fatpete

A thank you and Happy Holidays to all of you at DTR. I just did my ball joints with a ton of help from the readers and contributors to this forum. From the great instructions to help choosing which to buy (went with XRF due to price) and just quick tips in general. This forum is awesome.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Matt S

Any problems getting the new joints in?

fatpete

The job went very well, especially compared to some stories I read about rusted hubs not wanting to come out.
I doused the area around the hub bolts the night before, bought the Snap On tool, and it worked great. I figured I could spend the $45 as I'm saving hundreds by doing it myself. The hubs came out nice and smooth.
The new ball joints did press in well, but it took a lot of torque to get them to go in. I borrowed my buddy's nice press and it really helped to have all the proper fitting cups. I think I would have had a hard time with a shitty press and ill fitting cups as there is a lot of pressure needed to get the ball joints started. Once they were moving it got easier and easier. This was my first time doing ball joints so I don't know if that's just how they are.

firemanram

You did the axle u joints also, didn't you????

fatpete

firemanram,

Didn't do the ujoints. Several reasons, there was no play whatsoever, no rust and all seemed in good order. Everything came apart so easily that I don't anticipate having a hard time when the time comes for the ujoints. Lastly (and prob most importantly!), no time left in the day as my overly **** procedure of cleaning parts, lubing, reassembling and torquing took longer than anticipated

Merry Christmas,
fatpete (IAFF Local 731)

magfarm

I missed the previous threads as to why you were changing these. Did you find a problem or just doing preventive maintenance? Thanks.

fatpete

magfarm,
Was told they were starting to wear out about a year ago. Blew it off as I thought it was typical dealer b.s. Went to get an alignment last month and they said the Ball Joints were too worn to align the truck. Took it to another place for second opinion and they said the same. This place said they weren't bad but their concern was that I had just bought new tires and the inability to align would cause premature tire wear. Took it back there after the ball joint replacement, everything was able to be aligned back to spec.
Merrry Christmas

Landini1

I was wondering if it would be OK to put Never Seize on the outside of the hubs when they go back in, would this make it easier for the next time the ball joints, universal joints or the hubs go bad???

fatpete

Yes definitely on the hubs. Rotors I'm not sure, but as long as it was no where near the braking surface prob can't hurt. Here are the two how-to's I used (and thank you again to the individuals that contributed/wrote those two articles!!!)

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...t217250p4.html

http://www.dodgeownerforums.com/smf/...p?topic=6434.0

Landini1

Thanks,, I removed the rotor part of my question as I was thinking of something else....

Do you know if a ball joint has some kind of spring inside of it? I just removed a set and they said the spring inside broke, it only had about 10,000 miles on it and was a greaseable NAPA 260-1580, I could push it in and out with my hands about a 1/16 of an inch when I took it out...they said it was really made by MOOG...

fatpete

I'm not sure about the guts of the ball joints themselves. I do remember coming across a cutaway view of one on some site but cannot remember which site. I do know from researching the heck out of which new ones to buy that guys haven't been happy with the MOOG ones.