Can-Am Commander 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 platform that has been in service since 2011 it is the part that finally lets go — under landings, under load, or simply after enough years. 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.
Todd Keller's original threaded design, covering the Commander from the original 800 and 1000 through the current 1000R and MAX 1000R. The Commander uses a different joint in the upper and lower positions, so select the option for the position you are replacing.
Key Features
- Two-piece threaded housing eliminates the OEM snap ring
- 4340 hardened chromoly steel housings and studs
- Adjustable and greaseable for correct stud articulation over years of service
- Rebuildable — a worn joint is serviced, not replaced
- Covers both generations of Commander, 2011 to current
- Position-specific upper and lower joints, sold singly, in pairs or as a full front end
- Limited lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects
- Made in USA
Built To Solve: Can-Am Commander Ball Joint Pull-Out and Snap Ring Failure
- Snap ring shearing and letting the joint separate from the A-arm
- Clunking or knocking from the front end over rough ground and whoops
- Play in the wheel when rocked top-to-bottom on a jack
- Original joints worn out on an early 800 or 1000 that has been ridden for a decade
- Torn boots admitting water, mud and grit so the joint wears from the inside
- Replacing the same joint often enough that it has become routine maintenance
Best For: High-Hour And Big-Tire Commander Builds
- Commander 800 and 1000 owners refreshing a tired front end
- 1000R DPS, XT and XTP owners running larger tires or added lift
- Trail, rock and mud riders working the suspension hard
- MAX owners carrying more weight through the front end
- Anyone who has already replaced a factory joint more than once
Specifications
- Material: 4340 hardened chromoly steel, stud and housing
- Design: two-piece threaded housing, no snap ring
- Serviceability: adjustable, greaseable and rebuildable
- Boot: robust retaining ring to prevent water intrusion
- A-arm modification: not required
- Positions: upper and lower use different joints on this platform
- Warranty: limited lifetime against manufacturing defects, original purchaser
- Manufacturer Part Number: BJK-CA-X3U#CM (upper), BJK-CA-X3L#CM (lower), BJK-CA-X3U-K-2#CM (two uppers), BJK-CA-X3L-K-2#CM (two lowers), BJK-CA-X3-K-2#CM (upper and lower), BJK-CA-X3-K-4#CM (full front end)
Fitment
- Can-Am Commander 800: 2011-2020
- Can-Am Commander 1000: 2011-2020
- Can-Am Commander X: 2012-2013
- Can-Am Commander MAX: 2013-2020
- Can-Am Commander 1000R DPS: 2021 onward
- Can-Am Commander 1000R XT: 2021 onward
- Can-Am Commander 1000R XTP: 2021 onward
- Can-Am Commander MAX 1000R DPS: 2021 onward
- Can-Am Commander MAX 1000R XT: 2021 onward
One joint family covers both the 2011-2020 Commander and the 2021-onward 1000R, two-seat and MAX. Fitment is not guaranteed on applications not listed above.
FAQ
Why do Can-Am Commander ball joints pull out of the A-arm?
The factory joint is retained by a snap ring seated in a groove. Landings, load and the extra leverage of bigger tires can deform or shear that ring, and once it goes the joint has nothing holding it. Keller joints thread into the A-arm instead, so there is no clip to fail.
Does one joint really cover the old 800 and the new 1000R?
Yes. SuperATV lists a single Keller joint family across the whole Commander line, 2011 through current, two-seat and MAX. Only the position matters — upper or lower.
Are the upper and lower joints different?
Yes. Select Upper or Lower for the position you are replacing, take the pair for one corner, or the full front end for all four.
Are these worth fitting to an early Commander?
If you keep the machine, yes. A Keller joint is rebuildable, so on a 2011-2014 car it is the last set of joints you should need to buy rather than another round of the part that keeps failing.
Do Keller ball joints require A-arm modification?
No. Keller joints thread into the factory arm as supplied, so no machining is needed.
Can these be rebuilt instead of replaced?
Yes. They grease and adjust, and the Keller ball joint rebuild kit for Can-Am services them with a new cup, boot and pin when the internals eventually wear — that kit has separate upper and lower options to match.
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.
Complete Your Commander Front End Rebuild
Before ordering, confirm which position you are replacing — the Commander takes different uppers and lowers, and the full front end option covers all four corners. If the boots are torn but the joints are sound, the Keller boot replacement kit is the cheaper fix. If the joints are worn but the housings are good, the Keller rebuild kit for Can-Am services them. Tie rods and A-arm bushings are worth inspecting while everything is apart.
Installation Video
Official SuperATV installation walkthrough with Todd Keller: How To Install Keller Ball Joints
