ball joint spacers is this really a good idea
03-16-2009, 08:13 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ball joint spacers is this really a good idea
I keep reading on here everyones ifs truck has a 1 inch or 1 1/2 in ball joint spacer. I may be wrong but that sounds like a very bad idea to me. Anyone have any good or bad experience with using a spacer.
03-16-2009, 08:46 PM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Chula Vista, Ca
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think the general consensus is that the spacers are fine if you don't crank in a bunch of lift. If you do it tears up your steering and CV boots. You read through hours of posts on this if you use "search."
03-16-2009, 08:46 PM
#4
Registered User
EDIT, why do you think it will be a bad idea to run em....?
Last edited by Tubbyfatty; 03-16-2009 at 08:51 PM.
03-16-2009, 09:34 PM
#6
Registered User
Well, IMO it puts extra stress on ball joints and COULD shear it, but thats some hard wheeling...
Never had a problem with mine in the 100 miles I drove with them on
Never had a problem with mine in the 100 miles I drove with them on
Trending Topics
03-16-2009, 10:16 PM
#8
Registered User
I don't do too crazy of wheeling but I do have the t-bars cranked to high hell. The CV are okay, the steering does need some work though and it makes a good alignment nearly impossible. On the flipside I've gone over a very rough railroad track going fifty and the front end is still together, so unless you don't belong under a truck in the first place they're find and dandy.
The following users liked this post:
Khan3vzhilux (02-04-2024)
03-16-2009, 11:29 PM
#10
Why do the seem like a bad idea? You cannot crush the spacer- its solid aluminum. The clamping force of those 4 bolts torqued to 30ft-lbs each is plenty to clamp the ball joint to the spacer to the upper control arm.
Any lift on IFS is going to reduce reliability and increase wear, but the chances of a catastrophic failure on road are extremely remote. I've kept my IFS reliable after BJ spacers by lowering the truck back down to stock height. This also increases IFS flex, which I was trying to accomplish (I wasn't aiming for lift).
Any lift on IFS is going to reduce reliability and increase wear, but the chances of a catastrophic failure on road are extremely remote. I've kept my IFS reliable after BJ spacers by lowering the truck back down to stock height. This also increases IFS flex, which I was trying to accomplish (I wasn't aiming for lift).
03-17-2009, 12:23 AM
#11
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Temecula Valley, CA
Posts: 12,723
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
If the ball joint does not meet or exceed it's range of motion within the socket, there is no additional strain put on the joint.
Since most of the force to the ball joint is in the vertical axis, there is little stress put on them. Since the spacer is longer front-to-back than it is side to side, hitting an object head on would not cause any issue unless you were hitting something like a wall with the forward-most edge of the tire... but you'd also likely blow your tire. Now maybe if you had the wheels at full-lock and slid the side of the wheel into a curb or something at a decent speed you may break the bolts... but just as likely the frame would twist, the hub and wheel bearings would likely be bunged, bushings would fail and your wheel and tire would be toast too... not to mention likely damage to the steering box, idler, relay rod, etc. ...and all that would probably happen in the same situation without the spacers.
The biggest drawback to spacers is the exaggerated change in camber as the wheel moves through its travel arc, since the control arms are no longer at stock angles, and the tire wear that can occur because of that.
As for the CV angles, if you have manual hubs, you have that issue all but conquered since you can unlock the hubs and keep the joints from spinning. But at full extension, the CV's (unloaded) angles may be near their maximum angle and can cause the boots to tear. Once the boot tears, the grease goes away and the CV starts to wear. If you fix the boot, the CV lives longer... or you could take some lift out and limit travel with the stops.
It's all about compromises. Change the steering geometry and something will wear out faster than normal.
Since most of the force to the ball joint is in the vertical axis, there is little stress put on them. Since the spacer is longer front-to-back than it is side to side, hitting an object head on would not cause any issue unless you were hitting something like a wall with the forward-most edge of the tire... but you'd also likely blow your tire. Now maybe if you had the wheels at full-lock and slid the side of the wheel into a curb or something at a decent speed you may break the bolts... but just as likely the frame would twist, the hub and wheel bearings would likely be bunged, bushings would fail and your wheel and tire would be toast too... not to mention likely damage to the steering box, idler, relay rod, etc. ...and all that would probably happen in the same situation without the spacers.
The biggest drawback to spacers is the exaggerated change in camber as the wheel moves through its travel arc, since the control arms are no longer at stock angles, and the tire wear that can occur because of that.
As for the CV angles, if you have manual hubs, you have that issue all but conquered since you can unlock the hubs and keep the joints from spinning. But at full extension, the CV's (unloaded) angles may be near their maximum angle and can cause the boots to tear. Once the boot tears, the grease goes away and the CV starts to wear. If you fix the boot, the CV lives longer... or you could take some lift out and limit travel with the stops.
It's all about compromises. Change the steering geometry and something will wear out faster than normal.
03-17-2009, 02:29 PM
#12
Contributing Member
Why do the seem like a bad idea? You cannot crush the spacer- its solid aluminum. The clamping force of those 4 bolts torqued to 30ft-lbs each is plenty to clamp the ball joint to the spacer to the upper control arm.
Any lift on IFS is going to reduce reliability and increase wear, but the chances of a catastrophic failure on road are extremely remote. I've kept my IFS reliable after BJ spacers by lowering the truck back down to stock height. This also increases IFS flex, which I was trying to accomplish (I wasn't aiming for lift).
Any lift on IFS is going to reduce reliability and increase wear, but the chances of a catastrophic failure on road are extremely remote. I've kept my IFS reliable after BJ spacers by lowering the truck back down to stock height. This also increases IFS flex, which I was trying to accomplish (I wasn't aiming for lift).
I don't see any real issues that they could bring up
at worst, they could cause some CV binding, but that's easily fixed with a bit of spacers under the UCA bump stops, or a diff drop
03-17-2009, 04:01 PM
#15
you weren't aiming for lift, yet you have both BJ-spacers AND a 4" bracket lift?
I don't see any real issues that they could bring up
at worst, they could cause some CV binding, but that's easily fixed with a bit of spacers under the UCA bump stops, or a diff drop
I don't see any real issues that they could bring up
at worst, they could cause some CV binding, but that's easily fixed with a bit of spacers under the UCA bump stops, or a diff drop
Last edited by Matt16; 03-17-2009 at 04:02 PM.
03-17-2009, 06:55 PM
#20
Registered User
I'm running BJ spacers. Rides alot better, and against what some say, w/o touching the t-bars, my 4runner flexs better up front.
Just make sure you get it aligned afterwords... the tires ride like this \ /
Just make sure you get it aligned afterwords... the tires ride like this \ /
