Kryptonite stage 3 kit issues

not_a_denali · December 19, 2021

Did a quick search and couldn't find anything even kind of similar to the issue I'm having.

I got everything put on the driver side and the castle nut just kept going and going like the damn energizer bunny. The instructions say to add a washer if the cotter pin hole is too high and after just finger tightening it, I added two washers. Then it didn't even snug up until it got to where the picture shows. It seemed like ALL of the threads had made it through the spindle so I checked the other ball joint in the kit vs the factory one and the taper is definitely thinner than the factory ball joint. The instructions for the Fox coilovers have a note that say they "MUST be used with aftermarket upper control arms" so I would really prefer to figure this out than have to put everything back to stock right now.

Has anyone else run into this issue? Did I get the wrong size ball joints/do they even have different size ball joints for us? Or do I just need to do the uncomfortable thing and stack a ton of washers up under the castle nut?

I messaged them asking about it, but it's Sunday so I'll have to wait for their response.

Truckboattruck · December 21, 2021

Did you match the aftermarket ball joint shaft spec to the spec of your OEM knuckles facilitating stamped/aluminum arms or cast arms? The knuckle is different for the two specs. If your truck came with cast arms from factory you need cast spec UCA, if they came with aluminum or stamped from factory you need aluminum or stamped spec UCA- both for reasons of the ball joint shaft hole at the knuckle.

I know in the case of the Cognito UCA I have on order I got the alum/stamped spec, BUT I'm also swapping my OEM knuckles and LCA to aluminum/stamped spec- and I anticipate I might have to swap other relative components once I get that far but I'm not sure at present. I'm not even sure I need to swap the LCA, but I am anyways. I know Cognito makes UCA for OEM cast arm replacement or alum/stamped, and it only matters at the knuckle in the case of that specific component. Perhaps you could even just swap ball joints if needed, but I'm speculating in regard to the parts you have there.

If you originally had aluminum arms could you tell me if your truck came with the X31 off road package? I think that was the determining factor that granted aluminum arms and resultantly spec'd knuckles, but I don't know.

Edited December 21, 2021 by Truckboattruck

not_a_denali · December 21, 2021

So I did confirm (prior to ordering) that I originally had the stamped steel UCAs. No fault of Kryptonite since I didn't order directly from them, I was sent cast UCA joints. I just ordered the proper ball joints directly from them this morning but it'll be 2-3 weeks before they arrive and since I don't feel like undoing the work, the truck will just stay on jacks in the garage until the correct joints come in. Maybe I'll take the time to make sure my wheels/tires will fit.

I don't believe you need to do the lowers at all. But I'm a fan of going the extra mile, so I'll like to see how it turns out.

Also, I don't have the X31 package. So you may very well be right about that

Edited December 21, 2021 by not_a_denali

Truckboattruck · December 21, 2021

Glad you got it figured out, and thanks for the X31 info as well. I think there is some confusion going around that the aluminum arms were part of the Z71 package- which my '14 has, but also has cast arms.

I have everything I should need for the knuckle swap except the UCAs, I don't think the aluminum LCA are made anymore however so I went with aluminum Mevotech premium TTX LCA. It should just be the UCA ball joint shaft spec that is different, but I won't be able to tell until I pull the knuckles off and compare in 6-8 weeks.