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humpster
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
6/18/2004
03:18:38
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 Subject: RE: Ball Joints
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I've got a question for you guys that have done some work on your ball joints yourselves. I've got a 2000 Dakota Quad Cab/2WD/360 engine w/105k miles. After hearing the strange front end noises and reading all of the stuff on the front end problems, I decided to tear mine apart and check it out. Driver's side upper & lower ball joint boots are dried and are tearing apart, the joint inside shows rust. The passenger side was a little more scarey. When I took off the tire, the hub/rotor assembly had come apart and the only thing holding the rotor on was the tire and the break calliper. The ball joints were like the ones on the driver side, cracked and rusting.
Now my question for you guys that have been replacing your parts.....What all do I need to replace? Should I only replace the ball joints, or do I need to include the control arm and bushings, too? tie rod ends? anything else? (except the hub/rotors, which I'm replaing anyway because they feel like they are warped when I apply the breaks).
Also, I need to know if you grind the lower ball joint rivets off from the bottom or the top? They seem a little easier to get to from the bottom, but I'm not sure and need some advice.
Thanks for the help guys/gals!
Hump
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rezdak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
6/22/2004
13:27:37
|  DC reimbursed alignment cost
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Under warranty, i had to have the upper control arm for the driver side replaced cuz the balljoint was failing. i asked them to also do the alignment under warranty and they said it was not a part of the warranty work.
I got the alignment done someplace else and sent my receipt to Daimler/Chryler. I receivd a check for the full alignment cost.
2000 4x4 dakota 4.7 sport
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studpup
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/10/2004
23:41:22
| RE: Ball Joints
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I only replaced the ball joints. It is easiest to grind the head of the rivit, center punch it, drill it, and then knock it out with a hammer and punch.
As for the brakes I would go to NAPA and buy the "united brand" rotors{they have a heavier metal in the center} and go with ceramic pads. They are more cost but disapate heat better, wear longer, and are low dusting!!!
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studpup
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/10/2004
23:43:59
| RE: Ball Joints
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I only replaced the ball joints. It is easiest to grind the head of the rivit, center punch it, drill it, and then knock it out with a hammer and punch.
As for the brakes I would go to NAPA and buy the "united brand" rotors{they have a heavier metal in the center} and go with ceramic pads. They are more cost but disapate heat better, wear longer, and are low dusting!!!
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tom mo
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/11/2004
05:55:38
| RE: Ball Joints
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I have a 2001 dakota R/T front end sounds like everything is loose when I hit a bump in the road dealer said it is ok need some advise on my problem.
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tom mo
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/11/2004
05:57:23
| RE: Ball Joints
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I have a 2001 dakota R/T front end sounds like everything is loose when I hit a bump in the road dealer said it is ok need some advise on my problem.
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Dinger
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/25/2004
14:01:37
| RE: Ball Joints
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Has anyone heard anything abouta recall notice? I have been informed that my 99' dakota needs them replaced. I only have 33k miles on the vehicle. What a crock of crap in my opinion. All local dealers tell me basically their sorry, but the parts are on the verge of failure. Calls to chrysler/dodge go unanswered. Anyone have anything I can take to my local dealer to show proof and hopefully get things taken care of without the huge out of pocket expense of changing upper and lower ball joints?
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Brandon
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/04/2004
13:36:58
| RE: Ball Joints
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there is an investigation going on right now concerning the ball joints. But not to many people have called the NHTSA to file a complaint. If the NHTSA determines that there is an issue with ball joints they will tell chrystler to do a recall. When that happens any money you have spent to get the ball joints fixed will be reimbursed to you as long as there is a receipt.
Please file a complaint.
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Brandon
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/04/2004
20:27:23
|  RE: Ball Joints
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There phone number is 1-888-327-4236 or go to www.nhtsa.dot.gov
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Skeletor86
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/06/2004
10:52:37
| RE: Ball Joints
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The e-mail I got back from the NHTSA says that the ball joint problem has been escalated to an engineering anaylsis number EA03023. This is for the Durango, but the Dakota is associated with this. This was upgraded in Nov of 2003. Do file complaints at the NHTSA. Their WEB site is
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
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Oak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/16/2004
11:27:15
| RE: Ball Joints
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I've been watching all this conversation about ball joints for several months now... but mine just starting squeaking about two weeks ago. I've got a '99 V6 2WD with about 65K.
I know I need to get them replaced soon (sounds like Moog is a good choice), but I just moved and don't know any good mechanics yet.
So until I find someone I can trust, about how long can I go before I need to be really concerned? What are the tell-tale signs of IMMINENT FAILURE?
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dakotakid
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/19/2004
17:21:44
|  RE: Ball Joints
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I own a '97 dakota cc 4x4 with 246,000 km (over 153,000mi) and I have only replaced the two lower ball joints. The top are still o.k. There is only a small amount of play and I have no premature tire ware. I was suprised to hear of the trouble the new ones have had. I do admit that the front brakes/rotors are crap!! Can't keep OEM ones from warping. Hopefully there are good aftermarket ones avaliable
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mayan
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/28/2004
13:07:17
| RE: Ball Joints
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I went over to the NHTSA website and filed a complaint hopefully they will recall and get the ball joints fixed, but I think i messed up in selecting the part, i chose the upper ball joint instead of the lower. i hope my complaint still counts.
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Ed
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/02/2004
08:45:19
|  RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
All,
Decided to replace my upper ball joints as a preventive measure at 45,000 miles due to all the negative feedback with greasable moog parts. Job was pretty easy about a half hour per side. The old joints at 45K were like new and still full of grease. My guess is that many owners are dealing with ripped/torn boots on the joint allowing water/debris infiltration.
Note: Even though I carefully reinstalled the upper control arm into the original potition (Bolt location was very obvious) the alignment did require significant adjustments to bring the truck back into specs.
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Jeff Lewis
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/19/2004
10:51:10
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
Hello all I have 1998 Dakota 4x4 Club cab with only 68,000 miles just had the the upper ball joints & tie-rod ends replaced by the dealer I have an extented warranty on the truck they paid it all but not for the front end alignment which in my opion is a bunch of crap because if they would have made the the ball joints right the first time it never would have come to this, but any way does anyone know if it is just bad ball joints or is there something wrong with the engineering of the truck that in a nother 60,000 miles I am going to have to replace them agian.
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Carol L Marti
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/23/2004
10:44:44
|  RE: Ball Joints
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Welcome to my nightmare! I have a 2000 Dodge Dakota that only has 45,000 miles on it and thus far I have had the inner rod socket disconnect from the main rack (which in turn the mechanic called to tell me that both front tires came off and that I could have been killed if I had driven a few more feet!), steering & gear assembly replaced; link, front stabilizer/sway bar replaced; link-sway eliminator repair; leaf spring tips replaced; replaced loose ball joints; adjustment for loose ball joints; ball joint/ball socket replaced; and rear springs, pads and clips replaced. Not to mention the air conditioning unit and rear door regulators repaired twice. My favorite part? That they have my truck Monday thru Friday, so they don't have to provide me with a renta car, but they send my card in the mail by monday stating to bring it back into the shop again...I am offically a ride moocher at my job! I just wanted it noted incase I die from this defect by Dodge, that it is in writting so my family can sue the crap out of the company who doesn't give a damn. I say put their family members in one of these for a while and see how they feel when the front tires come off! Gee maybe one of them will be standing near me when this happens? I wonder which way I'd turn?
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JES
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/23/2004
15:38:57
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
Looking at it from a slightly different angle, the balljoints are NOT a problem. They were designed to last 36,000 miles for the majority of trucks. This is a PERFECT design -- minimum cost to serve the intended purpose. The warranty is for 36,000 miles, so if the balljoint lasts that long in MOST cases, it was properly designed. If it doesn't, that is what the warranty is for. The folks at Dodge explained to me that this is not a safety hazard either, since the balljoint is in compression all of the time, it will not separate while driving, or the driver will at least have ample warning that the joint is bad before it does separate.
I'm so glad I bought a truck that has such PERFECTLY designed parts. Let's hear it for Dodge!!!!
Eric -- http://photos.yahoo.com/jes_96
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terry
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/11/2004
03:45:08
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
well jes i have a 99 dak 2wd with 79 k on it and i just had to have all ball joints replaced.Dodge now covers the work on ball joints up to 100 k because they are defective.I guess i,m lucky that mine lasted this long most have had to replace a lot sooner.I disagree that they are not a saftey hazard.I have read many horror storys of wheels coming off with no advance warning on both durango and dakota models.In all of these incidents the ball joint boot failed allowing dirt water ect into the joint till it finally ground it away enough to allow it pop out of the socket when unsuspecting drivers hit a bump in the road.I like my dodge truck too but don,t believe everything dodge says about ball joints their not going to tell you their a saftey hazard theres too many people sueing them over it.
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Todd
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/11/2004
15:59:20
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
Terry, just what do you mean "Dodge now covers the work on ball joints up to 100 k because they are defective"? Do you mean just on 2004/2005 modle years? Or on all, your '99, my '00 and other? Where did you learn this? Please clarify. Thanks.
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RedOCctober
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/11/2004
16:52:02
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
TERRY!
Please clarify the "coverage up to 100k" comment! I'd love to hear more about this!
What dealer/service center did you talk to? Did you get work done under this pretense?
Thanks!
J
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