Are these the original ball joints?

[Vtx531]

Finally getting around to changing them out soon. Just wondering if anyone can tell me by looking if these are the original ones?

Maybe the way the cotter pin is bent or shape of the ball joints, indent on the threaded rod?

Hoping to avoid the knurled stud issue.

 

[TheBoogieman]

I would guess yes, since none of the surrounding rust is missing from installing new ones. Mine lasted 140,000 miles with 6 years on 35s.

 

[BlueC]

Just wondering if anyone can tell me by looking if these are the original ones?

No one will be able to tell that with any certainty, and if they do try to imply certainty, they're a liar. The only thing from those pictures that can be said with any certainty is that no grease has been applied to those top zerks in quite some time.

Not that it matters, but some clues could help, like brand, miles, and how long you have had the Jeep. Then we can apply the WAG method to find an answer.

 

[Vtx531]

No one will be able to tell that with any certainty, and if they do try to imply certainty, they're a liar. The only thing from those pictures that can be said with any certainty is that no grease has been applied to those top zerks in quite some time.

Not that it matters, but some clues could help, like brand, miles, and how long you have had the Jeep. Then we can apply the WAG method to find an answer.

Brand? 140,000 miles, had the Jeep since new but sometimes my dad would do repairs on it 15+ years ago. I don't think he would remember whether he did it or not but he usually got his car parts at Autozone back then (or amazon currently) so I'm hoping he didn't ever change the ball joints. The cotter pins looked like an unusual way to bend the tangs, thought maybe that would be a good clue if that's how they came.

Yea...everything under there is pretty rusty and needing some love (good opportunity to do that while I have the knuckles off and everything apart)

 

[BlueC]

Brand?

Yes. If you see a brand like Moog or Dorman, that's a dead giveaway of replacement. Someone else will have to jump in with info, but factory parts from that time frame would have been Spicer or TRW IIRC.

For 140K miles, its' possible they're still original, but just as likely they've been replaced. If you would have said 200K I would say not a chance of being OEM. At 60K I would expect OEM.

The cotter pins looked like an unusual way to bend the tangs, thought maybe that would be a good clue if that's how they came.

That's how I typically bend mine.

 

[machoheadgames]

Those look like Spicer to me, especially since the lowers have no grease fitting.

The OEM Spicers had a tall body upper. When you buy new Spicers the upper will be shorter than what you see in the pic.

 

[Link]

Looks OE to me. Doubt you’ll have issues. Replace them and move on with life.

 

[DevilDogDoc]

Yes. If you see a brand like Moog or Dorman, that's a dead giveaway of replacement. Someone else will have to jump in with info, but factory parts from that time frame would have been Spicer or TRW IIRC.

For 140K miles, its' possible they're still original, but just as likely they've been replaced. If you would have said 200K I would say not a chance of being OEM. At 60K I would expect OEM.



That's how I typically bend mine.

I just swapped out my first LBJ on my 97 at 186000 miles, was a little sloppy.