool to install. yes they are retardly simple. Yes if you throw every high end product for a JK dana 44 they will ALL fit.
And I will show you.

First things first:
The reason why you don't hear Dynatrac giving you definitive answers on this subject is quite simple. Cover your ass.
If they recommend that you modify their ball joints to fit another product, you do it WRONG...hell if you do it RIGHT and they fail, and lawyers find the modification that Dynatrac TOLD you to do was the reason (and they will) then Dynatrac is fucked.

Got it?

I am doing this install on my own with no ties to Dynatrac other than they made these fuckers I paid my cash, they shipped, I installed. Anything you do to make anything work in your JK is your own ass.

Lets start with the product.
Dynatrac ProSteer adjustable ball joints. Yes they are expensive but I should only have to install them ONCE.

[usmcdoc14]

Next is the area you MIGHT have to alter.

DONT GRIND ANYTHING YET !!!!

you see the adjuster wheel/nut? that countersink/edge may have to go. BUT DO NOT GRIND ANYTHING YET !!!

[usmcdoc14]

This is a refrence measurement of a dana 44 axle that had the C's gusseted with ZERO miles on it. This axle came out of the crate, got trussed, got gusstes.

so it should NOT have any C flex/movement or anything from the factory. The measurements of the C in this example axle is what I would almost call the standard to base measurements by. if you have another ZERO MILE axle you would like to measure please do. Info is always helpfull.

From machined surface to machined surface is 9 1/16", remember to take into account that the bottom machined surface is countersunk.

[usmcdoc14]

Next is the non exact measurement from the inner C surface. this is for those that just want to do a quick measurement with the knuckles still on or whatever.
it measures 7 5/8" from inner C to inner C surface

[usmcdoc14]

Next is specialty tools. you will need a 4wd ball joint tool set. Yes this is a HF one, some shit from there does work you do NOT need the extended set.

what you do need is a chunk of 1-1/4 to 1-1/2" pipe cut around 1/2" thick show you what that is for next as I save you $50 off that bigger ball joint tool set

[usmcdoc14]

First you pop the old one out.

You place the C of the tool directly on the top of the ball joint.

for the bottom it goes:
tool that fits AROUND the ball joint, this tool has the bottom 3/4 closed with a hole in the middle.
under that is the tool that is slightly smaller
last is the solid chunk that fits the threaded part and indexes the middle one.

crank it down untill the C part of the tool bottoms on the axle C, the ball joint will pop loose with a "crack", this is normal

[usmcdoc14]

once the top of the old ball joint is flush, loosen the tool and insert the chunk of pipe in between the tool and the top of the ball joint.

Make sure it is CENTERED and SMALLER that the OD of the ball joint.

Crank the tool and the ball joint will pop right the fuck out.

[muddpuppy01]

what you do stop mid write up

[usmcdoc14]

install the new ProSteers.

The long, thin tool with the closed end fits perfect, for the top you use the short 3/4 closed tool.

Make sure your zerk fitting is REMOVED unless you think you are THAT good index it to someplace safe.

NOW YOU GET TO GRIND SOMETHING the bottom ball joint hole is countersunk in the lower C, this will cause issues when you need to install/remove the zerk. Run your fingers on the bottom of the axle C and you will feel what I mean.
Get rid of that little lip in the area you index your zerk hole to. (picture example later)

Make sure the tool is centered over the top hole, if not it will hit the top of the joint and stop you. This may damage the joint.
There is no harm in stopping and checking to make SURE the ball joint is going in the middle.

Crank untill the joint is fully bottomed.

[usmcdoc14]

Time for the:
MODIFICATION ALERT !!!

ok, I found a "issue" You know the whole fitting debate bullshit of other threads? Ya..its soooo complicated..

Its the Boot, its big, it makes things a pain. installing the boot/axle like normal does not work as far as I can tell in any way.
BUT there is a simple solution for your install process.

In this order:
put the boot on the axle
INSTALL the axle.
THEN install the knuckle (lower hole first, swing up and then upper hole)

taaaadaaaa !

to make the install simple go and thread the nut on your upper ball joint and shave 1/8 of thread off, clean the edges and then take the nut off.
that is what i did. put nut on thread, cut 1/8 off from bottom of threads, clean edges and it was good to go. the video later on was BEFORE I did this and you will see I had to tap it into place. After cutting off some extra thread it went on/off with ease.

Or

make a 1/8 "channel" on the upper part of the knuckle for the ball joint bolt to go in.


Someone will say: "but if I break my ultrakilla RCV shaft on the trail I will have to pull the knuckle to remove it"

Nope.

Take a razor, cut the boot, remove the boot, pull the shaft out the knuckle like normal. if you killed a RCV on the trail the boot is the least of your worries and they are reasonably priced.
If you brought a spare axle with you it will install through the knuckle hole like normal.

[usmcdoc14]

OMFG !!! THE HORROR !! THE ISSUES !!!



Your kidding, right?

This is my clearance "issue". I would say 1/16 with the wheel strait . The little boot edge hits the little countersink edge on the ball joint adjuster at full lock. (your axle shifts position when you turn)

[usmcdoc14]

Another pic with it just resting there to show you exactly AT THE EXTREME where mine hits

If you are worried you can take the adjuster and smooth the transition in the countersink with a flap wheel on a 4.5" grinder. Mark the index it is at with a sharpie, drive out the roll pins, unscrew the adjuster, take your time and bevel, re-install and index, re-install roll pins.

Or take a flap wheel, be careful and smooth the transition with it installed.


You know what I did?

Nothing.

absolutely motherfuckin NOTHING.

I let the very boot edge self clearance. after my 150mi test drive there is a very slight bevel to the very edge of the orange boot. It was so insignifigant it was not even worth taking a picture of.

edit: also note the little area I ground to allow full access to the zerk fitting.

[usmcdoc14]

So in conclusion:

YES
RCV + ProSteer = WIN
RVC+ ProSteer+ Reid knuckles = It goes to 11

Maybe
You might need to do some modifying. at WORSE it is pretty much nothing.

I did not need or want to do shit.
Oh and I did a VIDEO INSTALL that comes in a day or so.

ANY QUESTIONS ??

[Alaska-HWY JK]

Mine are still in the garage, went camping. Thanks for the info.

[usmcdoc14]

Shit, thats what I forgot

for the upper ball joint the "pipe spacer" is used to allow the threaded stem of the ball joint to pass enough through the opening of the ball joint press.

If you play with combination's of the included adapter and the chunk of pipe you will figure it out

[Prope]

Is your axle still perfectly strait? Mine is out 1.5 degrees on both sides, which may mean that it might hit the cv ball rather than just the boot?

[usmcdoc14]

Originally Posted by Prope

Is your axle still perfectly strait? Mine is out 1.5 degrees on both sides, which may mean that it might hit the cv ball rather than just the boot?

mine is from factory with zero miles, RSE gusste with a PolyPerformance upper and lower gusset OVER it. Then sleeveed.....and trussed
It may be off but I seriously doubt it.

What way is yours "out" ?


And in your case: there is a LOT of extra material in that adjuster nut on top of the lowers. The area you would adjust it by is actually LOWER than the counter sink that already exist. I could have taken the adjuster screw out and got maybe 1/4" of clearance without any worry at all.

Remember, all my images are with no modifications to the lower ball joint at all.

[maverick]

GREAT write-up and pics! Thanks for sharing!

[Prope]

Originally Posted by usmcdoc14

mine is from factory with zero miles, RSE gusste with a PolyPerformance upper and lower gusset OVER it. Then sleeveed.....and trussed
It may be off but I seriously doubt it.

What way is yours "out" ?

And in your case: there is a LOT of extra material in that adjuster nut on top of the lowers. The area you would adjust it by is actually LOWER than the counter sink that already exist. I could have taken the adjuster screw out and got maybe 1/4" of clearance without any worry at all.

Remember, all my images are with no modifications to the lower ball joint at all.

Bottom is out further than the top, therefore making my axle look like a smiley... Need to upgrade, but axle companies must think their housings are made of gold.

[usmcdoc14]

Originally Posted by Prope

Bottom is out further than the top, therefore making my axle look like a smiley... Need to upgrade, but axle companies must think their housings are made of gold.

are you trussed/sleeved? That is an EASY fix if you are not and would give you an escuse to truss the axle read my writeup on the "ultamate 44" on the front page and see how I used a bottle jack to preload the axle.
You could take out that excess camber quite easy.

[Prope]

Sleeved & gusseted but not trussed... not sure how much I can "pre-load" it now with a truss. I need a passenger side unit bearing and ball joints on the driver side (already replaced the passenger side), so these may be in order.

[usmcdoc14]

Originally Posted by Prope

Sleeved & gusseted but not trussed... not sure how much I can "pre-load" it now with a truss. I need a passenger side unit bearing and ball joints on the driver side (already replaced the passenger side), so these may be in order.

with a 20T jack and some chains would would be quite surprised

[riverzendz]

Nice write up dude.

Originally Posted by usmcdoc14

RVC+ ProSteer+ Reid knuckles = It goes to 11

It goes to 11. Ha ha.

[usmcdoc14]

Video part 1 of 2
Intro, showing tools, measurements and the ultra-elite pipe chunk

YouTube - RCV shafts and Dynatrac ball joints part 1.mp4

[usmcdoc14]

Removal of the old joint, mockup, some hammering before I trimmed the threads and the end clearance
YouTube - RCV shafts and Dynatrac ball joints part 2.mp4