[tkob1060]

I have full traction "ultimate" lift, my one control arm always had trouble keeping the jam nut tight, I constantly had to tighten it. Well saturday about 15min into trail ride it pulled out, hit a couple small puddles no ruts or anything, surprisingly it didnt rip the rear mount off or even bend it, I guess because it was digging into sand whew. The inside threads on the control arm were stripped so I used some JB weld and a ratchet strap to hold it together then went and got it welded so it didnt come apart EVER again.

I cant wait to get a new lift first it was the bowed springs, then of course the crap bushings now this.

so anyone else?

 

[Eugene]

Other than the loose nut I haven't had any problem with the Heim joint. I am however on my fourth set of bushings. Something else to check. issed:

 

[SONIC]

Lets see some pictures....
sounds like fun lol
Full Traction strikes again

 

[tkob1060]

Eugene I suggest taking the control arm apart that has had the loose jam nut, I'm guessing it being loose causes the threads to wear out over time, after it came out I could screw the heim joint all the way in and not get tight at all, I could almost pull it out, it moved in and out about a 1/16th of an inch. I didnt have camera with me but I am hoping someone got a pic of it hanging down though its not looking good for that. here is a cpl pics of it welded up, I left the jam nut off because I was hoping with it off I could screw it in deeper and it would grab but that didnt matter.

 

[SONIC]

Hope you dont ever need to adjust it again

 

[tkob1060]

Hope you dont ever need to adjust it again

Oh full traction will be sending me a new one or I will beating them over the head with it or going and throwing it thru their front window

 

[banned01010]

Didnt mudpuppy just have the same thing happen? Sounds familiar.

 

[tkob1060]

Didnt mudpuppy just have the same thing happen? Sounds familiar.

yeah I think u are right again I forget if he had problems with jam nut staying tight.

 

[banned01010]

teraflex...
http://www.jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13692

 

[SONIC]

ahahha just like they were so happy to send your bushings eh?
I bet you didnt grease it correctly and thats why it broke

 

[tkob1060]

ahahha just like they were so happy to send your bushings eh?
I bet you didnt grease it correctly and thats why it broke

yeah didnt u know they can tell how much you've greased something if u take it all apart and take pictures, send them pics, put it all back together, then hope they'll warranty their bad "batch", that seems to have lasted them over 1.5yrs , of bushings. They did send them to me though without the pics by surprise when they sent me the replacement springs. Now they are testing new oem style rubber bushings, so maybe they were just trying to get rid of their "batch of bad ones"

 

[lbh]

Yeah, call them up!:bounce: I am sure they will get a new onr right out to you! Just think, tax season is around the corner, perhaps you will get something then to get a new set up.

 

[SoK66]

Was going to say, seems like FT has had this problem for quite some time now. My local 4x4 shop installed a few of these and has stopped due to joint problems.

 

[Rock Krawler Suspension]

Jam nuts are important. Most people think they only hold the orientation of the joint or arm. However, the most important thing they do is pre-load the threads in the control arm and on the joint itself! The larger the thread size, the more preload required. This is a basic and standard fastening technique! If the jam nut is left loose, their is nothing to pre-load the threads so the threads start wearing on themselves almost instantly. Over time, impact energy will ultimately beat the threads out of the arm or off the joint, whichever thread section is weaker will fail first.

We are in no way trying to defend or support FT in this matter. We are just trying to enlighten everyone to the importance of Jam Nuts! Everyone should keep this in mind as they perform routing maintence on their rigs. Hope this helps out.

Rock Krawler

 

[tkob1060]

Everyone should keep this in mind as they perform routing maintence on their rigs. Hope this helps out.

Rock Krawler

thanks Rock Krawler, the routine maintenance for me equaled tightening it about every 2wks, I carried a wrench in my jeep just to be able to do it when ever I checked it and was loose, and it was the only one that ever became loose. I guess it was faulty from the beginning.

 

[BADGER]

Makes a strong case for pinch bolts, Poly Performance style.

The pre-load thing makes a lot of sense. I can also see where if you get an arm maxed-out on flex, the ends of the arms will try to twist and you may unknowingly loosen a jam nut (suck).

This makes me wonder how arms like the JKS control arms hold up. They use the threads to provide unlimited torsional twist - no jam nuts for preload, no pinch bolts, just a grease port to keep 'em lubed and a brass bushing to keep 'em aligned. I'd think that their useful life would be limited, but apparently they hold up really well...

 

[Rock Krawler Suspension]

The verdict is still out on pinch bolts. They do not preload the threads either! They work well for race vehicles that replace the parts all the time, but only time will tell how well the pinch bolt system really holds up! Undoubtably impact energy will take its toll over time on the thread sections.

There are alot of examples of control arms that do not use a jam nut and what happened to them over time. Remeber the older ACME threaded arms that were used with no jam nut. It was only a matter of time before they really started cluncking like crazy! We are far from perfect, but we try to follow the SAE Standards for fastening methods.

Rock Krawler

 

[SEPA JK08]

Hey Tim, I might be showing my lack of knowledge here....can you use locker on there after the suspension is all dialed in...i mean just on the lock nut for the threads?

 

[tkob1060]

Hey Tim, I might be showing my lack of knowledge here....can you use locker on there after the suspension is all dialed in...i mean just on the lock nut for the threads?

I suppose loctite on the threads would help, to late now

 

[usmcdoc14]

I suppose loctite on the threads would help, to late now

everything gets loctite if it can not be safety wired or a locking nut I hate stuff coming loose. Get your 4 wheel alignment done and then red loctite the jam nuts and crank those babys tight.