Im gonna be replacing the u joints, ball joints and wheel bearing here soon on my 2000 Cherokee with a 4.5" lift with 32x11.5" tires. I planned on getting spicer u joints and Teraflex or Alloy USA heavy duty ball joints. Which would be the better choice of those two and what would be a good choice for quality wheel bearing? I daily drive my Jeep and I hate to use the word Overland but that's basically what I use my jeep for So it Goes down some pretty rough trails but nothing I would consider rock crawling.

 

I stay far away from the Teraflex and Synergy Ball Joints. The knurling destroys the bores and when the ball joints fail, you will have to address the oversized ball joint bores.
The DANA 706944X OEM Ball Joints are the overwhelming favorite for Dana 30 & Dana 44 Ball joints.

I'm pretty sure SKF is the only manufacturer that is still making Jeep Wheel Bearing Assemblies in the USA. They may not be anymore, I'm not sure. The last set I got from SKF was made in the USA. Timken outsourced their manufacturing processes long ago to China but they have long been the favorite for Jeep Hubs. *** is another reputable manufacturer but they recently opened facilities in China as well. So they're all made in China.
TIMKEN HA597449
SKF BR930219
*** 559450

U-Joints, that's Dana Spicer only. Spicer Life Non Greasable are as good as it gets, as strong as it gets. Greasable U-Joints have been phased out due to the design's poor durability.
Axle Shafts - 5-760X Axle Shaft Universal Joint ,or the sexy new coated ones 5-760XCAxle Shaft Universal Joint
Driveshafts - 5-1310X Universal Joint

 

What he said ^

 

That is some great info Randy! What are your thoughts on Moog parts? They are a fan fav around most shops for stock vehicles so just wondering what their durability is like on modified/off road vehicles. Thanks!

 

Use only the full circle retainer clips (circlips) on the U joints, the lesser clips only cover about 2/3 of the circle and are known to come out at extreme angles and force. when that happens, things break. So make sure you use full circle clips. some U joints may require minor clearancing to accept the full circle clips, but it is well worth it.


Common inferior clip...

https://torqueking.com/product/40941/qu40941-c-clip-for-tk40444-u-joint/?dfw_tracker=64625-16901&msclkid=dec5d678cb1219e2429bb64f122a8a1c&utm _source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=**LP%20Sh op%20-%20Products%20%240-%2410&utm_term=4574793007480609&utm_content=16901% 20%7C%20Qu40941%20C-clip%20For%20Tk40444%20U-joint%20%7C%20%241.55


Better Circlip...
https://bayareapowersports.com/i-3094-u-joint-assembly-mercruiser-w-clips-grease-zerk-alpha-gen-2-bravo-865496a01.html

Note these images are for reference only, the clips do not nessecarily fit jeep U joints.

 

WE installed the Timken ball joints. They come in non Knurled

 

I also came to realize that just about everything we own is made in China or Vietnam or some other overseas place. Top dollar high tech stuff like my 2020 Yeti Mountain Bike made in Vietnam. The quality is pretty much what you pay for.. High ticket items made oversees are very high quality since I think the manufacturer still controls the process.

It would be nice to be able to buy or own more made in the USA stuff, but that's just not the reality anymore. The coolest stuff is made in the USA. My Rigid LED's, Brown Dog motor mounts & Stinky Fab transmission mount. I love that stuff but USAA cool stuff is a very small percentage of what we need to get on in life.

Another thing I have read a few times on this forum. They say to buy the OEM TPS or IAC sensor instead of the one from Advanced., Autozone or O'reilly's since the generic brand was made in China. I have compared the OEM sensors to the generic ones and they are both made in Mexico, both look exactly to be the same thing except the generic has a lifetime warranty.. As soon as I sense the idle is not right or there is any sort of hesitation I just switch out the senor for free. I replace the sensors every few years, have never been left stranded and don't expect them to last forever.

Coming back to this thread. I installed Teraflex ball joints (non-knurled). My previous ball joints were good for over 10 years but went with the Teraflex due thinking they would be stronger or because I turned into a Jeep parts snob. I have used Moog for everything else on the front suspension linkages, Dana Spicer with the circlips for the U Joints. I installed Timken Bearings which look to be really good quality when they came out of the box and have replaced my old Rough Country suspension with Rubicon Express. All awesome stuff but all probably made in China. I think its best not to focus on where the parts were made so much, but buy from a high qualify manufacturer that has control over the process. Get as much feed back, and check out as many reviews of the product before buying. Pay a bit more for the good made in China vs the cheap crap made in China.

 

The picture I seen of the teraflex they didnt look like they had knurls. I called Teraflex and they said I could get regular ones or one knurled.

 

Spicer Joints, Timken or SKF bearings, Moog is garbage.

 

Ya it does look like they offer them without knurling as well. Teraflex is a great American company and I've had nothing but good luck with some of their other offerings like control arms. So that could be a good ball joint kit for you. I would still roll with the Dana Spicer parts for my Jeeps. They fit every time and they last a long time. I've actually never had a replacement Spicer ball joint fail and the stock parts can last over 150,000 Mi. The Teralfex ball joints look like they have a lot going on internally. Both upper and lower joints are greaseable and they have a preload adjustment feature. That may be a good thing. I don't know. I have no experience with them. I would rather opt for the simple, tried and true Spicer parts.

 

Nothing in Spicer's catalog seems to cross for the CV Centering yolks for the front drive shaft to my '00 XJ. Any ideas? I've come up with three #s for the 1310 Spicer Yolk assembly and I can't find consensus agreement on which one to get

 

DANA SPICER 211355X GREASEABLE CV Centering Yoke

DANA SPICER 211544X NON-GREASEABLE CV Centering Yoke