Metal Cloak Control Arm ring

Brianmly · Apr 30, 2016

So I installed the Metalcloak game changer 3 1/2 inch left a couple weeks ago and while I was cutting off part of my rock sliders to make room for my new tires that come on Monday, I decided to go through retighten and check the lift components… I found this on the lower driver side lower control arm

ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462055293.508626.jpg

Before you go all "Metal joke" on me I emailed the customer service today and we'll see how it goes. So far the customer service has been great to deal with ... I called them five or six times during the install just to give myself peace of mind that I was doing it right. I do think it odd that the pinch ring for the bushing would pop out though.

With all that said, I've been out in the mountains about three or four times since lift has been on and I have been very happy with the ride and performance so far… Just wasn't happy to see this. I think finally getting 35's on Monday should make a great improvement as well.

wayoflife · Apr 30, 2016

Can't say that I've EVER had that problem with a Johnny Joint but it sure is a common site on a TeraFlex joint. Great customer service doesn't = stellar quality control.

OverlanderJK · May 1, 2016

Love me some good customer service. First thing I do when a shitty part breaks on the trail is call their great customer service to come help me.

MedixJK · May 1, 2016

Im gonna go out on a limb and say the best kind of customer service is the kind you dont need.

Hope they help you out.

Rottenbelly · May 1, 2016

Looks like the snap ring came unseated. No big deal if that's all it is. Drop that end of the control arm out and snap.it back in.
Never had a problem with mine in the 3 years I had them on my first jeep.
I plan on putting them on my new jeep regardless of what some folks on here think about them.

Brianmly · May 1, 2016

MedixJK said:
Im gonna go out on a limb and say the best kind of customer service is the kind you dont need.

Hope they help you out.

Amen.....I'm trying to remain positive on this nice sunny day while The Mountains are taunting me because I need to go find the tool to put the c-clamp back in.
My bad for not fully checking them before I put them in, their bad for not making sure their product was correct before it was sent out.

But your right.....I think the chances of them flying someone up to help me out while I'm on the Naches trail is probably pretty slim.....But if there willing to correct the issue I'll be content.

Brianmly · May 1, 2016

Rottenbelly said:
Looks like the snap ring came unseated. No big deal if that's all it is. Drop that end of the control arm out and snap.it back in.
Never had a problem with mine in the 3 years I had them on my first jeep.
I plan on putting them on my new jeep regardless of what some folks on here think about them.

Thanks.....That's what I plan on doing, it just took me off guard when I noticed it.....like I said, I have been happy with the performance so far.
I was a little frustrated that I didn't have the clamp that was big enough for the ring.....I'll eventually need one in three or four years when I service them....just wasn't planning on it now....not a big deal.

OverlanderJK · May 1, 2016

Brianmly said:
Amen.....I'm trying to remain positive on this nice sunny day while The Mountains are taunting me because I need to go find the tool to put the c-clamp back in.
My bad for not fully checking them before I put them in, their bad for not making sure their product was correct before it was sent out.

But your right.....I think the chances of them flying someone up to help me out while I'm on the Naches trail is probably pretty slim.....But if there willing to correct the issue I'll be content.

Has nothing to do with checking them. It has to do with the joints not being able to handle the amount of bind that is produced when flexing.

highoctane · May 1, 2016

This used to happen on my Teraflex long arm joints. When the suspension would flex, they would reach max misalignment, then twist themselves apart. The snap ring would pop out, and eventually the inner bearing could even pop out of the center of the joint housing.

wayoflife · May 1, 2016

OverlanderJK said:
Has nothing to do with checking them. It has to do with the joints not being able to handle the amount of bind that is produced when flexing.

This ^^^^

It's either that or the retaining clip wasn't seated all the way during assembly or the groove it sits in wasn't made deep enough during manufacturing. No matter how you look at it, this is a problem on their end and for you to somehow claim any responsibility for their error is an amazing show of brand loyalty.

wayoflife · May 1, 2016

highoctane said:
This used to happen on my Teraflex long arm joints. When the suspension would flex, they would reach max misalignment, then twist themselves apart. The snap ring would pop out, and eventually the inner bearing could even pop out of the center of the joint housing.

Yup. Had this happen to me again and again back when I was running TeraFlex arms and see it happen all the time on other Jeeps.

jeeeep · May 1, 2016

Brianmly said:
Thanks.....That's what I plan on doing, it just took me off guard when I noticed it.....like I said, I have been happy with the performance so far.
I was a little frustrated that I didn't have the clamp that was big enough for the ring.....I'll eventually need one in three or four years when I service them....just wasn't planning on it now....not a big deal.

Get a couple of oversized washers that fit the outer size of the joint and an all thread bolt that fits in the joint, 1/2" bolt and flange nut and smaller washers. make sure to get it long enough so you can use a socket between the oversized washers. The smaller washers should fit inside the joint to compress and allow the c-clip to fit back in

Tighten to compress the joint and insert the c-clip.

A currie johnny joint tool makes it easier but ths works in a pinch

sjd78 · May 1, 2016

It more then likely just wasn't fully seated in the groove. This has happened before and they admit they've had issues with quality control during assembly of the joint snap rings. I checked mine thoroughly before install because of this. However you flip it though they should be sent out the door assembled correctly.

Benito · May 1, 2016

I saw this exact same thing on my friends metalcloak lift.... Poor quality control. When we where putting it back in I can see why you might think it's all the way in but then we looked at the other side and saw that it still wasn't seated all the way....

10frank9 · May 1, 2016

Last thing you want to worry about when you pay GOOD money on aftermarket parts is having to jimmy-rig it to make it work.

I'm with the guys saying customer service means shit when you have a failure on the trail.

JK_BUB · May 1, 2016

I checked all of mine before I installed them as well and found no issue. Mine have held up well for more than a year of fairly hard wheeling. I still feel that Metal Cloak makes solid control arms and joints.

mastrcruse · May 1, 2016

Does MetalCloak use Teraflex joints? A few have mentioned it and wasn't aware they did.

wayoflife · May 1, 2016

LOL!! I love how all the fanboys feel the need to come on here to say how they've never had a problem with their joints as if it somehow would make what happened to the OP go away.

As I always like to say, we all have our own idea of what "wheeling hard" really is or how "often" is often.

olram30 · May 1, 2016

I think of hockey pucks when I hear metalcloak

GregMort13 · May 1, 2016

wayoflife said:
Can't say that I've EVER had that problem with a Johnny Joint but it sure is a common site on a TeraFlex joint. Great customer service doesn't = stellar quality control.

OverlanderJK said:
Love me some good customer service. First thing I do when a shitty part breaks on the trail is call their great customer service to come help me.

OverlanderJK said:
Has nothing to do with checking them. It has to do with the joints not being able to handle the amount of bind that is produced when flexing.

wayoflife said:
This ^^^^

It's either that or the retaining clip wasn't seated all the way during assembly or the groove it sits in wasn't made deep enough during manufacturing. No matter how you look at it, this is a problem on their end and for you to somehow claim any responsibility for their error is an amazing show of brand loyalty.

I had this happen to me on my old two door, i thought it was just because i was ballsy and put a 4" enforcer on a two door and the geometry wasn't right. I don't own the jeep anymore so no harm no fowl, but just wanted to throw it out there that this happened to me on an evo arm also.

My point for bringing this up was, no manufacturer is perfect, i hope you get good customer service and your issue resolved.

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