Stupid ball joints!

[AMink]

Took my truck down for an alignment because the front right was wearing very quickly on the outside edge. They just called and said most the ball joints have a lot of play. Only 45K on the truck, mostly easy driving. I'm hoping the extended warranty covers this. I did the joints on my 97 and it wasn't a lot of fun without the right tools. Are the 06's easier than the 2nd gens? If I don't use the warranty, we get the money back. That might be needed in a few years!

 

[hwebster]

Dealer told me my 08 needed ball joints @ 29K miles... Must be made of marshmallows!

 

[EDankievitch]

They are just as hard as the 2nd gen trucks. My cousin that works for Dodge says that the American axel ball joints suck flat out suck. Says his shp replaces them all the time funny though the older Dana axel lasted much longer and the 1500 trucks almost never fail.

Ok, forget the dodge replacements spend the money do Moog lower with the grease fittings and Calli uppers (unless Calli has released the lowers then install Calli's in both) You will never have to replace them again.

 

[MABurns]

Mine were just replaced at 63K under warranty. How much would that have cost had it not been? How much for the Moog or Calli's?

 

[Cummins Cowboy]

believe me it makes me so mad as well, it is just plain flat out ridiculous to need ball joints before 50k like they where on my truck, I had to pay $900 for new ones. I am surprised dodge doesn't get tired of replacing them and paying the labor when they could just redesign the front end or at the least get a good supplier, I am starting to think dodge does not know how to correctly design a truck front end, they always screw something up, with the second gens, you had steering wander, super slow sluggish steering box, a weak PS pump that would loose power when you where stopped and had to crank the wheels all the way one way or the other quickly, bascially the 4x4 models steered like an old school bus,

the 3rd gens are much improved, but now they come with a weak poorly designed too small ball joint. you would think by now they would be thinking lets cure the front end problems for good.

note to 3rd gen owners still in the warranty period, check your ball joints!!!!!!!!!!!!! the truth is mine where bad while they where still under warranty, I didn't do anything about it until I was at 48k miles and had to pay the bill out of pocket. be careful the dealership will in many cases deny they are bad, if they do have a problem mention that you can't pass inspection because of them, they know in reality they are out of spec, but try to say there is nothing wrong and this satisfies most people until they get out of the warranty period and have to pay themselves.

 

[TSchuetz]

50k, mine were bad on my 05. They were "tight". Steering wheel would not come back to center. The truck would wander all over. Look at the NAPA / Spicer joints. MUCH better than the Moog. :-laf

Tim

 

[honda350rmx]

I just replaced my ball joints yesterday no to bad besides i damaged a wheel hub. All so why do they have greasable lowers but you have to take the grease zert out or the ujoint will hit it. any one know about this

 

[WoodChuck]

grease zert out or the ujoint will hit it

FYI; It's a Zerk fitting not zert.

Grease fitting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[RonD]

I replaced my Ball Joints with greasable ones last month, I replaced the lower ball joint Zerk fitting with a button fitting, you lube it like the front driveshaft u-joint with a pointed attachment, works fine that way.

 

[Bob4x4]

I have been running these for the last couple years,after inspecting them a few times I am confident they will last the life of my truck



Dodge Ram HD Upper Ball Joints - Dodge Ram Suspension System Components



Bob

 

[seafish]

I have been running these for the last couple years,after inspecting them a few times I am confident they will last the life of my truck



Dodge Ram HD Upper Ball Joints - Dodge Ram Suspension System Components



Bob

Bob, any idea if Carli is still working on the lower bj's?? Any ETA?? I realize that they don't wear out as quick as the uppers, but since I need all of them anyway... . ??

 

[Bob4x4]

:-laf Should of asked yesturday... ... ..... I stopped by to order a set of uppers for my brother today. I haven't asked for awhile. They have some pretty trick stuff in the works though.



Bob

 

[seafish]

:-laf Should of asked yesturday... ... ..... I stopped by to order a set of uppers for my brother today. I haven't asked for awhile. They have some pretty trick stuff in the works though.



Bob

So should I call them myself, or do you think that could you get a clearer picture for all of us... not that you don't do enough around here!!!

 

[WoodChuck]

I ordered the Carli uppers last week and asked about the lowers, Jessie said maybe six more months (to me that means a year).

Bob 4x4 I have a question for you, everyone talks about the upper BJ going so quick, I think this is due to non stock wheel offset, what do you think? Reason I ask is I have 150k on my truck with all original parts and my lowers are toast but one upper is good and the other shows only a little play (I'm running the old KORE Weld wheels with OEM spec. offset)

 

[Bob4x4]

I hear about stock wheeled trucks loosing BJ's very frequently. It may speed up the process with more offset and I am sure larger tires accelerate the wear also. The guys who stay on the pavement have the best luck,but I prefer to use mine where it is the most fun

 

[AMink]

Turns out the worn joints are the tie rod ends. I'll see how the alignment holds and rotate the tires more frequently. If it looks like they're wearing fast, I'll do the ends or Lukes Link them. It is annoying that Dodge puts a 1200 pound engine in the truck and doesn't put the components under it to carry it reliably.

 

[WoodChuck]

Can you Lukes link a TRE?

 

[AMink]

You could on the 2nd gens, I don't know yet (haven't looked) for the 06's.

 

[WoodChuck]

I thought the Lukes link was for the track bar?

 

[boatpuller]

I thought the Lukes link was for the track bar?

It is, the track bar on a second gen has the same type of "ball joint" on the end as a tie rod end. The same link repair will work for tie rods or track bars, just don't know if the third gen tie rod ends are the same as second gen?