| From | Message |
Harry Burns
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/26/2005
16:30:30
|
 Subject: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
Can anyone that has installed the Moog joints tell me if they bolt into the original holes in the A-arms once I cut the old rivets/joints out?
I've got a 2002 Dakota 2WD, and all 4 of my OEM joints are riveted in.
Thanks,
Harry
|
Blckdak
GenIII
1/26/2005
17:05:43
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
Yes they do!
Erin
2000 CC 4x4 Sport
Magnaflow Exhaust, Z-Tube, Runnin AMSOIL
|
daddio
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/26/2005
18:30:20
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
if you got under 100k miles, get the uppers done for free at the dealer. but yes, they are bolted and i have read that the moogs come with the bolts.
|
Nick
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/26/2005
20:44:19
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
Do the bolts that come with the Moog ball joints fill the holes, or is there a bit of slop in the fit?
|
Harry Burns
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/27/2005
00:58:44
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
I'm currently at 104,000 miles. Just bought this truck about 2 weeks ago. I did not detect any slop in the joints when I jacked it up and tried to wiggle the tires, etc.. But, the tires are almost brand new and the outside edges of them are almost completely worn. The truck has a slight pull to the right, and I can hear popping noises during low-speed manuvers. The ball-joint boots are still intact though.
Any recomendations on removing the OEM joints? I have at my desposal: cobalt drill bits, a cold chisel & punch, and a 4" angle grinder. I do not have an air-chisel. My current plan is to drill out or grind off the rivet heads on the ball-joint side (staying away from the A-arm) then drive them out with a punch. Oppinions? Suggestions?
Thanks,
Harry
|
NathanG
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/27/2005
01:13:21
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
Harry.
If you're intent on changing out those ball joints, go get a front end alignment done afterwards.
If you're not going to change out the ball joints, go get a front end alignment done now.
Camber and/or toe is out of spec for your tires to wear that way.
Just before you go get that front end alignment done, rotate your tires front-to-back and don't change sides.
|
ROD
GenIII
1/27/2005
02:34:25
|  RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
I replaced all four of mine last November. Get yourself a heavy, short-handled hammer and a good-sized cold chisel and the rivet heads will be gone in four or five whacks (I held the chisel with some big vise grips). Then use a center punch to knock the rivets out. It took me all of fifteen minutes to have all 6 rivets out of both uppers. Just be careful not to hit the fender trim...lol The Moogs bolt right up. I didn't notice any slop in the holes when I slid the bolts in. I notched the sides of the bolts after I torqued down the nuts so they wouldn't back off. The toughest part of the whole job, time wise, was trying to get the boots on without tearing them up. Good luck!
'02 QC AWD 4.7L 4X4 LSD
|
Chris
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/27/2005
10:59:20
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
I ground my rivets off with a 4" griner then used a punch to knock the rivets out. There was a little bit of slop in the hole but not much. I did lowers at the same time and if I would have just done the uppers I guess it would have taken about 45 min-1 hr per side. The lowers are a little more work.
|
Chris
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/27/2005
11:03:04
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
I forgot to add in that you will not feel any slop in the hub if you just jack the truck up and wiggle it it. The torsion bar is constantly putting pressure on the hub toward the outside, so it always feels tight. Once you split the hub from the ball joint or take the torsion bar off you will find they are toast.
|
NEW_SOL
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/27/2005
17:23:36
|  RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
chris,
what do you mean the lowers are a little more work?
How did you replace the lowers? Any special tools,procedures?
thx.
|
heffe32
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/29/2005
14:10:15
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
I replaced my lower ball joints and they are a little tougher to get out for they are pressed in. I believe we heated them a little and used a punch and hammer and just beat them out.
|
ROD
GenIII
1/29/2005
18:48:00
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
Mine is 4x4, so the lowers are pressed-fit. I used a ball joint press on the lowers, but I first had to grind off a little lip at the bottom of the ball joint before the press would work. I also used a little "persuasion" with an old king pin and a hammer to get the old ones started out.
'02 QC AWD 4.7L 4X4 LSD
|
Chris
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/31/2005
14:13:32
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
To do my lowers I removed the lower control arms and pressed the old balljoints out and pressed new ones back in. I have heard they make a tool that presses them out without removing the control arms, but I have never used one. I put the new ball joints in the freezer overnight to make them easier to press in.
|
bsasteve
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/03/2005
07:26:35
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
One of the biggest things i can recommend is one heat the hell out of the area around the lower joint itself then spray the joint with some pb blaster and pop or press the bastered out 2nd whilst you're in thier it would be wise to put polly bushings in the front end and a set of bilsteins. Trust me it's well worth the time and money invested good luck. SIGNED ole 884x4
|
Darren707
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/05/2005
12:14:11
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
I changed all 4 of mine and the uppers are pretty simple while the lowers are a bit tougher. We used a small grinder and cut a slot in the rivet head and then used a chisel and hammer and knocked the head off the rivets. Then used a punch to knock out the rivet. We did this same effect on the lowers. The lowers are just a little harder to get at but not much harder. This is not really that tough a job. While I had the wheels off I went ahead and put new rotors and brake pads on too. The moogs are nice ball joints. Later D.
|
SteveC
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/05/2005
19:38:21
| RE: Moog ball joints: bolt-in?
IP: Logged
Message:
Question for you guys that did the 4x4 lowers yourselves, if you did them in-truck, what did you use to press them with? A common C-press?
Got 'em on my bench waiting to go in...
|
| | P 1 |
|
Post a reply to this message:
Username Registration: Optional
All visitors are allowed to post messages
|
