Ball Joints Toast on an 03 4x4

[p-Bar]

Most all ball joints are made in Taiwan. Hard to believe. I purchased a lift kit for my 4. 5 2500 2wd which consisted of new upper control arm and ball joints with a sticker saying made in taiwan. I called my tire and wheel shop and he said they are all made their now pretty sad and we know what the Q. C. is like. Nothing beats made in USA



Don

 

[JMelcher]

I have slack in both front wheels of my truck, took it to the dealer who said that the slack in the front end was normal and that replacing the ball joints would not help at all. Anyone else been told this?

 

[jsimpson]

Moog doesn't list them yet, so keep replacing them under warranty until Moog comes out with a replacement. At least it WILL have grease fittings!

 

[JSchutz]

JMelcher:



The dealer reply "that's normal" is knee jerk to almost any customer complaint. However I've wondered whether this slack is in fact normal. It seems that everyone who checks their ball joints finds this slack, even trucks with miles so low that even poorly designed or manufactured balll joints should still be good.



I've got 90k on my truck and the dealer tells me he "checked" mine per my request and they're fine. How he checked I don't know but the truck seems to drive as tight and true as it did when new so I'm not inclined to mess with it. Maybe when the front wheels fall off...



Jeff

 

[Matt400]

If there is free play... . they are bad. I have looked at a couple 04's and they are tight. Mine are bad. Any free play is bad because it allows the steering knuckle to move when loaded with the vehicles weight.



Movement can cause toe, caster and camber changes while driving when those measurements need to be fixed.



Toe changes can cause inside or outside tire wear.

Caster changes can cause pulling to one side, the dreaded death wobble or even the front drive shaft vibration many complain about as the pinion angle slips too far out of spec.

Camber changes can cause inside wear from bad ball joints.

 

[JMelcher]

I'm inclined to run as is till someone comes out will a good replacement ball joint. I'd rather put in quality parts myself that have a dealer putting in worthless DC parts that will only limp my truck along for a few thousand miles.



I called another dealership and they told me that they have never heard of the ball joints failing, so I certainly won't be taking it there to have the problem diagnosed.



My truck runs straight as a laser down the road, and the 305/70/17 mudders I run have worn just as perfect as can be expected - even with a 2" leveling kit and a Brown's Manufacturing bumper on front.

 

[DPKetchum]

On the DIESELSTOP. COM the FORD web page they now are finding BAD ball joints on low mileage trucks also! What gives about this ball joint stuff??

 

[realsquash]

Ball joints suck. Heavy truck like these should have kingpins!



Andy

 

[slomodiesel]

a real easy way to check the ball joints is to lift the front axle about 6 inches and put a

fence post under the wheel and over a brick or block of wood about 1/4 of the way back from the wheel--then have a friend jiggle the tire up and down with the post while you watch the ball joints--if there is any slack you'll see it

Slo-Mo

 

[SRadke]

Dealer replaced mine today under warrantee despite the lift, I'm pleased Perhps i should look into getting a press if this is going to be a 30k miles thing



-Scott

 

[SHyans]

Replaced both front ball joints on '04 2500 @ 3k miles..... :{

 

[JSchutz]

Replaced both front ball joints on '04 2500 @ 3k miles.....

How can that be? That's why I wonder if the play everyone is finding in the ball joints is "normal", although I admit this is out of my area of expertise. I've got 91,000 on mine with the originals. Gonna try the fence post test next week. I'm a bit reluctant to fool with it because the front end runs so tight and true as it is. Tire wear is perfectly even. Jeff

 

[DPKetchum]

I know of two trucks(2wd and a 4wd)with over 75k,one with over 140k that never have been aligned etc. Tire wear on both is perfect and straight steering wheels.

 

[ropinfool2]

I have 25K on mine, tires wear evenly but the truck pulls to the right. Haven't taken it in yet because the dealers around here want an hours labor to diagnose if they determine it isn't under warranty. That $85 is just about a full tank of fuel!!! Would the pulling be a symptom of bad ball joints?? Oh and it's pulled since new. Thanks, john

 

[SHyans]

How can that be? That's why I wonder if the play everyone is finding in the ball joints is "normal", although I admit this is out of my area of expertise. I've got 91,000 on mine with the originals. Gonna try the fence post test next week. I'm a bit reluctant to fool with it because the front end runs so tight and true as it is. Tire wear is perfectly even. Jeff

This was the cure to my Death Wobble (315's and 2" front lift)

"Rumor" has it that the part serial numbers stamped on the ball joints are the same at first glance. At assembly they have to look at another set of serial numbers to make sure these are indeed the ball joints for our trucks and not meant for another Dodge. If they don't some trucks are getting ball joints meant for other vehicles. This was told to me on the "Hush" by a service guy at me dealersip. :--)

 

[DPKetchum]

There have MANY complaints and posts about the pulls RIGHT!!!! Tell your DEALER to call STAR. Its a WARRANTY issue that D. C. was SUPPOSE to be doing something about. Call 1800-992-1997 and tell them you want to start a case and file about the pulls right. Its been discussed on every DODGE truck forum there is. If your dealer is a BUSY one that handles trucks they have HEARD this COMPLAINT before! Its in SPECS but on the boarderline and NO adjustment. It needs a adjustable ball joint that was a D. C. repair on older models and some reps have approved it. Was told a TSB was forthcoming MANY BLUE moons ago. I guess they hope we'll go away or something.

 

[slomodiesel]

i think that these trucks don't "feel" as bad as they really are when the ball joints or other front end parts are worn, due to the engine weight. I've had other vehicles with worn out front ends that you coud hardly keep on the road. when i picked up my 98 2500 4wd cummins it rode fairly well x-cept for a slight shimmy at 65mph. I got it home and

first checked the track bar and it was sloppy, the the tie rod ends, worn out, then checked the ball joints and they were about as bad as any i've seen. with all the worn parts i was amazed at how well it drove. I had a ramcharger with only bad tie rod ends and had to fight it to go straight.

 

[amsoilman]

Replaced both front ball joints on '04 2500 @ 3k miles..... :{

I think some of the joints are being replaced, when they are not bad! They have to have some play in them in order to hold Grease!



My opinion,



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[DPKetchum]

Over the years on other type autos the shop I was in would get customers in with bad ball joints. Checked out out elsewhere. They would have some play and we would LUBE them and play was gone and tight as a fat tick. I know these joints aren't lubeable but the lube took up space. Just a point.

 

[Matt400]

Free-play

A quick look at this cut away will show there is no room for free-play. New joints are built so tight that when you take one out of the box you can't move the stud by hand. Free-play is a bad thing. If greasing takes up slop its worn out as that grease will squeeze out into the dust boot and it will be loose once again.



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