PSA - Synergy adjustable ball joints.

[Dave]

I don't know if anyone else is using or considering the Synergy 4127 adjustable ball joints.  But if you are here's a heads up: after adjusting the preload when you bend the tabs on the special lock washer, make sure the tabs are bent into the corresponding body & nut notches fully and that the edges of the tabs are flush to the sides of those notches.  Apparently I screwed up and one of the tabs on my setup wasn't engaged properly. It looks like the joint was tight enough that when the tapered ball joint pin spun it unbent one of the tabs and made the wash oblong, and eventually the other tabs failed and the adjusting nut loosened bit by bit.  I ended up with 0.100 play in the lower ball joint.  Amazingly I didn't know that until I was working on the brakes and noticed the axle shaft rubbing on the knuckle.

Synergy doesn't sell the lock washer separately, you have to buy the $75 rebuild kit to get one.  The rebuild kit is listed as discontinued at some retailers.  Fortunately I was able to salvage my lock washer and hopefully got the install correct this time.

 

[AJK]

Oh man, good catch Dave. Did you get it back together or do you got to wait on the parts now?

[Dave]

40 minutes ago, AJK said:

Oh man, good catch Dave. Did you get it back together or do you got to wait on the parts now?

It's back together with the salvaged lock washer.  I'll check it after a couple hundred miles. It looks like Poly has the rebuild kit, I may order one idk.