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Can I flip the steering ball on my J-Arm??

6K views 17 replies 13 participants last post by  Chrisf 
#1 ·
A buddy gave me a flip kit and since I already had one on the rear I wanted to use them on the front. Now I know you can't do a flip kit in the front until you go crossover, but I was taking a look underneath and noticed the steering ball on my J-arm is factory pressed in and that my drag link would adjust with no problem. So everything looks okay, what I don't know is how it will actually work in the real world as to my penny saving mind.
 
#3 ·
It will work, but don't waste your time.The j arm will just break in a short time of wheel'n.Also if your axle is relocated forward it will change your steering geometry and give you amazing bump steer(speaking from past experience)Save the five hundred bucks and do the whole thing at one time.You won't regret it!!!
 
#4 ·
You can press out the ball and install it in reverse. I've run mine that way for years of hard wheeling and it results in less stress on the J-Arm. I finally just broke a J-Arm this summer but attribute the low occurrance of failure on the ball being reversed.

I'll sell you mine in a few weeks if you are interested. I just ordered hi-steer and will be installing it in about 3 weeks.

TF Senior
 
#7 ·
RJ said:
good luck pressing it out... Takes like a 50 ton press !!!

whats your point?? take it somewhere that has a 50 ton press swing them 10 bucks and all will be sweet, gee that was hard, must have had good luck :flipoff2: :flipoff2:


Also they are tappered, so you will need to drill out the J arm and machine the ball if you are going to do it properly, IMO the best thing to do would be press it, have a new ball machined and with a thread, press it in then lock nut it on there, wouldnt cost too much.


NICK
 
#8 ·
I have done it at home with my 20-ton press. Grind it flat on the opposite side of the ball then take a die grinder with a pointed carbide burr and grind a “V” around the end of the ball. Then hopefully it will press out fairly easy. Once the ball is out chamfer the stud and press it in the opposite way. Rosette weld the stud end hot and overlap it all the way out on the pitman arm. Then make a couple of short welds on the lip on the ball side. Let it cool on it’s own, do not quench it in water. A friend of mine ran one of these and a dropped draglink for a couple of years without a problem. Before we did this he was breaking a “J” arm almost every time out.
 
#9 ·
Everybody told me that welding on the J-arm is going to make it brake for sure. Mine was heated and bent up, then reinforced on the top and braced on the curved area. I bought a new J-arm and was going to have the ball pressed-out and reinstalled, but if you have to weld it then what's the difference? Where do they normally break?

Justin
 
#11 ·
nipflips are a good idea. Although I think all of the binding issues go away if when the nipple is pressed in from the top that it is not pressed in all the way....leave an 1/8 to a 1/4 inch and the weld it. That way, when the tire drops out of the wheel well the draglink joint does not bind on the steering arm. I once tried pressing the nipple out with a 12 ton...I ground it flat and pressed it but no way would it budge. I ground into it a litle more and could see that it was flared....I said screw it and chopsawed it off and turned it up, welded it and added a brace under it.
 
#13 ·
The way OOP'S replied is the best way. You can get away with a 20 ton press and works great. the fact that they break is true but the non-flipped breaks in the same exact place. It will not break on the Highway or road becasue there is not as much stress on the j arm. I am running a front lock right and have not broken mine yet but have a spare. I know if it does break it will be when I am in double low in first or second. so will not be moveing fast. you might drive off the side of the trail and kill an innocent squirrel or chipmunk when it happens but you can get away with that:D . the problem with the bumpsteer, put a bumpstop above the axle about 2-3 inches up from the axle or spring and the nose dive will be less and bumpsteer is almost totally unnoticable. you only need droop and it will flex better believe it or not.
 
#14 ·
Sounds like just about everybody welds on the J-arm...so why were people jumping all over me about not driving it on the street??? I assumed it would probably break on the trail, but if you're wrong it could kill you(and others). I think mine is safer being bent and braced, than having the ball pressed out, back in, and then welded. I actually bought a stock J-arm and was going to have the ball flipped, but after hearing how often it will break I think I'm sticking with my set-up.

Later,

Justin
 
#15 ·
They will break more often if you have flexy springs , stock "J" arm and droop the drivers side. All of the weight of the front end is on the "J" arm. All of the "J" arms that I seen break part of the break was always rusted so they had been cracking for awhile.:eek:
 
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