2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Ye Ole Ball Joints

[CFAR]

How many miles did you get out of your oem ball joints?



Mine diagnosed with 48k. 1/4" to 1/2" of vertical play. No telling how long they have been bad.



What joints did you replace with?

 

[tmacc]

Bummer. My left side went at 68K. DC was the only source for my '01. I got them at Mechanicville Dodge (M-ville, VA 800-817-2899) for about $160 (one side). Just tell them it's an internet order if you plan on doing it yourself... ... ... NOTE. Not to scare you, but these are a mother to replace. It's not so much the ball joints as the getting the hub off. It took three of us beating on the 4 hub bolts for two hours to get the hub off. Most ball joint removal tools are too small to remove the ball joints. My local mechanic quoted me about $550 (one side) to do the job. I think I'll take him up on it when they go again. HTH

Tom

 

[Contractor]

CFAR,



All of mine were gone at 70k. Plus my track bar. It is true about how hard they are to replace. My mech. did the joints and my track bar with alignment for 1300 which is about 400 less that the dealer wanted. I shopped for parts and could have gotten everything for about 600 but I didn't want to tackle the job myself.





Cole

 

[CFAR]

My Mech quoted me $750 with the alignment I originally went in for, so that doesn't sound too bad now. I've done Ball Joints before, I have never seen them come out easy. The Hubs are a pita. Mechanicsville Dodge, on the Mechanicsville turnpike? When I was in VA I lived in Quinton.

I had my truck towed to Mechanicsville Dodge when my first LP went out, <10k, I tried to get them to fix my steering while I was there, the service manager said (as he was sawing the wheel back and forth)"this is how its supposed to be". So I don't have a high opinion of their service department. Took 1. 5 days to get my truck back.



Thanks for the info. If I do it myself I will probably wait till summer.

 

[tabell]

Hubs are not that hard to take off. However it is very time consuming if you are replace the rotors. Follow the instructinons from issue 40 page 16-18 except in actually removing the hub and rotor together. Still use the liquid wrench but also go to sears and get Craftsman part# 946903 (large gear puller about $35) adjust it to the largest setting and hook it up and just keep cranking until it POPS!!! yes it will give you a heart attack hearing that from your truck. Keep cranking and it will come right off. This works great.

 

[stownsend]

36,000... just barely within warranty. Good thing, because that's one job I don't look forward to.



By the way, do you think running into a curb is any good on the ball joints??? I made a u-turn the other day and didn't have quite enough room (go figure... . 20 foot truck and it won't turn on a dime?)



Steve

 

[CPH]

Ball Joints

Got well over 100k on mine. I used MOOG parts. They come with Zerk fittings so I can lube the whole mess now.



cph

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Originally posted by stownsend





By the way, do you think running into a curb is any good on the ball joints??? Steve

ITS A 4X4 ... . It's supposed to see the occaisional log or so off road only with one of the cruddiest engineered systems available to man (Except for chevy IFS) Curbs should not even be a factor and aren't . . Kinda like a baseball bat Hit a 100 home runs with it and sure it will start to wear. Hit a car 100 times with it and it will wear like Ivan Stuart's toilet seat... . but it will still work.

 

[tmacc]

Re: Ball Joints

Originally posted by CPH

Got well over 100k on mine. I used MOOG parts. They come with Zerk fittings so I can lube the whole mess now.



cph

One thing that you have to keep in mind, is that DC redisigned the spindle/axle in the 2000 model year. Previous to 2000 the ball joints were installed on the spindle. After 2000 they are installed on the axle, so unless something has changed since Nov 02, (which is when I did mine) DC is the only source for these BJs. Or so I'm told. It sure would be nice if there were after market ball joints availible.

 

[sfritts]

Mine last 90k the bottom ones were really shot started to wear tires on the outside. I used the NAPA top of the line ones I also replaced the U-joints on the end of both front axles at the same time all of the replacement parts had grease fittings. cost about $400. 00 - $450. 00 I did the work myself, things were a little rusty from the (land of road salt heaven) here in upstate NY.

It took me About 7 - 8 hrs, but the job is done right and used allot of super blue grease putting things back together DC sure didn't waste any on it when they built it!:{