Anyone do upper/lower ball joints on 04+ Dodge Ram?

Man...how many miles does your truck have on it? Mine just ate the ABS module!

 

I'm thinking i'm at 140,000's and have had all kinds of problems, starting at around 3,000mi. My brake light will quickflash and do a quickding once and a while. The coolant tank seeps around the neck, it's not the cap like the dealer said.

 

Man, im just At 47000! Hope i dont start that crap, i be riding in something else.

 

Last time I checked my suspension, about 3 months ago, all was tight. I just get nervous cause I know it can seem tight one day and fall off the next. The dealer once told me I had a bad upper ball joint. I had a thumping sound going over bumps which sounded like something thumping the frame. It was a dead shock.
Are the dust boots torn? Are they loose with play? Dam things don't have grease fittings...:16suspect

 

I feel this way alot, but it's paid for.

 

Mine too! I sent the last payment on tuesday and it ate the module on thursday. What luck!

 

I paid it off in November, and now have 120,000 miles on it.

Early on, it needed a new pinion seal and door seal (both warranty), new visor (warranty). and the drive by wire went out at about 100k and was just a sensor replacement (took two tries for the shop to fix it). Then the radiator started to leak a couple weeks back. Slow leak, apparently the aluminum was separating from the plastic tanks, and apparently a common problem.

So overall, I have had no complaints about this truck. No payments for 4 months, but I have had to sink about 1200 into it this past week. So far. But not for anything "broken" just to keep them from breaking.

The ball joints are not SHOT, at this point, but just starting to wiggle so I am going to swap them out now. Just got income tax return, and spring break is in 3 weeks, so the money and the timing are perfect.

 

Haven't started yet, but...

There is a space on both sides of the bolt that holds the upper control arm on. I assume this space is used to move and adjust the allignment.

When reassembling, should I just try to get the bolt lined back up as close to where it is now as possible?

 

ball joint

i r&r the ones on a 99 and 2 hours a ball pen hammer and finally a press out tool from OTC took 15 min a side.

 

I have the presses and stuff. Getting everything out doesn't seem to be an issue. Getting it all back in...

 

This is the area I was talking about scribing.

 

OK, Gotcha

 

On the tie rods. Just loosen the jam nut and touch the outter joint with it keeping the nut where it was making sure the outter joint or the inner does not turn while doing this. I do this while the outter joint is still atached. Some will put a horizontal line on the inner tie rod shaft to help remember it's position.
Now smack the spindle to shock and release the joint.
Count the turns comming off in case something is funny going back on. Match the parts/tie rod ends to see if they are the same in length.
Screw it back on counting the turns, should be the same to touch the nut. Watch that the inner tie rod does not turn while counting or the count will be off. If you get the count off it should be ok cause the nut is stationary. The count is for added peace of mind that's all that is.

The ball joint. Lift the truck lifting it by the lower control arm at the outter most area, as close to the lower ball joint as possible.
Remove wheel. I suggest do one side bj at a time. Once wheel is off you can lower the truck to a safer working height.
Scribe the area mentioned before. If you just mark it it could wipe or come off that's why I try and do the scribe, more precise too.
Loosen the bj bolt but don't take it all the way off, bout half way.
Smack the area with a hammer to shock release it.
Take nut off, pull the A arm up off the knuckle end and proceed to remove the two inner bolts.

 

I got under there yesterday to put some quieting compound on those noisy brakes, and took a look at everything up close. It seems pretty straightforward.

At least it looks easier than that mess I have under the maverick.

 

Im sure you know, but be sure to support the bottom a frame with a floor jack before you knock the spindle loose. Also this piece is a lot cheaper than the front end shop will be, You will also be able to use it on the Maverick and any other cars you need aligned.
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