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Slow4x4Dak
Dodge Dakota
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4/03/2005
22:56:55
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 Subject: Ball Joint Failure
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Message:
I was driving about 4 minutes away from my house when all of a sudden I think my passenger front tire blew. The truck swirves left real hard and I manage to keep it on the road and pull off to the right side. I get out, and my Drivers front tire is pointed like this / . I'm flipping out and call my dad.
I've been on the waiting list for balljoints for 2 months at the local Chrysler dealership; unfortunately for me they have failed. If I was going any faster than 30mph, I may have actually been killed or if I was going down a road or the interstate or any other number of things. I'm going to have to call Chrysler and NHTSA and the Chrysler Dealership tomorrow.
I have uploaded pictures I have taken to:
www.smimprovements.com/images/joints
Half are of the broken side, the other half are of the non-broken side. The tow truck guy said that the shocks broke at the same time my ball joints did. I hope Chrysler will pay for that, and my 18" Epic rim, the tow truck costs $85, shocks (for both sides), a rental car and whatever else I've had to incur.
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Slow4x4Dak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/04/2005
01:52:39
|  RE: Ball Joint Failure
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Message:
If you look at www.smimprovements.com/images/joints/P1001431.jpg
You can see that the entire ball joint has come out and is about 2" right (from this POV) from the shock. It looks about half eaten up (at 150% zoom), I'm going to go out tomorrow and take closer up pictures, and I think the boot was cracked in half on the passenger side. I need to get a closer look at it tomorrow.
Yea, it totally blows; tomorrow all hell is going to be raised. Especially since we own 4 Chrysler vehicles and my dad has a contracting business with 8 dodge rams in service.
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ouch
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/05/2005
02:27:26
| RE: Ball Joint Failure
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Message:
that really sucks
hope it works out with them footing the bill
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J6933
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/12/2005
10:14:40
|  RE: Ball Joint Failure
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Message:
My parents were in an accident last monday at high speed when the ball joint failed on the right front passenger side, less than one month previous they had received the recall notice and had taken in their 2001 Dakota for ball joint replacement (1 hour service???) My father is in critical condition, my mother is being rehabilitated due to a broken back, pelvis and numerous injuries. My father may never walk again if he even recovers, he's very broken up (still in Intensive care and he's not with us)and as the truck rolled as well as being T-boned at 70 mph. My mother thought she had hydroplaned because she could no longer steer and it threw her left into oncoming traffic. You are very lucky that yours was not fatal or at high speed.
Also, the Dakota buckled in such a way as the transmission came into the passenger cab.
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Rick
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/14/2005
16:14:04
| RE: Ball Joint Failure
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Message:
Had my ball joints replaced (recall). Dropped the truck off, waited for my ride to work,was done before I got to work! All in about 1 hr. Trucks doin great, but they did hit me up for brakes in the front. They seem to go bad quick.
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jeffw
DakotaEnthusiast
4/25/2005
06:56:32
| RE: Ball Joint Failure
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Message:
J6933, my best wishes go out to you and your family.
'02 Sport 4.7 auto, Gibson exhaust, homebrew K&N cold air, 275/60 BFG Radial T/A's, Infinity CD w/Pioneer & Infinity spkrs & Kenwood powered sub.
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Jim Parsons
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/28/2005
20:22:15
| RE: Ball Joint Failure
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Message:
I have a 2001 dodge ram. It only has 20,000 kms, and the ball joints are shot. My mechanic said go park it before the wheels fall off. Sorry to hear about your parents, Their in my prayers.
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Rick T.
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/01/2005
20:41:06
| RE: Ball Joint Failure
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Message:
Hope your parents do ok. I can't imagine what you are going through. Please keep us posted if you can.
Rick
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Zach
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/03/2005
20:01:23
| RE: Ball Joint Failure
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Message:
There has been a recall there, for sure. They told me at the dealership when I tried to get them to fix my rear end.
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J6933
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/04/2005
11:56:06
| RE: Ball Joint Failure
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Message:
Thanks for the replies and supportive thoughts.
My dad is in a nursing home until he comes out of traction on friday and then another 5-6 weeks of rehab to walk again and then he can go home with home health care for additional rehab, Mom's finally home this week in a wheelchair/walker, months of rehab tho. Good thing they were both healthy before the accident.
Due to the severity of the accident and investigation, legal is involved as well as the investigators, everything of course still up in the air. After much reading on the subject of recalls for Dakota's and Durango's, I'm convinced there is a serious problem with Dodge products and they need to be addressed. I wonder about products sold in a market such as the Northwest where de-icing products are used that can cause these types of failures.
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