How to rebuild a Currie Johnny Joint

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
So if your like me and make the mistake of not properly greasing your Johnny joints, then smack a deer, they may eventually blow out. For this write up I made sure I did my best to document everything you will need to get the job done and provide pics as well.

You will need:
-Currie JJ rebuild kit #CE-9110RK (2.5” rebuild kit)
You will need 1 for each joint you need to rebuild.
-shop press ( or Currie jj rebuild tool)
-21mm socket
-21mm wrench
-snap ring pliers
-brass hammer (or any hammer will do)
-brake clean and rags (lots of them)
-torque wrench

1.Start off by safely lifting the vehicle by the frame so that the axle is at full droop.

2. I removed my tires for ease of moving the axle around

3. Use the 21mm socket and remove the trackbar from the axle
IMG_8276.jpg

4. Once removed take your 21mm socket and wrench to remove the bolts holding your control arm in. (I suggest doing one arm at a time

5. Clean up the area around the joint a little bit. Here you can see one end of the arm where the rubber blew out
IMG_8268.jpg

6. Take your snap ring pliers and remove the snap ring from the joint
IMG_8277.jpg
IMG_8278.jpg

7. Flip the arm over and take the brass hammer and beat the ball socket, washers and bushing out of the joint end. (They came out easily with little to no effort.)
IMG_8279.jpg

8. Do steps 6 and 7 again on the other side of the arm
IMG_8280.jpg

9. Take both of the ball sockets and the arm and use the brake clean and the rags to clean up all the old grease and any other crap in the arm the best you can
IMG_8281.jpg
IMG_8271.jpg

10. Now that the arm and joint are all cleaned up you can now get your new part out of the box and prep for install
IMG_8272.jpg

11. Go and place the new washer in the bottom side of the joint
IMG_8273.jpg

12. For this step I used a shop press but the tool from Currie will work as well.

Take the two new bushings, ball socket, and the other washer and stack them on the end like so
IMG_8274.jpg
The bushings only go together one way so if they are not flush together like so you have them on wrong

13. With a socket about the same size as the washer slowly press the bushings into the arm
IMG_8275.jpg

14. Once the bushing and everything is pressed in, take a slightly smaller socket so they you can press the bushingand washer in more so that you can install the snap ring.

15. Your new joint should look like so
IMG_8282.JPG

16. Once both ends are done loosely reinstall the arm, grease the joints, and repeat these steps for the other arm.

17. Reinstall the wheels and lower the jeep to the ground. Torque wheels to 95 ft/lbs

18. Reinstall trackbar

19. Torque all control arm bolts and trackbar bolt to 120ft/lbs


And there you have it! Sorry I didn’t take as many pics as I could have. Was in a semi rush to get them done.
 

BaddestCross

Active Member
Timely. I have a set of second-hand arms that I want to rebuild just so I know everything is fresh when I get around to installing them. A couple questions...

Are all JJs 2.5" or where on the joint do I measure to be sure?

When the joint is together, how easy should it be to move them around? Can you move them with your hand or should there be decent resistance to swivel the ball in the joint?

How much grease needs to be pushed into the joint after installation?

Where is the best place to pick up the rebuild kits? Direct from Currie or where? Approximate cost for the kit?

I have a mix of Currie and EVO arms. I'm assuming a Johnnie joint is the same regardless, right?

Thanks for doing the write-up! Looks like the process is pretty easy.

--
Build Thread - Adventures of Fiona - https://wayalife.com/showthread.php?t=47407
 

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
Timely. I have a set of second-hand arms that I want to rebuild just so I know everything is fresh when I get around to installing them. A couple questions...

Are all JJs 2.5" or where on the joint do I measure to be sure?

When the joint is together, how easy should it be to move them around? Can you move them with your hand or should there be decent resistance to swivel the ball in the joint?

How much grease needs to be pushed into the joint after installation?

Where is the best place to pick up the rebuild kits? Direct from Currie or where? Approximate cost for the kit?

I have a mix of Currie and EVO arms. I'm assuming a Johnnie joint is the same regardless, right?

Thanks for doing the write-up! Looks like the process is pretty easy.

--
Build Thread - Adventures of Fiona - https://wayalife.com/showthread.php?t=47407

All evo arms are 2.5” Johnny joints. I would assume that all the curries (or a majority of them) are 2.5” as well.

There is a little resistance. I use a screw driver to move them.

A good amount is needed when first installed. I will prob regrease them after driving this weekend that way what I did use gets moved around

I bought direct from Currie and they were $16 a joint. You will need 2 rebuild kits per arm.

Yes they are the same regardless.
 

BaddestCross

Active Member
All evo arms are 2.5” Johnny joints. I would assume that all the curries (or a majority of them) are 2.5” as well.

There is a little resistance. I use a screw driver to move them.

A good amount is needed when first installed. I will prob regrease them after driving this weekend that way what I did use gets moved around

I bought direct from Currie and they were $16 a joint. You will need 2 rebuild kits per arm.

Yes they are the same regardless.
Thank you! 🍻

--
Build Thread - Adventures of Fiona - https://wayalife.com/showthread.php?t=47407
 

Masjkf84

Caught the Bug
When you pull a control arm to rebuild do you need to take the track bar off for some reason or why did you do that? I need to look at mine but didn’t think the track bar would be involved.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
When you pull a control arm to rebuild do you need to take the track bar off for some reason or why did you do that? I need to look at mine but didn’t think the track bar would be involved.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

I took mine off cause it’s a little easier to move the axle side to side for reinstallation of the arms. Just a personal preference honestly
 

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
Good write up, Currie makes a really nice tool for these, it’s not cheep. Good snap ring pliers is must.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

Thanks Chris. Yea the tool does look nice and is far from cheap as you mentioned. Good snap ring pliers are deff needed. I have snap on and matco stuff at work so quality is not missed
 

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door

AlStew

New member
IMG_4743.jpg

Thanks for the write up! I referenced it during the rebuild. No shop press so I had to use my vise and worlds scariest snap ring pliers. My Johnny joint would’ve been fine but I over greased it once and blew the inner seal.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
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