Honda Pioneer 500 ball joints fail at the snap ring, not the joint itself. That thin clip is the only thing holding a factory joint in the A-arm, and on a narrow trail machine that spends its day at full steering lock it is the first thing to let go. Keller ball joints remove it entirely — the two-piece housing threads into the arm like a nut and bolt. Hardened 4340 chromoly, greaseable, adjustable and rebuildable.
This is the upper joint. SuperATV lists the Keller joint for the Pioneer 500 in the upper position only, sold one at a time.
Key Features
- Two-piece threaded housing eliminates the OEM snap ring
- 4340 hardened chromoly steel housing and stud
- Adjustable and greaseable for correct stud articulation over years of service
- Rebuildable — a worn joint is serviced, not replaced
- Upper position, sold individually
- Limited lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects
- Made in USA
Built To Solve: Pioneer 500 Upper Ball Joint Pull-Out and Snap Ring Failure
- Snap ring shearing and letting the upper joint separate from the A-arm
- Clunking or knocking from the front end over roots, rock ledges and ruts
- Play in the wheel when rocked top-to-bottom on a jack
- Repeat failures on a machine that works hard at full steering lock
- Torn boots admitting water and grit so the joint wears from the inside
- Replacing the same upper joint often enough that it has become routine maintenance
Best For: Narrow-Trail and Working Honda Pioneer 500 Machines
- Pioneer 500 owners riding tight, rocky or rooted trail systems
- Hunters and property owners working the machine through mud and standing water
- Riders who spend most of the day turning rather than at speed
- Owners who have already replaced an OEM upper joint and do not want to do it again
- Anyone who wants a serviceable joint rather than another disposable one
Because this covers the upper position only, a complete front-end refresh will still need lower joints sourced separately.
Specifications
- Material: 4340 hardened chromoly steel, stud and housing
- Design: two-piece threaded housing, no snap ring
- Serviceability: adjustable, greaseable and rebuildable
- A-arm modification: not required
- Position: upper only, sold as a single joint
- Warranty: limited lifetime against manufacturing defects, original purchaser
- Manufacturer Part Number: BJK-H-P1000U
Fitment
- Honda Pioneer 500: 2015 onward
Upper position only. The Pioneer 520, 700 and 1000 each take their own Keller listing, so confirm which machine you have before ordering. Fitment is not guaranteed on applications not listed above.
FAQ
Why do Pioneer 500 ball joints pull out of the A-arm?
The factory joint is retained by a snap ring seated in a groove. Side load at full steering lock, rock strikes and mud all push on that clip, and once it deforms or shears the joint has nothing holding it. Keller joints thread into the A-arm instead, so there is no clip to fail.
Does this fit the lower A-arm?
No. SuperATV lists the Keller joint for the Pioneer 500 in the upper position only. A complete front end will need lower joints from another source.
Is this the same joint as the Pioneer 520 or 700?
The upper joint is shared across much of Honda's smaller Pioneer range, but each machine has its own SuperATV listing. Order from the page that matches your model.
How many do I need?
Two for a pair of uppers — one per side. This listing is sold one joint at a time, so order two if you are doing both sides.
Do Keller ball joints require A-arm modification?
Standard Keller joints do not — they thread into the factory arm as supplied. The Mega version uses an oversized housing and does require machined A-arms, which is the main reason to pick one over the other.
Can these be rebuilt instead of replaced?
Yes. They grease and adjust, and the Keller ball joint rebuild kit for Honda services them with a new cup, boot and pin when the internals eventually wear.
Why Keller
Todd Keller designed the two-piece threaded ball joint to fix the one part of a stock front end that keeps failing, and SuperATV now builds and backs the line. The design has barely changed because it does not need to: thread the housing in like a nut and bolt, use a chromoly stud, and make the whole assembly serviceable so a worn joint gets rebuilt rather than binned.
Keep Your Pioneer 500 Front End Tight
Before ordering, note that this is the upper joint sold singly — order two if you are replacing both sides. If the boot is torn but the joint is sound, the Keller boot replacement kit is the cheaper fix. If the joint is worn but the housing is good, the Keller rebuild kit for Honda services it. Tie rods and A-arm bushings are worth inspecting while the front end is apart.
Installation Video
Official SuperATV installation walkthrough with Todd Keller: How To Install Keller Ball Joints
