Ball joint spacers

[Anders.greg]

Has anyone done ball joint spacer? Do they work well and Is it a fairly easy installation?

[ahardb0dy]

The original Jim Connor Racing suspension lift kit A-arms, which were modified stock arms with a spacer welded in and the open bottom reinforced worked fine when I had them in my 87 hardbody and I beat the hell out of the truck, never had a problem.

 

The suspension lift arms sold today are tubular and do not use a ball joint spacer as they changed the angle of where the ball joint mounts compared to the stock arm.

 

As for installing spacers, it is easy to replace the upper control arms on the Nissan pickups and pathfinders as the lower control arm is where the torsion bar is attached too, what that means is the upper arm can be removed with out having to worry about the suspension moving from being under the tension of the torsion bar.

 

This also applies to removing the upper ball joints, to install the spacers you would need to unbolt the upper ball joints from the upper control arm, move the arm up and out of the way, lay the spacer on top of the ball joint, lower the arm back into position and re-install the new longer bolts.

Edited May 26, 2013 by ahardb0dy

[nunya]

There was a member a while ago I vaguely remember (88pathoffroad I think it was actually) tht had issues with them mixed with aftermarket UCAs. Personally I have not put a set on my pathfinder but ran a set of 2"-2.5" (I forget off the top of my head) on my old 4runner for a couple years with 0 issues and just recently put a set of 1" spacers in my blazer.

[RedPath88]

Actually I think 88's spacers were used with stock UCA's and their failure was the reason he later moved to Rough Country / Superlift UCA's.

 

People have had mixed experiences with spacers, some good/trouble free, some bad. But when they have had problems it has been or could have been pretty bad. Just remember that if they fail (or cause an UCA and/or BJ to fail) then the outcome could be bad... depending on what your doing/how fast your moving and just when/if you notice they are failing.

[RedPath88]

Sadly the pictures are long gone, but here is 88's thread.

 

http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/2598-acs-1-bj-spacers-cause-uca-damage/

[Anders.greg]

I had ordered a set from 4x4parts.com. I haven't gotten them yet but now I'm a little worried about putting them on.

[Anders.greg]

I had ordered a set from 4x4parts.com. I haven't gotten them yet but now I'm a little worried about putting them on.

[ahardb0dy]

Actually I think 88's spacers were used with stock UCA's and their failure was the reason he later moved to Rough Country / Superlift UCA's.

 

People have had mixed experiences with spacers, some good/trouble free, some bad. But when they have had problems it has been or could have been pretty bad. Just remember that if they fail (or cause an UCA and/or BJ to fail) then the outcome could be bad... depending on what your doing/how fast your moving and just when/if you notice they are failing.

 

 

I read the thread but don't recall seeing exactly what failed, I know without the pics it's hard to tell, it sounds like from what 88 wrote that the UCA's were twisted or something??

 

That may be why JCR reinforced the stock arms when they used them with the spacers, as I said the one's I had the spacer was welded in and the bottoms were reinforced (closed not open like the stock arms), I wheeled my hardbody very hard and never had a problem with the UCA's or the spacers. I had the torsion bars (two stage) cranked and ran 35's for a while still no problems. I will say I split the lower control arm, broke the font sway bar and ripped it's mount off the frame, def wasn't easy on the truck.