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Jlknolla
Dodge Dakota
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10/29/2006
11:52:46
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 Subject: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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Message:
Is there a good description of the kind of sypmtoms associated with ball joint wear?
'99 4x4 5.2 Auto on 33" MTR's
My front tires have a very odd wear pattern (in the center, wierd crowning from front to back of tread lugs) and I get a vibration through the steering wheel and a strange grinding noise between 15mph and 25mph that goes away with brake application.
Checked pads and rotors - OK
There does seem to be some play in the steering tierod (fraction of an inch)
Thanks in advance
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boomer
Dodge Dakota
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10/29/2006
12:29:27
|  RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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probably the bearing hub assembly. jack up the truck and shake the front tires and see if you feel a gap of movement. I had the same thing but it progressively got worse over time. it was to the point it was grinding horribly before I thought bearings. Its easy to replace, just remove the axel nut and if I remember right, it comes right off. Its an entire assembly, you cant service the bearings like a normal car. When I finally took mine off there was metal shavings all up in the hub, it was pretty bad! like I said tho, just shake the hug and see if there's any play there.
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little jer
Dodge Dakota
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10/29/2006
12:53:59
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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Go to the Dealer Recalls Forum, there are tons of posts on ball joints. Hope boomer is right. Cheaper to replace bearings. As he says, check for play. There shouldn't be any. If you get movement you have bad ball joints. Either way, you should get if fixed pretty quick and don't drive it if you have bad ball joints. It's possible for the wheel to come off anc cause an accident.
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boomer
Dodge Dakota
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10/29/2006
14:07:03
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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exactly, I just did my ball joints a couple weeks ago. fun process, but better then payin someone to do them.
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jlknolla
Dodge Dakota
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10/29/2006
16:17:56
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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Thanks for the replies guys - I re-read the ball-joint stuff in the recall, and it is not a clunking, so I am thinking Boomer's call on hub bearing ass'y is a good possibility - will look into that soon.
Forgot to mention the truck has about 145,000 miles on it.
The play I noticed, between 1/8"-1/4", was in the steering tierod, at the booted joint near where the steering connects, not out at the rod-end, and did not seem to come from the wheel hub.
I have felt a little slop in the occasional turn over a bump but no 'popping' noises.
The discussion of the ball-joint replacements seem do-able, so maybe I take next weekend and rebuild the whole front end, e.g., ball-joints and control arm bushings, and check tierods.
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boomer
Dodge Dakota
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10/30/2006
07:10:30
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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well, if you said the play is at the tierod boot then its more than likely the tierod end. I'm gonna do mine soon since I did everything else. As a matter of f*ck I had to help my buddy do one tierod on his cousins POS grand am last night. It took us about an hour and a half to get it completly off! hopefully its easier on the dakota.
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jlknolla
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
11/04/2006
15:04:52
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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Boomer,
Was the hub bearing you are talking about something like $150-200 each from Rockauto? That is, the wheel\brake hub bearing ass'y? Damn.
Since I wrote the original message, the ball joint on the driver's side has started popping so now looking to do balljoints, control arm bushings, and wheel hub bearing assy's, along with the tie-rods - getting spendy now.
Any recommendations for other parts to consider since I am tearing the front end apart?
Thanks
John
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Ed
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
11/04/2006
16:45:14
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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Whatever you do dont use dodge replacement balljoints. I had the recall done and they replaced them with the same crap. I used federal mogul with zerk fitting from napa i think. No problems since.
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OBIO3
Dodge Dakota
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11/04/2006
20:16:03
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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I don't really think anybody addressed the tire problem here . I think you have 2 problems . My thoughts are you are carrying to much air in your tires plus bad alienment which could be connected to a bad tie rod . Check this out along with the rest.
So many problems .... So little time
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CJ
Dodge Dakota
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11/04/2006
21:17:18
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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Message:
Yeah I'd check all the items everyone has already said, esp hub
assembly and balljoints now.
I love my 99 Dak, but the front ends on these trucks are complete
and utter junk.
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boomer
Dodge Dakota
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11/05/2006
07:07:32
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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jlknolla,
you know, i dont really remember how much it cost for the hub assembly. I thought it was about a 100 bucks at murrays, and they had it in stock. It didnt include a new rotor or anything, just the bearing assembly with the rest of the hub. I live in michigan, not sure if murrays is nation wide but it wasnt a bad price from what I remember.
And Ed made a good point..do not replace your ball joints with dodge's crap. I bought the moogs off of rock auto, not bad price for those either and they have grease zurks. have fun
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Eddie
Dodge Dakota
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11/05/2006
11:40:11
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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You don't have to buy the whole hub assy. I bought just the bearings and replaced them only. They were only 35 bucks each. If the parts store doesn't show just the bearing, take one out and give them the number of of it. or take to parts store and have them match it. i just did both on my 00 durango. the town i live in is less than 5000 people and all 3 parts stores had the bearings in stock. the sad thing is they use the same bearing as the neon. no wonder they go out.
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boomer
Dodge Dakota
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11/05/2006
12:46:02
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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no sh*t? didnt know that..learn somethin new every day
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jlknolla
Dodge Dakota
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11/05/2006
18:37:18
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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Thanks guys.
Planning on the Moog balljoints, Performance Energy bushings, aftermarket tierods, and will check on just the bearings for the hubs - that would be great.
Are they press fit Eddie or can I do it by hand?
Thanks again.
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Eddie
Dodge Dakota
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11/05/2006
21:51:06
| RE: Ball Joint Symptoms?
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There a press fit. If you don't have access to a press or have any other ideas of putting it on take the hubs to a parts store or shop. some part stores like napa can change them out and might not cost anything if you buy the bearings from them. the shop i work at charges about 25 bucks to do it.
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