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Lesley
GenIII
 
10/01/2001
13:40:39
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 Subject: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
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Message:
Hi Zaurusman
You asked me something about ball joints but I couldn't remember which post it was. Anyway, I called the alignment shop and asked them for some info: they are Moog, which in his opinion are the best on the market. He thinks that the Chrysler ones are absolute garbage, and not only that, they refuse to sell you just the ball joints, you have to buy the entire assembly. Up here that works out to be about $1200 Canadian. The job cost me $770 parts & labour, with much superior parts.
Don't know if it's worth a call to you, but here's his number anyway (705) 745-1331.
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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bluangeldak
Dodge Dakota
10/01/2001
16:05:16
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
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Message:
hey lesley, i was curious...how do the newer ball
joints go onto the arms??? are they just bolted
on where the old rivots were??? and was your's a
4wd????
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Art
Dodge Dakota
10/01/2001
16:16:04
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
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Message:
Ya they come with bolts instead of rivets,the moogs are better and have a grease nipple too,if your gonna install them yourself it pays to rent a ball joint press so you dont damage them on the install,later
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Lesley
GenIII
10/01/2001
16:24:11
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
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Message:
I'm not sure, all I know is that if you do it yourself, you need a ball joint press. If you do a search on this site, someone posted something about ball joints a while back, and included an address with pics, step by step, of the ball joint replacement.
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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andrew
Dodge Dakota
10/01/2001
16:30:54
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
I would be intersted in that. I plan on redoing my front end and replacing all that stuff.
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Lesley
GenIII
10/01/2001
16:59:55
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Here's the link, not sure's who's site it is, but it's really helpful.
http://www.magnumdakota.com/balljoints/balljoints.html
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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Art
Dodge Dakota
10/02/2001
04:02:06
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Hey Lesley,what kind of rims you got on your truck?I like the way they look
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Lesley
GenIII
10/02/2001
08:21:09
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
To be honest Art, that is the only picture I have of my dak, I'll have to replace it soon. I actually have the stock rims, that is a photoshopped pic of how it would look with Boyd Coddington Smoothies, which are the rims that I really want.
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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Art
Dodge Dakota
10/02/2001
12:34:52
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Boyd rims eh doubt those would be good for a 4x4 but I like the look of them,good job on the photoshop,later
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Lesley
GenIII
10/02/2001
12:50:41
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Oh thanks, I really should replace that picture, it's not exactly kosher.
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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Zaurusman
Dodge Dakota
10/02/2001
13:45:46
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Wow, where have I BEEN?? Thanks Lesley - that's really good info! Must be what they put on mine. I agree, it's ridiculous that DC wants to sell the whole thing; the garage I took mine to found the aftermarkets (hopefully those good Moog's) when I informed them I was not paying them $800 to fix it! One thing I've found lately - the oil change places don't always hook up to them there nips; I had to lube them myself when the steering started feeling funny in the humidity a few weeks ago. They were almost bone dry - too two pumps of the grease! And, the problem went away. Just FYI - check their work!
Now if only the clunking lower balljoints and the wheel bearings weren't also sealed and probably sold in packages... Think I'll have to look those things up and see if Moog's got replacement for those too. Thanks again!
--
Zaurusman
'98 RC Red Sport V6 5spd 3.92 15x8's
http://www.tiborsrealm.com/Dakota/Index.htm
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Lesley
GenIII
10/02/2001
13:56:44
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
You're welcome! Don't laugh - my sister gave me a grease gun for Christmas last year. :)
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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CW
Dodge Dakota
10/02/2001
22:25:33
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
That does suck that you can't get ball joints alone for the 2wd truckes because I got mine for my 4x4 separate of the lower control arm did the job myself cost like under $150 canadian.
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Lesley
GenIII
10/02/2001
22:36:53
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Yes, you can! I had an upper and lower ball joint replacement, all for $770 incl. labour. All Moog.
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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CW
Dodge Dakota
10/03/2001
09:25:19
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
I just did lower ball joints.
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Zaurusman
Dodge Dakota
10/03/2001
13:48:06
|  RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Hey CW, I assume the answer is "yes" but just in case ... did you have to take it in for an alignment afterwards? I wanna do mine myself too, for the same reason (save $$). TIA.
--
Zaurusman
'98 RC Red Sport V6 5spd 3.92 15x8's
http://www.tiborsrealm.com/Dakota/Index.htm
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CW
Dodge Dakota
10/03/2001
14:42:17
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
I am a mechanic and have access to all the tools and the alignment machine. But since I just did lower ball joints, I didn't bother doing the alignment. You don't need to remove anything that would cause the alignment to go out but it would be a good thing to check anyways.
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Lesley
GenIII
10/03/2001
15:11:52
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
That would be nice... I don't have the mechanical knowledge or talent to do that kind of thing myself.
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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CW
Dodge Dakota
10/03/2001
19:47:48
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
It sure makes things less complicated, you don't have to trust anyone but yourself and if something goes wrong you know what exactly has been done to the truck usually easy to fix. Drive over to Alberta I will fix yours as well. Haven't met any Dakota enthusists around here, all farmers with 3/4 ton diesels got 3 in the shop right now.
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Lesley
GenIII
10/03/2001
20:59:55
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Thanks for the offer, it's kind of a long drive though from Ontario! Lots of Dakotas around here, although when I first bought mine there weren't very many at all and it got a lot of attention.
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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Zaurusman
Dodge Dakota
10/03/2001
23:19:26
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Lesley, work on your truck isn't necessarily as hard as you may think. I'm not mechanically inclined either, believe you me! But I've managed to swap pretty much all of my ignition system, change shocks, disassemble and clean my throttle body, swapped headlight and foglight bulbs, etc. I bought the factory service manual, and it helps a lot - worth the $100 or so. You may want to check it out and give some work a try on your own. I only have a few screw drivers, couple crescent wrenches and a $30 socket set. And a grease gun, obviously. :-) But I'm thinking about getting an oil container and doing my own fluid changes from now on too. Also brushed in a bedliner. The only thing I can't figure out is how to get that crud out from under my fingernails... LOL!
But what's really cool is the money you save. I figure I've saved about $500-1,000 in labor so far, after the warranty ran out. And it maybe took me 2 eight-hour days to do; probably less. Wish *I* made $500/2 days! Heck, that's your Airaid and a new throttle body! Or in my case .. the throttle body and an X-brace! (Too bad it paid off bills instead - DOH!)
Just an idea. But it really feels good when you're done.
--
Zaurusman
'98 RC Red Sport V6 5spd 3.21 15x8's
http://www.tiborsrealm.com/Dakota/Index.htm
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Lesley
GenIII
10/04/2001
08:25:39
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Thanks Zaurusman, yeah I'm learning a lot and have thought about buying the manual. Hey... I cleaned my throttle body last night and shampooed my engine, thanks for all that info earlier about TBs. I think I will also do all the fluid work on mine, after I install my intake there isn't much reason to pay them for the regular oil/filter changes. Gotta figure out where the other filters are though :). All those things were a piece of cake when I owned my Nissan Micra... of course I didn't care that much if I didn't do it right.
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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Zaurusman
Dodge Dakota
10/05/2001
00:08:21
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Glad I could help, Lesley. Your turn, lol: I keep wanting to clean my engine, but the instructions always say to apply the cleaner when the engine's "warm". By the time I get to a carwash (apartment dweller) the engine is invariably hot. That aside with winter coming soon, did you cover some items in the engine compartment, and which ones? About eight years ago I got the great idea to clean my old '84 Camry's engine, and hit it with high pressure water after engine cleaner ... mechanic towed me to his place shortly thereafter and found me a new computer, I guess an old Toyota version of the PCM. Evidently I'd somehow shorted it. Been reluctant to clean an engine since.
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Zaurusman
'98 RC Red Sport V6 5spd 3.21 15x8's
http://www.tiborsrealm.com/Dakota/Index.htm
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Lesley
GenIII
10/05/2001
08:44:29
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
The car wash is only 4 or 5 blocks from me, and I let it sit while I vacuumed out the inside. I brought several plastic bags & some duct tape and bagged the wires, distributor & the throttle. Had to take out the air intake assembly. Other than that, piece of cake but I have to admit to some trepidation initially! Nothing like a nice clean engine.
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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Zaurusman
Dodge Dakota
10/06/2001
04:14:19
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
I'll have to give it a shot soon; thanks for the pointers, Lesley.
--
Zaurusman
'98 RC Red Sport V6 5spd 3.21 15x8's
http://www.tiborsrealm.com/Dakota/Index.htm
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94DAK
Dodge Dakota
10/06/2001
08:16:12
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
Also when you get to the carwash, spray some simple green in (or any other degreaser you like) let it sit for a min. then spray off, if the sprayer has two setting (hard or softer) use the lowest setting. Good luck
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Lesley
GenIII
10/06/2001
09:30:16
| RE: Hey Zaurusman - Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
That's a good idea, I used a scrub brush, I could have saved a little elbow grease.
97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black
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