My first time off pavement (back in June), the new Johnny joints I put on my RC lower control arms were creaking like crazy. Never had that issue on any products I've bought with JJs installed (Currie track bar, Savvy UCAs) but these loose ones were terrible.
I finally got around to taking them apart today and all 4 were bone dry except for a tiny bit around the "equator" where a small amount got in through the zerk fitting. I had read here that the zerks were ineffective and disassembly was the only way to lubricate them but pretty disappointing that a product with the reputation they have would be shipped in a state where they have to be disassembled and greased before they can be installed. and yes, I'd read this is necessary as well but I'd had good luck so far.
Disappointment on another front - the guy I paid to do my gears, though the gears seem to be well done, tossed my lube lockers in the trash and put the covers on with RTV. He also seems to have a practice of keeping your diff covers, giving you freshly painted ones off his shelf, and painting yours and using them on another vehicle. I don't have a major objection to this on the surface, except I had put time into proper cleaning and prep work for a durable paint job, and from the appearance of the covers he gave me, he does not. The front has flaking and surface rust without even being wheeled yet, and I knocked off a good several square inches from the rear with the rubber mallet, reveling untreated surface rust underneath. So I get to paint those, again.
Leaving tomorrow afternoon for southwest Colorado with freshly greased joints, new 85W140 conventional gl5 in both axles, redline MTL in the Nsg370 and my usual gtx 5w30 high mileage in the crankcase. Since I still haven't sorted my vibrations out, I'll toss the front driveshaft in the back and install it when we get there.
I finally got around to taking them apart today and all 4 were bone dry except for a tiny bit around the "equator" where a small amount got in through the zerk fitting. I had read here that the zerks were ineffective and disassembly was the only way to lubricate them but pretty disappointing that a product with the reputation they have would be shipped in a state where they have to be disassembled and greased before they can be installed. and yes, I'd read this is necessary as well but I'd had good luck so far.
Disappointment on another front - the guy I paid to do my gears, though the gears seem to be well done, tossed my lube lockers in the trash and put the covers on with RTV. He also seems to have a practice of keeping your diff covers, giving you freshly painted ones off his shelf, and painting yours and using them on another vehicle. I don't have a major objection to this on the surface, except I had put time into proper cleaning and prep work for a durable paint job, and from the appearance of the covers he gave me, he does not. The front has flaking and surface rust without even being wheeled yet, and I knocked off a good several square inches from the rear with the rubber mallet, reveling untreated surface rust underneath. So I get to paint those, again.
Leaving tomorrow afternoon for southwest Colorado with freshly greased joints, new 85W140 conventional gl5 in both axles, redline MTL in the Nsg370 and my usual gtx 5w30 high mileage in the crankcase. Since I still haven't sorted my vibrations out, I'll toss the front driveshaft in the back and install it when we get there.