Hey everyone, I have done tons of reading but cant really seem to get much of an answer, so Ill ask it directly. Is it even worth replacing bad ball joints and not going to HD steering if the vehicle will be offroaded occasionally? My story is that my disco will be a sunday driver around town and taken off road a few times each year. My hope is to hit places like Silver Lake sand dunes in michican and eventually go back to Moab. I am running a 2" lift with 265/75r16 tires.

Cost of the ball joints is 100 USD total.
Cost of HD steering is between 200-250 USD.

Is it really worth double the cost? I am building my truck on a budget but I want to build it up right with HD parts, but dont want to waste my money yet if I dont need to. Basically if I get this, I probably wont be getting a front diff guard due to cost restraints.

Thanks for the input!

 

The last two years at Rovers at Wintergreen, I have helped out on some way with the replacement of stock bits for HD bits in a.parking lot or on the trail. Lucky8 usually has a couple sets on hand because someone normally needs them.

They aren't indestructible but they are certainly better

 

You might want to save a few more Shekels for BOTH if you plan on bashing the diff eh. If you plan on hitting the dunes you might want way higher gearing too...... just so you can get out of the way of the rails and trugies.

 

I will get the diff guard before moab, but probably dont need it for the dunes. and I dont think itll bother me if my rig is slow on the dunes, Ill be towing a 12' trailer with my 80HP atv on it so Ill have that for when i want to go fast. Sounds like I should just get the HD steering and be done with it.

 

I'm not that far away from Sleeping Bear and I stay away all summer long..... What exactly does the HD steering consist of and can't you make a diff guard?

 

How much rust is on your truck and how old are the TRE's and steering rods? I can take a guess if you're in Michigan......
After a few hours fighting to remove the old TRE's you'll be asking yourself why you didn't just go with new rods.
I run HD steering rods in lieu of a steering skid. One decent hit and your stock rods will fold up.

 

Thanks, I think im going to pull all the old parts and replace with new ball joints, my buddy thinks he can fab me some HD rods at work (hes a machinist). Id rather do that than a steering guard, and thatll be cheap enough to get the diff guard as well.