JBA UPPER BOOT PROBLEM

Well that was a fun post to read after having driven on these for a few hundred miles. I just went out to inspect both sides. Both snap rings will swivel with enough pressure from a flat tip screwdriver. That tells me they are fully seated in their groove, otherwise I doubt I'd be able to get them to spin. The gap *may* be slightly wider on one side than the other, but I can't tell for sure. I'll give them both a better look when I swap my boots. Thanks for the heads up.

 

mine don’t move at all. It was a tight fit to get that piece pressed in and the snap ring on. My gap is like 1/16” on mine. I wonder how hard it’s gonna be to change the boot. I want to change them ASAP!

 

My understand is the steering knuckle adapter, snap ring, etc remains in place for the boot swap.

We will need to remove the ball joint nut and lift the upper arm off the steering knuckle. Then slide the old boot off and the new one on. Reassemble what you took apart.

That's my understanding, and JBA said the same. No realignment necessary after swapping the boots.

Since a shop installed my JBAs, perhaps that side (passenger side) had the snap ring stretched a bit? If so, I don't love that, but if it's safe, I should be able to sleep at night. I do like my shit fully squared away, though. I don't cut corners when I do work. If I find out someone else has, they won't like the conversation we have.

 

Safe to say no one has heard anything on when the new style boots will start shipping out? I have not heard a peep.

 

They emailed me and said end of February but I haven’t got an email saying they shipped yet :/

 

they sent me replacement boots in January and didn't say anything about new Polly boots. im about to toss on these replacements so well see what they say when these crack which i'm sure they will

 

I emailed JBA this morning for an approx. ETA update and this was their reply:

We should only be a few weeks out now. We`ll be shipping you a pair automatically when they`re available.

"Should only be a few weeks out now" is a different story from what they first said, "shipping end of February or the first week of March".

 

yeah sure is. I’m about to email them too.

 

Man I just got the JBAs towards the end of January with the "new boot on them" but haven't Even installed them yet, but after seeing this post should I just email them for the New New boots that everyone is getting now?

 

i would

 

I am glad that JBA seems to be taking care of their customers after these failures. It is hard to find half-decent customer service these days. I may look into them when I get aftermarket uppers on my 04.

 

Are you certain you have the new boot style, or just a new rubber boot that may or may not still crack yet? The boots on mine looked pristine when they showed up, only for me to find them cracking less than two weeks later after install.

JBA told me it was a manufacturing defect in the rubber boots. If the new poly boots don’t even have an eta for those of us waiting on them, how did your uppers ship out with them? I’m skeptical but hopefully whatever you have doesn’t crack on you.

 

yeah do it.... I did that with the "new boot style ball joints" and he sent me a new set and I hadn't installed mine yet when i asked

 

Hell ya ill email them then.. is that how yu got in contact wt them threw email or phone call?

 

This are the ones I just got at the end of Jan. The "updated ones" and now it seems this are bad ones now"manufacturer defect". And they're sending new ones?? To replace this ones?

 

Those appear to be the style we all have. Mine looked mint until they started cracking. I’m still not losing grease but I do want to replace them as soon as I can.

 

If you don’t need to install your JBAs imminently, I would suggest waiting until the new poly boots arrive. Swap your boots out before you install the arms onto the vehicle. Maybe even keep the defective boots as a spare while they still aren’t cracked.

 

Anyone heard from JBA recently? My drivers side boot has started puking red n tacky.

 

I checked with them again about a week ago. At that time they said "should a couple weeks out now". I asked if the delay was due to ships that can't dock/covid, etc. They said nope, the new poly boots are being made in Pennsylvania. Shipping out to all of us waiting automatically when they're available.

I hope that is very soon. Mine will probably start oozing soon.