Ball Joint Eliminators for old Dana44?

y2knole · Jan 5, 2022

Ive got an old school Ford HP dana44.
For the most part, its enough axle for what i do, but i chew thru upper balljoints like bubble gum.

Im using the Napa Chassis ball joints, the gold with blue boot ones...

I was considering a balljoint eliminator for it, the only one ive found was this:

Ball Joint Eliminators

Having problems with breaking upper ball joints or separating ball joints? Here is the solution for off-road applications to keep your axle together. Made in the U.S.A.!!!

downtofab.com

Anyone got any thoughts on this or feedback or know of another alternative?

RustyC · Jan 5, 2022

I've used them on a SD 60, I like them. For $150 I would do them on a D44.

Wagfabulous · Jan 6, 2022

320 bucks a side seems pretty steep . How often are you replacing them? Are they wearing out or is the axle joint breaking and wiping them out ?

y2knole · Jan 6, 2022

ive broken one upper that in turn took out all the other ****, including the knuckle stub shaft, ujoint etc... that was several years ago.

I installed new upper and lower balljoints on the pass side before my last trip, 3 days at windrock, and the upper on that side was toast by middle of the last day.

They'd be $320 total, cause its only the uppers that they make eliminators for, and the lowers seem to hold up fine anyways.

Wagfabulous · Jan 6, 2022

Id try some different ball joints first man . Ive always had good luck with moog ball joints .Thats crap on them not lasting that long . I see why your looking for an alternative.

y2knole · Jan 7, 2022

everything ive read is that these napa chassis ones are the best...

Wagfabulous · Jan 7, 2022

How heavy is your rig ?

y2knole · Jan 7, 2022

Wagfabulous said:
How heavy is your rig ?

Its just a tj with a4.0 and 37s. nothing especially big.

y2knole · Jan 7, 2022

theres another 'TTX' brand balljoint listed on Napa's site. anyone know anything about this?

Im gonna go ahead and slap some new ball joints in it this weekend so I can ride next saturday but considering these if anyone knows anything about em.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/TTXTXMS50569?impressionRank=2

My old HP30 with unit bearings was a lot quicker to tear down and work on. once tires were off, it was 5 bolts from having the axle shafts out... kinda miss that... oh well...

Bebop · Jan 7, 2022

Unit bearings are the ****

Edit : we can't say s.h.i.t anymore ? bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha welcome to the woke world my friends !

Wagfabulous · Jan 7, 2022

No matter what which direction you let us know how it pans out .

Zjman · Jan 8, 2022

I put these in the zj buggy I built probably 8-9 years ago and my brother is still wheeling on em. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Alloy-USA-...p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

y2knole · Jan 8, 2022

Zjman said:
I put these in the zj buggy I built probably 8-9 years ago and my brother is still wheeling on em. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Alloy-USA-...p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

I had a set of those in my old HP30 and they were the only ones I could get to hold up in that axle.

Those are for the tj/xj/whateverJ style 30/44s that have the balljoint mount to the inner c vs the old school spindle/hub style 44s where balljoint mounts to the knuckle... I dont believe alloy USA makes em for that style axle anymore. think they did at one point but there wasnt enough demand and they discontinued. could be mistaken though... I think i looked into this years ago when i swapped to this axle, but will look into again.

TravisXJ · Jan 14, 2022

I'm not sure if he has them finished yet but American iron off road has done or in the works for the old 44 I believe. We installed some in the wife's jku. Great product and great guy. Get in touch with Josh over there!

They were $500 both sides upper and lower. Can rebuild all four for $135 I think and don't have to press in or out to rebuild.