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Marc Sholder
Dodge Dakota
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9/08/2003
13:34:40
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 Subject: RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
I recently changed the upper and lower ball joints in my 98 V-6 dakota (4wd). The process is pretty involved and I went into the repair knowing nothing other than what a manual had told me. THe upper ball joints were fairly easy to remove without dissasembling the control arm. Simply drill or grind off the rivets on the top of the upper ball joint and remove the nut from the bottom. The new ball joints bolted on where I had previously drilled the rivets. The lower ball joint was a fiasco however. I had access to a ball joint driver and impact wrench. The special tool can be purchased but if you can borrow one from a garage you can save yourself the time and stress of fighting with the pressed in lower ball joint. I went ahead and replaced the front brakes and shocks while I had everything torn apart. The whole kit and caboodle (upper/lower ball joints, brakes, and shcoks) cost me around $175.
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ZC
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
11/15/2003
07:42:25
|  RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
i just did it backwards. was changing my oil and found a-rm bushing rubber hanging out of all a-arms. replaced the bushings, pretty good size job, with energy supensions bushings and made the popping noise worse.will replace with Moog parts.i have a 2002 SLT reg. cab w/4.7 with under 20,000 miles on it. and i have installed the complete Hochkis system with the Bilstien shocks and the chrome R/T wheels and Dunlop tires.
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Chris
Dodge Dakota
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11/19/2003
18:56:15
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
So the lower ball joints on a 97 Dakota 4x2 are riveted on or are they pressed in? If they are pressed in do you have to remove everything or can you still press them out with everything attached?
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gerald
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
11/19/2003
22:53:45
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
yes the pressed in ball joints can be replaced on the truck ball joint press is all you would need .
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rich_daddy_65
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
12/19/2003
09:40:10
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
Just a quick FYI. CBS news has done a news investigation on the Durango and Dakota ball joint issue. Looks like NHTSA is now also doing an investigation. Hopefully they'll get this thing fixed!
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Curt
Dodge Dakota
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12/19/2003
12:43:42
| RE: Ball Joints
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Check it out...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/18/eveningnews/main589356.shtml
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rich hawes
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
12/19/2003
14:53:57
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
just saw the news last night on the ball joints we have a durango! what the hell do we do now.
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ZC
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
12/19/2003
20:21:44
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
replace them with the best Moog and Energy Suspensions bushings and give them the bill
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Skip Knight
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/04/2004
12:46:59
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
I bought a 2003 Dakota w/ 8k miles on it and love the truck, but the reports about all the ball-joint problems have me scared. Can anyone say if the problems extend to the newer models or just the older ones? I went to a Dodge dealer today and scehduled an appt. to have the front-end noises checked; they say that it's most likely a sway-bar problem. They had a crappy attitude about the whole ball-joint problem and blamed it all on the "sensationalistic" news media-I don't know about buying another Dodge in the future but I sure wouldn't buy one from the local dealer. Any reply to this would be appreciated.
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Robert Kendal
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/07/2004
11:32:25
|  RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
I have a 2002 Dakota Quad four door with 39000 miles, so far no problems. are their some owners out there that have the ball joint problem? Is there a recall for this ,and who pays? Thanks for any reply.
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ZC
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/07/2004
13:56:43
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
howdy robert,
yep there have been several owner probs with the ball joints. mine were gone in well under 20,00 miles and have seen twoo others with failed joints. did not go through the warranty "game" just replaced with Moog parts. from what i have read there could be a recall, i saved all the old parts and recites and made a work order to cover my labor when it does happen. go have them checked by just about anyone but the dealer, for the dealer will replace them with the same POS joint as it came with.
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Lisa
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/23/2004
12:05:40
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
I have my 2000 Durango at the dealership as I write this message.
I brought my 2000 Durango to Dodge because it was making an awful noise any time I went over a bump (as if my front end was coming apart). It has been determined that the upper ball joints are bad but not "failed" as well as upper control arm bushings, however my extended warrenty says because they only are dry and have a home they will not cover them.. I am furious! Any suggestions?
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ZC
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/23/2004
20:03:35
| RE: Ball Joints
IP: Logged
Message:
howdy Lisa
there are specs. as to how much "play" can be in a ball joint, anything for that matter, they are "dry" because the friggin factory saw fit not to put in grease fittings so they could be maintained properly.
check out the news articals on the home page, copy them and show them to the dealer.
if that dont phase them make up a list of the state attorny general's office, dodge head quarters and the like and if that not do it call them.
Next problem is they will replace them with the same crap, sub-standard, UNSAFE parts that you are having problems with now.
warranty can not be denied you by the dealer.
if you can swing it and have a mechanic you trust get them replaced with good after market parts and save all the parts and paper work.
Hope that helped.
ZC
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Michael
DakotaEnthusiast
3/23/2004
22:57:23
| RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
I have the LDS extended warranty zero deductible on my 2000 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab and they replaced both upper and lower ball joints, no questions asks. The dealer even told me about the problems they were having and have been changing out a lot of them. Course I footed the bill for the alignment, but that was only $50.00 compared to the price they paid for the ball joint replacement.
Later,
Michael
Z-Tube, R/T Rims, SSB Rear Disc Conversion, Alpine Head-Unit, Infinity Kappa Speakers, SilverStar Headlights, HO Cams & Intake installed.
Got H.O. ?
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