Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) ANOTHER balljoint gripe

[Dieselram]

Well i was changing tires today when i noticed that my upper balljoint(pass. side) is about to fall out. 48,000 miles and i have to put a ball joint in. Anyone else had to replace a ball joint so soon? I also searched the threads and thing i am going to go with a NAPA lifetime warrenty balljoint. anything thing else ya'll recomend doing while i'm in there?

 

[OTRPU]

I'm 2WD and independant, but seems my truck eats everything under the front end. I've replaced bout everything under there. . . at least once. They used Moog parts, lifetime warranty. Still gotta pay um to put um in. . . but least the parts are free. How many yokes you replaced? I'm on my third in as many months. . . and it needs another now.



Cheers,

Steve J

 

[jmeehan]

48,000 miles and i have to put a ball joint in. Anyone else had to replace a ball joint so soon?

Yup, I just finished the passenger side yesterday, drivers side will get done after I buy a shop press to seperate the bearing from the knuckle.

My truck started pulling to the right at about 38K miles, I couldn't get around to doing them until 48K.

I bought the kit from Quad 4x4 since they sold it with the ball joint press.

 

[rkressg]

Just curious, but what are the driving conditions like where you drive (I. E. bumpy roads, RR tracks). I have seen ball joints go bad on brand new trucks (less than 10k), but mine have over 100k on the original ones. I just drive slow over bumps and potholes (a hard thing to do in Pittsburgh, they are everywhere). I saw a brand new 3500 srw (3rd gen) in the shop the other day for new upper and lower ball joints (A company truck), the driver repeatedly hit the RR crossing way too fast every time they crossed, and destroyed the front end.

-Rich

 

[Dieselram]

Mine are pretty normal. . I slow down for RR tracks and avoid every bump and pothole i can. i have been know to jump a curb or two and i do drive on dirtroads about once a week or so. but nothing HARD. My driverside balljoint is fine. No play whatso ever

 

[JCyrbok]

Yup replacing mine at 45K! kind sucks.



J-

 

[DKupfrian]

I wonder what wears them out. My front end was loose and we put it on a lift to find the track bar and right side tie rod end loose. I don't slow down for bumps and plow with an 8' Fisher blade. So far 90,000 miles on the original ball joint... knock on wood.

 

[KKlingbeil]

So for everyone that has done ball joints a few times, who makes the best ones, or are all of them pretty much the same?? THanx for the info!!