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Houptee
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/27/2002
17:01:53
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 Subject: How to Replace Lower Ball Joints
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Message:
I was wanting to know how to remove and replace my lower ball joints.
Are they pressed in or screw out of the knuckle?
I already did my uppers with Moogs, not too bad as long as you drill a hole in the rivets first.
Then I cut a X with my cut off tool in top of each. Then a air chisel knocked the tops off real easy. I switched to my punch bit on air chisel and they popped out like butter.
When I did not drill a hole in the first rivet it would not come out even with air punch so I highly recommend the hole drilled first to relive the compressive force of the rivet in the hole.
If anyone did the lowers and has tips please let me know.
Thanks
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jack
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/28/2002
11:09:22
|  RE: How to Replace Lower Ball Joints
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on the 97's they're pressed in. Auto zone has a tool loaner program where you can get a ball joint press and a book. The other way is to remove the lower control arms and have a machine shop press the old ones out and the new ones in.
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hardy
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
11/21/2006
10:34:26
| RE: How to Replace Lower Ball Joints
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Message:
I have a 97 dodge dakota and want to replace to lower ball joints. The replacement ball joints come with 4 screws but the factory ball joints on my truck has no screws it has rivets. How do I take the rivets out to replace the ball joint?
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hardy
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
11/21/2006
10:41:12
| RE: How to Replace Lower Ball Joints
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Message:
I have a 97 dodge dakota and want to replace to lower ball joints. The replacement ball joints come with 4 screws but the factory ball joints on my truck has no screws it has rivets. How do I take the rivets out to replace the ball joint?
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boomer
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
11/21/2006
12:48:04
| RE: How to Replace Lower Ball Joints
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Message:
I have a 98 2wd. I just did all of mine about a month ago. I wish I had an air chisel but instead I used a regular electric grinder and ground the rivets down flush with the control arm, then I punched and drilled into them enough to be able to punch them out. It took some time but once you get into a flow it goes pretty quick. The bottom rivets were a lot thicker then the ones on the top but they came out the same way. A little more difficult to get the grinder in there but it all worked out. I bought some undercoat paint and painted all the bare metal. If you can do the top balljoints you can do the bottoms too.
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03SXT4x4
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
11/24/2006
00:15:31
| RE: How to Replace Lower Ball Joints
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Message:
4x4's lower ball joints are pressed in, 2wd's are bolted/riveted on, i think
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James Molloha
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/17/2015
21:36:09
|  RE: How to Replace Lower Ball Joints
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I am replacing the upper and lower ball joints on my 97 Dodge Dakota SLT 4x4, the upper ball joints were not bad at all, I grinded the tops off the rivets, drilled a whole in the middle of the rivets and punched them right out with no problems, Now i need to do the bottoms and I know they are pressed in but I need a link with pics to show me the best way to do it, I am having trouble getting the ball joint seperated where i can even get to it easier, any tips would be greatly appreciated, i also changed my inner and outer tie rods and brakes and everything since i am already doing ball joints, that way it will save a future job, please leave any links or tips you have for me, thank you
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/18/2015
07:20:44
| RE: How to Replace Lower Ball Joints
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Message:
Might as well do the upper and lower control arm bushings
while you're at it. Then you'll have no worries about your front
suspension.
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Houptee
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/19/2015
09:17:25
| RE: How to Replace Lower Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
I pressed lowers off on my 99 4x4 using a ball
joint press tool from Harbor Freight its a giant C
clamp with adapters. There is a snap ring on top of
ball joint then look carefully for 3 spots around
the snap ring that are slightly crimped and need to
be filed smooth before you try to press them out
thru the bottom. If you do not file those spots its
a very tight fit and will leave score marks in the
hole as it scrapes as its pressed out.
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