2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Ball Joints

[MStearns]

Changing my oil this weekend, I checked my ball joints and sure enough the bottom one on the passenger side is bad. About a 1/4" of play. That explains the clunk I've been hearing periodically of late. Any suggestions on replacing them. I heard someone was making greasable replacements?

 

[vssman]

Moog makes greaseable joints. How hard it is to install depends on the year of the truck you have - assuming 4x4. Earlier 2nd gens have the ball joint pressed into the knuckle. Remove the knuckle and have a auto machine shop press out the old and install the new - cheaper than buying the ball joint press. Later 2nd gens have the ball joint pressed into the axle tube. You'll need a special adapter to remove and install the joint. Quad4x4 (not sure of the web address) has a kit including the tools. While you have the axle out (again assuming a 4x4), check the front u joints and change them as well. Use plently of antiseeze on the front hub when reassembling.



Edit: You can get them at www.rockauto.com at a pretty good price.

 

[JAderhold]

would help if we knew what type of truck you have

2 wheel drive or 4 wheel and year



I just replaced my lower passenger side ball joint in jan and was fairly striaght forward job, finding the ball joint was the problem, but TRW makes them.

have the part number for the lowers at the house that fit the 2 wheel drive trucks



Eddie

 

[MStearns]

Sorry for the lack of details. It's a 96 2500 4x4. I've got 126K on it and aside from a flood of burnt out light bulbs lately it's going strong.

 

[KMott]

I replaced all 4 balljoints on my 94 ram 2500 4x4. I put the moog greasable balljoints, which are also lifetime warranty. I got them at the local auto parts store for about 100 each. It takes quite a while to do the whole job, but not so bad if your only doing one side. I assuming yours will be the same as mine. You will need a 12 point 14mm socket to take the 4 hub retaining bolts off (you have to do this from behind the hub, and you will have to turn the steering in order to get at all 4). After the 4 bolts are off the hard part is getting the hub and rotor to come off. I used an extra hub bolt and threaded it into the hole, and smashed on it until the hub broke free from the knuckle(it took a while). This separates your hub and rotor assembly form the knuckle. If you want to take the rotor off for whatever reason you have to bang out the 8 wheel studs and the rotor comes right off. Once the hub is off it is just a matter of pulling out the axleshaft, and then knocking out the balljoints and getting the knuckle off. I used a balljoint press (about 100 bucks from princess auto) to press out the old and in the new joints. Follow the torquing specs that come with the new joints and as said antisieze the back of the hub well for next time it has to come apart. I dont think i missed too much. And hope this helps.

I ended up separating and wrecking a 380 dollar front wheel bearing because i took it apart wrong. I thought the rotor must come off b4 the hub, but the hub has to come off b4 you can remove the rotor!

Goodluck!

 

[RHebert]

Just a quick reminder, you can rent the ball joint press from several auto part stores such as Auto Zone. Pretty reasonable on the prices.

 

[sgoeing]

How in the world did you get the knuckle separated from the axle housing/C/Arm/whatever?











does anyone have the torque specs on the ball joint nuts or hub nuts for reassembly?

 

[GKainz]

I replaced mine on my 97 last year. [Edit - remembered after looking at a few pictures that I just convinced the knuckle to come out by brandishing a BFH on the knuckle]. Saw one of the Spike TV shows; Trucks or one like it; they smacked the side of the knuckle with a hammer a few times and the thing popped right off.



To pop the hub/rotor off, someone had a hint posted online somewhere to back the nuts off the hub asssembly bolts to near the end, put a large, heavy duty socket between the nut and the axle housing near the u-joint and use the power steering to pop the hubs loose. Worked slick for me. You might try a google search on "Dodge 3500 hub replacement" which is how I think I found it.



I rented the ball joint press from Auto Zone - borrowed, actually- no charge since I bought the ball joints there. The kit didn't have the right collars and sleeves, so I ended up cutting up chunks of pipe to get the right sizes.



I found the torque specs on-line somewhere, but don't recall where at the moment.

 

[sgoeing]

I used larger 16mm sockets and a bottle jack to break the hub loose. It worked well. I wedged the bottle jack b/w the bolt head and the control arm mount, pumped it a few times, and the hub popped right off.





I'm on to the lower ball joint now, and it's giving me a hard time. I know you hit the back of the chevys and they come off, but there's not a place like that on this dodge.

 

[sgoeing]

both of the ball joints press out toward the ground, right?

 

[GKainz]

yep (qualified with "I believe so") see

http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech/balljoint.php



oops just read closer, seems the top presses out upward ... I don't recall specifically from doing mine - sorry.

 

[sgoeing]

I looked at that link. They press out skyward which is why I couldn't get it to budge.



That axle is a d44 and it's completely different, but thanks.

 

[MAleksandrowicz]

i did my ball joints about a month ago and it took me about 4 hours to do all 4. rented the press from autozone for 100 bucks which I got back when i returned it. the rotor/hub came off easy because I had them off not long before and put plenty of neverseize on them. I loosened the nuts on the ball joints and left the nuts on a few threads and hit the ball joints and knuckle out of the truck. Then used the tool and old ones went out and new ones went in. I do not like the way the ball joints are in the knuckle. It looks like The knuckle could fall out of the truck if the ball joints are not installed tight enough.