Attention: TDR Forum Junkies Just got done changing out the upper and lower Ball
Joints and control arm busings on upper and lower
control arm. Whew... . I feel like I just completed the
Ironman competition. While I had the thing all
disassembled I added a rubber helper which loops
between the coil spring to stiffen up the fron a bit.
Seems to work well... . just enough but not too much
added stiffness up front. Replaced the ball joints with
the "Problem Solver" ball Joints from MOOG and bushings
also from MOOG. Hardest part of the job is unscrewing the
upper ball joints. The ball joints on the 1-ton anyway
are larger than the standard Dodge ball joints... someone
loaned me thir special socket... and too small... bought a
2-1/8 inch 3/4" drive socket and filed down four of the
ridges to get it to fit. Then using a 4 foot pipe attached
to the 3/4" drive extension coupled with several hundered
explatives I was able to unscrew the bugger.
Helpful tips:
Get a ball joint separator tool (the screw variety not the
fork) to pressure the upper stud out of the steering knuckle
(then strike the knuckel). The lower stud comes out best
using a floor jack under the rotor (coil spring will tension
the ball sud) and use some heat on the knuckle and strike
the stud from the top. Actually I thought that the bushings
would be the hardest get out, but get a couple of correct
sized sockets that you don't plan on using again and beat
the snot out ouf them. I got a deep impact socket of the
right size to knock out the bottom ball joint... here again
beat the dog sot out of it. Best tool investment for the
job... a small 2. 5 pound mall.
I'll put this experience right up there with a visit to one
of Hitlers Nazi SS dentists. Will have the front end aligned
in a couple of days. If any of you have any questions and
seriously can't be talked out of it then I'd be glad to give
you any helpful tips that I can.
Joints and control arm busings on upper and lower
control arm. Whew... . I feel like I just completed the
Ironman competition. While I had the thing all
disassembled I added a rubber helper which loops
between the coil spring to stiffen up the fron a bit.
Seems to work well... . just enough but not too much
added stiffness up front. Replaced the ball joints with
the "Problem Solver" ball Joints from MOOG and bushings
also from MOOG. Hardest part of the job is unscrewing the
upper ball joints. The ball joints on the 1-ton anyway
are larger than the standard Dodge ball joints... someone
loaned me thir special socket... and too small... bought a
2-1/8 inch 3/4" drive socket and filed down four of the
ridges to get it to fit. Then using a 4 foot pipe attached
to the 3/4" drive extension coupled with several hundered
explatives I was able to unscrew the bugger.
Helpful tips:
Get a ball joint separator tool (the screw variety not the
fork) to pressure the upper stud out of the steering knuckle
(then strike the knuckel). The lower stud comes out best
using a floor jack under the rotor (coil spring will tension
the ball sud) and use some heat on the knuckle and strike
the stud from the top. Actually I thought that the bushings
would be the hardest get out, but get a couple of correct
sized sockets that you don't plan on using again and beat
the snot out ouf them. I got a deep impact socket of the
right size to knock out the bottom ball joint... here again
beat the dog sot out of it. Best tool investment for the
job... a small 2. 5 pound mall.
I'll put this experience right up there with a visit to one
of Hitlers Nazi SS dentists. Will have the front end aligned
in a couple of days. If any of you have any questions and
seriously can't be talked out of it then I'd be glad to give
you any helpful tips that I can.
