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Examiner
Dodge Dakota
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12/20/2003
12:58:53
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 Subject: Dak vs Liberty suspension design
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Hey DC mechanics: What's the difference between
the Liberty & Dak/Durango suspension design?
http://www.detnews.com/2003/autosinsider/0311/09/autos-319372.htm
The ball-joint problem has got to have more to
it than just grease, right? Is the structure
and geometry of the front end in the Dak set up
so that there are higher loads placed on the
balljoints?
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Gravol
Dodge Dakota
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12/20/2003
19:04:31
|  RE: Dak vs Liberty suspension design
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No, it's because it's a sealed unit and it's poorly made. It probably came from China and is made from recycled beer caps.
I kid thee not. Chinese factories are notorious for substituting materials and processes. As long as the finished product looks like what is required, then anything goes.
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bman42
Dodge Dakota
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12/22/2003
08:05:47
|  RE: Dak vs Liberty suspension design
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I agree. Must be material issues. My wifes Concorde also had non-grease fitting ball joints. Hers needed replaced at over 100k miles tho. DC saved a buck on cheap material.
We get it all the time here with plumbing fittings and stuff made overseas. Remember the old saying "you get what you pay for"??......... DC got cheap ball joints, and thats exactly what we have
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hmmm
Dodge Dakota
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12/22/2003
10:14:47
| RE: Dak vs Liberty suspension design
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Seldom are answers one dimensional, especially when the results or symptoms are varied. Metallurgy may be the cause, I don't know. But the fact that some Dakotas/Durangos ball joints fail after only few miles, and others go much further leads me to believe that when the ball joints are manufactured some are not being filled with grease. It would be interesting to take a few new units from a dealers lot and cut the ball joints open.
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oyotaco
Dodge Dakota
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12/22/2003
10:20:08
| RE: Dak vs Liberty suspension design
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I also think the design may have some issues. I looked under mine and it seems that the upper ball joint angle looks fairly severe. I think Dodge incorporated alot of caster in the front to shorten the turning radius of the truck. when the wheels are turned, the inside wheel is always at a sharper angle. that is just my thought though.
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