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ralph4u2c
Dodge Dakota
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4/13/2004
10:00:43

Subject: how to - change lower balljoint??
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ok i grinded out all 4 rivets and began cutting on the control arm because it seems the lower balljoints is wedged inbetween 2 layers of the balljoint and these is where it is staying. the rivet holes have began cracking but it is not coming out for nothing! i got the upper balljoints with the problem, spring, and shocks as well its just this lower balljoints that i have been working on for about 7 hours and havent even started the other side! i need some help quick fellas. if anyone has any info, help, or a video to help me change the lower balljoint please post.



nwf_snake
Dodge Dakota
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4/13/2004
10:04:40

RE: how to - change lower balljoint??
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I had to drill into the lowers and use a punch to knock them out. Not as easy as the uppers, but not bad. Took two drill bits, one for each side.



ralph4u2c
Dodge Dakota
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4/13/2004
10:06:35

RE: how to - change lower balljoint??
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anything else, man they are killing me we tried everything to get them unwedged between that press on the control arm



pbxr
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4/13/2004
10:59:13

RE: how to - change lower balljoint??
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When I replaced mine, I had to take the head off of both sides of the rivet, and beat the everloving crap out of it. YOu may want to take heat to it as well. While you are heating it up, whack it with a hammer a few times, this should get it free.
Almost makes ya wanna replace the control arm doesn't it? That is what dodge intended, so thinkg of the dodge engineers while you beating the crap out of it, that extra aggrivation might break it loose. Btw I used a dremil tool with several cut-off wheels to cut the heads off, than used a punch, then drilled it out. good luck

'01 Sport Auto 3.9, CC, Style and Perfomance mods: 3923s, Intense Cold Intake, Dynomax SuperTurbo 17748, Wal-Mart special roll on bedliner, MOOG upper and lower ball joints, V8 TB, clear corners, gutt guard, tinted, SuperChips Audio Mods: JVC head, RF 1200watt, 1 pwr acoustic 10",RF in da doors

Thomas
Dodge Dakota
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4/13/2004
14:00:39

RE: how to - change lower balljoint??
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On the lowers I had to drill about 3/4 of the way through the rivet before I could take the punch and hammer them out and the ball joint itself just slid out by hand once I had them removed. If you have the rivets out and the ball joint itself is not coming out whack it with a hammer and it should come unwedged.



another mark
Dodge Dakota
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4/13/2004
18:03:04

RE: how to - change lower balljoint??
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Take it to a shop. Let them deal with it. About 1 hour of work per side.



Bowtie-ZL1
Dodge Dakota
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4/13/2004
23:15:40

RE: how to - change lower balljoint??
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Balljoint press?



pbxr
GenIII
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4/14/2004
08:22:46

RE: how to - change lower balljoint??
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No press needed for this type of ball joint, as they are riveted in from the factory, thus mak ing you think that you "have" to replace the whole control arm. If they don't get ya when you buy the truck, they will try to get you on the parts and service side. Supply and demand I guess

'01 Sport Auto 3.9, CC, Style and Perfomance mods: 3923s, Intense Cold Intake, Dynomax SuperTurbo 17748, Wal-Mart special roll on bedliner, MOOG upper and lower ball joints, V8 TB, clear corners, gutt guard, tinted, SuperChips Audio Mods: JVC head, RF 1200watt, 1 pwr acoustic 10",RF in da doors

ralph4u2c
Dodge Dakota
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4/14/2004
11:45:21

RE: how to - change lower balljoint??
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after many hours of beating, grinding, use pickle forks, drummels, nail sets, drills, and chisels i got one done :) finished the driver side, dropped the back, and did the passenger upper balljoint and spring in about an hour but im leaving the bottom one. in a few days im just going to grease my new balljoint up and take it to my friends dad's shop and let him change my bottom passenger balljoint. shouldnt take or cost that much but the whole idea was i did it, learned alot about and from it so it turned out to be one long, frustrating but good experience.

gotta start somewhere right fellas? thanks alot man yall.



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