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John Kitch
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2003
01:26:40
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 Subject: quote for new control arms
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I was quoted $1500 to replace the upper and lower control arms on my 99 Dakota. I'll be shopping around a bit more but wanted to see if anyone thought that was insane or right around the correct price.
Thanks.
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Curt
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2003
08:20:15
|  RE: quote for new control arms
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INSANE!!!!!!!!and why do you want to replace just the control arms? or did you mean upper ball joints? The '00 and newer are very expensive, ~$200 each (upper control arm and ball joint). The earlier models are bout $40 each.
'00 SLT CC, auto 4.7, LSD and a few other things i have added
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John Kitch
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2003
13:22:31
|  RE: quote for new control arms
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Well, ball joints also. I guess only the lower ball joints need replacing but the shop said he can't get just the lower ball joints and has to replace the whole control arm to replace the ball joint.
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Hurl
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2003
13:28:00
| RE: quote for new control arms
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Do a search of these boards for ball joints and you'll find that MOOG makes ball joints which can be installed in the existing control arms. I've seen that for the uppers you simply need to cut away the 3 rivets holding the joint in, then hold the new ones in with bolts.
In all my years as a mechanic (left the profession 10 years ago) I've never seen a truck that went through front end components as fast as these trucks...
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xplikt
GenIII
1/04/2003
15:39:01
| RE: quote for new control arms
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Not many small trucks have a V8 crammed into them.
-Mike
http://www.dodgetruckworld.com/xplikt/
2002 2WD RC SLT 4.7L 5spd 3.92 LSD
MBRP Single in/out, straight piped 3rd cat, turndown tip
Hotchkis swaybars and springs
Bilstein custom tuned shocks
Roadmaster Active Suspension
Shaved emblems and antennae
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Hurl
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2003
15:52:21
| RE: quote for new control arms
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xplikt,
If you're refering to the V8 causing front end components to fail at less than 30K miles, I'd have to respectfully disagree with you.
Put in MOOG BJ's and see if they fail in 30K miles, regardless of engine type.
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John Kitch
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2003
17:18:26
| RE: quote for new control arms
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especially since mine is the 3.9
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Pistolero
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2003
19:08:40
| RE: quote for new control arms
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You don't say if you have a 4x4 or a 4x2. 4x4 balljoints are different, as I understand it, and underwent a design change in 2000. If your truck is a 4x2, Moog balljoints #K7241 for the lower, and #K7242 for the upper joints should work on your '99. You can order them online from rockauto.com. I have an '02 4x2, and my upper and lower balljoints are just riveted into the control arm. The upper joint has 3 rivets, and the lower one has 4. Grind off, or drill out the rivets, and you can directly replace the joints with the MOOG units...if you've got a 4x4, I'm not sure what the situation is...P
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Z
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2003
21:52:44
|  RE: quote for new control arms
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Has anyone ever tried to replace the 00 and later ball joints only? They aren't your standard rivets, and even the dealer doesn't replace them alone. The rivets are some monster units about 3/8" in diameter and peen about 3/4" around the ball joint. I dont know if they make a tool to replace these yourself.
If anyone has or has any info, let me know..
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Pistolero
Dodge Dakota
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1/04/2003
22:14:30
| RE: quote for new control arms
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Z, I remember reading some posts last summer where someone said that they drilled a hole in the rivet head, then used a chisel and hammer to knock the head off. Then, they used a punch or a drill to get the rivet out. Several guys have said that they just used a hand grinder to grind off the rivet heads. Someone had posted a link to his web page, where he had photos of his balljoint replacement, but I don't have the link any longer for some reason. He just ground them off, as I recall. The Moog joints come with bolts to replace the rivets.
Curt has posted elsewhere that he believes there is a difference between even the 4x2 balljoints of early and 2000+ Gen III Daks. He's allegedly compared both of them at a dealer's location, and claims that the hole pattern and shaft diameters are different. Chrysler sells balljoint replacements only as a part of the upper or lower control arms, so it stands to reason that they'll tell you that you can only get them that way. I'm pretty sure that I've read of guys with 2000+ 4x2 Daks who've just replaced the balljoints...I'm trying to find out if anyone who has can tell us for sure that it's possible. My 2002 only has 3600 miles on it, so I'm just gathering info for future use.
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Dave Pearson
Dodge Dakota
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2/05/2003
19:46:16
| RE: quote for new control arms
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I found this thread while doing a Google search. I took my 01 SLT 3.9 2WD Club Cab in because it was clunking from the front end while turning. They're going to replace both upper control arms under warranty.
The service dude told me that pretty every Dakota they,ve ever sold has been back for such work regardless of engine size, drive train or cab configuration. I know my friends 97 5.2 CC 4WD ate the lower ball joints at 4000km.
I just wonder what lies ahead. I love the truck but replacing the ball joints every 40 000km @ $1600.00/shot seems a bit steep. I hope the aftermarket guys pick up on this and offer a solution. Maybe Fabtech? Any feedback on their control arms?
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