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Dealer, TSB's and Recalls
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Nirami
Dodge Dakota
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9/09/2001
00:01:19

Subject: Ball Joints
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I don't know much about engine and body work, but I was just thinking. Could you take a drill to the Ball Joints and drill a hole in them somewhere so that way you can grease the joints?



Boomer
Dodge Dakota
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9/26/2001
02:39:58

RE: Ball Joints
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I wouldn't recommend that. My pass upper went bad, so I went to an auto parts store and bought one (forgot the name). I broke out the old one and the new one came with a zert and 3 bolts. Another reason I would leave the old one alone is that they are designed to be life long, or so they say. If you just drill a hole in it, you could get dirt in there and cause you to replace it anyway.



Rob
Dodge Dakota


9/26/2001
04:45:38

RE: Ball Joints
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long life. mine went at 45k km and I think my second set is going now at 70k km.



Nirami
Dodge Dakota
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9/26/2001
10:04:41

RE: Ball Joints
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You know you can always set it up so that you drill a hole in them and retro fit a plug of some kind in the hole to keep from anything getting in them. But it doesnt matter anymore. I had custom ball joints made for my Dakota.

- Mikel



LARRY
Dodge Dakota
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11/07/2001
16:02:29

RE: Ball Joints
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HEY I HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO ME BACK IN FEB. I TOOK IT TO AUTHORIZED DODGE DEALER'S AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THEM. WHEN SEARS SAID THERE WAS WHEN I GOT A ALIGNMENT DONE. A MONTH AN HALF LATER. HASSLING WITH DODGE. I TOOK IT BACK TO SEAR'S AND HAD THE WORK DONE AND THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. SEAR PUT HEAVY DUTY ONE'S WITH ZERT FITTINGS. ALSO HAD TO FIGHT DODGE TO GET WARRANTY REIMBURSEMENT. WHICH I LATER GOT AND ONLY THING CAME OUT OF MY POCKET WAS THE DEDUCTABLE. HAVE FUN I DID.

LARRY



aL MCD
Dodge Dakota
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11/08/2001
12:42:00

RE: Ball Joints
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Is the sympton for this problem a large clunk noise when making a sharp left or right turn into a drivway, or street without stopping?

Thanks in advance for any info on this issue. This is a great site!





Lesley
GenIII
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11/09/2001
20:58:52

RE: Ball Joints
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Yup, that's the noise! Unless you're under warranty I wouldn't get the dealership to replace them. First of all they won't just replace the ball joints. You have to buy the whole assembly which at my dealership was about $1200 Can. for parts alone... the same parts without grease fittings. I got mine done at a well-recommended shop, all Moog, which are very good ball joints for about $760, incl. labour. These have grease fittings.

97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black. Auto 3.55
Quick D Intake,
Autolite 3923s with Borg Warner Wires
Awaiting Installation: JBA headers, V8 R/T TB,

aL MCD
Dodge Dakota
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11/10/2001
09:41:30

RE: Ball Joints
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I have about 20,000 kms on it, so I guess I will have to go back to the dealer. Hope this is not a painfull exercise.

Thanks for the information, this is an amazing site.

Al



dave
Dodge Dakota
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12/09/2001
11:27:27

RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
my ball joint are junk also and tie rod inners 994x4



Lesley
GenIII
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12/09/2001
11:38:06

RE: Ball Joints
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If mine were still under warranty? I would buy the Moog ball joints and see if they will install them. Having the same ones put back on almost guarantees that they will go again... after the warranty runs out.

97 3.9 V6 Sport Club Cab. Black. Auto 3.55
Quick D Intake, JBA Stainless headers
Autolite 3923s with Borg Warner Wires
Awaiting Installation: Borla catback, V8 R/T TB

Al
Dodge Dakota
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12/10/2001
09:24:06

RE: Ball Joints
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My dealer greased the turn stops, and so far the noise has not re-occured. I let you knwo if it comes back.

Regards
AL



D
Dodge Dakota


12/11/2001
20:27:21

RE: Ball Joints
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Message:
I had that clunk noise on mine, until I replaced
the control arms with 3" lowers. DJM cured
my balljoint madness!



DarkFury
Dodge Dakota
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12/12/2001
16:11:32

RE: Ball Joints
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Hmmm... I just took my Dak in for a ball joint/centerlink problem...

Good thing I have that extended warranty... Whew!



scat pack
Dodge Dakota
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1/15/2002
16:42:49

RE: Ball Joints
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How about campaining for a recall ? I've heard of a lot of complaints about these ball joints going bad early. Although mine are still good something should be done about this. During the muscle car era, MOPAR got a bad reputation for front end parts life - they factory actually broke the zerk fittings off after the initial lube - trying to sell more cars by claiming longer service intervals ? My last 2 toy pickups with greasable joints required NO replacements in over 100,000 each. Do complaints need to go higher than The dealership ?



Craze
Dodge Dakota
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1/15/2002
21:35:11

RE: Ball Joints
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In a word - Yes



Aaron
Dodge Dakota
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2/04/2002
18:09:31

RE: Ball Joints
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I have the same clunking and popping sound on my 1998 Dodge Dakota. This usually happens when turning right or left, and has become progressively worse in the last few months. It also seems to make a very loud sound from the front end when going over speed bumps. How hard would it be to replace the ball joints myself? Is there anybody we can write to get Dodge to do a recall on all of these faulty front ends? I know that if problems like these keep occurring on my Dodge, this will be the last one I ever own.



Lesley
GenIII
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2/04/2002
18:21:56

RE: Ball Joints
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Use the search feature: somewhere on this site is a thread on ball joints, with a link to step by step directions and pictures on how to do it yourself.

97 3.9 CC Sport. Black. Auto 3.55
Quick D Intake, JBA Stainless headers, Autolite 3923s, stainless Borla Turbo XL, V8 R/T TB,
FMS fuel injectors

Scotty
Dodge Dakota
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2/11/2002
22:15:19

RE: Ball Joints
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Lesley,

i've been following this thread for quite awhile now. what did you have changed for ball joints? upper and lower? do you know off hand what part number it was for a Moog? i bought some off of EBAY and i just wanna make sure i got the right ones.

mahalo,
Scotty



Road Runner
Dodge Dakota
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2/13/2002
22:03:37

RE: Ball Joints
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Ball joints went bad on my 98 Dakota at 30K miles. The vehicle is four years old so I had no warranty. Called Chrysler and they said they would help me. Paid $100 to have lower ball joints replaced. If you don't have a lot of miles on your vehicle don't be afraid to ask. Just be polite and don't go off the deep end. I have owned chrysler products all my life and have very few problems. When I did they always helped me in some way. I'll keep buying as long as they continue to treat me right.



Chris
Dodge Dakota
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2/20/2002
03:19:54

RE: Ball Joints
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I have 55,000mi on my 98 dakota and had to replace the drivers side lower balljoint and both inner tie rods. Everything was fine for about a week and now the driver side squeeks every time i hit a bump. everything was done right and greesed so what is wrong now. I thought it might be the shocks but if you are sitting still and turn the wheel back and forth slightly it also squeeks. Help. Chris CWH12780@hotmail.com



Mike Rae
Dodge Dakota
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2/21/2002
07:19:06

RE: Ball Joints
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I'm glad I found this message board because I have had similar problems with my 99 Dakoda 4x4.
At 21K miles - replace both lower ball joints
31K - replaced both upper control arms
41K - replaced steering knuckle (even though my complaint was the same as previous complaints - sounds like a walnut bouncing around somewhere in the drivers side front.
In April 2001 I called Chrysler and asked them if they could help me out with this problem in the future. They said they would review the problems on a case by case basis.
Now at 42K miles, my upper controls are gone again, both tie rods are junk, the drivers side front tire is bald on the inside (all others are still good)
I called Chrysler yesterday and they told my to jump in a lake!
My Toyota truck went 160K with one extra set of ball joints - What gives? Is anything being done about this?
Any suggestions or names and addresses to write to would be greatly appreciated.




Lesley
GenIII
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2/21/2002
19:01:44

RE: Ball Joints
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Sorry Scotty, I only just saw your question. Yes, I got the upper and lower Moogs. Here are the part numbers:

lower: K7241
and the upper: K7242.

97 3.9 CC Sport. Black. Auto 3.55
Quick D Intake, JBA Stainless headers, Autolite 3923s, stainless Borla Turbo XL, V8 R/T TB,
19 lb.FMS fuel injectors. Coming 17" Boyd Coddington Smoothies

Harry
Dodge Dakota
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3/01/2002
17:00:37

RE: Ball Joints
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I have a 2000 Dakota 2WD. Drivers side upper ball joint had to be replaced at 22,000 miles; warranty covered but the dealer still charged me $85 for realignment. They said the ball joints do not affect alignment. These has to be a design problem and all should be recalled an replaced with a better design before accidents occur when your wheel falls off.



scat pack
GenIII
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3/02/2002
09:23:49

RE: Ball Joints
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Harry - thats one pricey alignment unless thats Canadian $ . Independent shops in my area typically charge 40 - 50 $. Give 'em hell, especially if you didn't authorise this.

2K RC 4.7 4x4

Pete
Dodge Dakota
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3/02/2002
16:16:00

RE: Ball Joints
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My upper BJs let go at 35K miles. The dealer replaced the both upper control arms with the same type of junky BJs. I guess I'm good for another 35K. I can't believe Dodge hasn't fessed up with a full campagn.



Andy VH
Dodge Dakota
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3/05/2002
09:03:46

RE: Ball Joints
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My 99Dak had a terrible squeak in the DS balljoint. Over two months back I poked a small hole through the rubber boot, inserted the "wand" from a can of white lithium grease in a spray can, gave it a good shot. It instantly killed the squeak and it hasn't come back. My guess is the boot does little to seal out moisture. Especially since the minute I hit the button on the spray can I got propellant and grease coming out all around the boot edges. I still plan to replace the ball joints with QUALITY Moog greaseable ball joints when i put dropped A-arms on this summer. But for now the squeak is gone.



Bill
Dodge Dakota
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3/05/2002
10:32:02

RE: Ball Joints
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Update,

I put on my new Moog upper ball joints this weekend 3/2/2002 which took about 5 hours. After buying a 4 inch grinder and one of those fork looking tools to seperate the ball joint from the spindal I saved myself about $190 and have two new tools. The process was relatively easy just time cosuming to grind off the old joints. I cut the boot off the old chrysler ball joint and nothing but dirt poured out of that thing. The old ball joint was so loose I could just wiggle it. The new moog joints that are greasable I couldn't even budge. I posted some pictures at yahoo if anyone else plans on doing this. The Moog ball joints are great and no more popping when turing or going over bumps. Here's the web site with the pictures!
http://photos.yahoo.com/billyboy78753
(Click on the folder about half way down the page)
I ordered the ball joints at www.rockauto.com and it took about 4 days to get them they cost $43 each.

1999 Dak, 5.2L, 4x4 SLT, K&N FIPK, Gibson Cat Back single exhaust, Promp Comp All-Terrain 32x11.50x15



Aaron Kamp
Dodge Dakota
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3/25/2002
17:01:03

RE: Ball Joints
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I had the ball joints in my '98 Dak CC 4x4 replaced at 47k miles when having my brakes replaced (rotors were toast, again). Apparently, Chrysler re-engineered the part and changed the part number. They cost about $100 more but are supposed to be better. I had the work done by a Les Schwab tire center and they actually HONOR their warranty for both work & the parts. The people at Les Schwab are great & if you live on the Left coast (besides SoCal) I highly recommend them.

The quality of service at Dealerships is hit and miss. My uncle is a wholesale buyer for some local dealerships and both he and my salesman told me not to have my truck repaired where I bought it unless it was something minor.



Knobbyman
*GenIII*
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3/26/2002
16:29:58

RE: Ball Joints
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Left Coast? You mean West Coast?

'01 Graphite QC 4x4
4.7 3.55 LSD
http://www.knobbyman.com
----Speed only breaks stuff faster----

bill
Dodge Dakota
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3/26/2002
19:40:42

RE: Ball Joints
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Hey there all.Ball joints.HUH? My 99 4x4 has had one set at 17k and now at 32k say nothing of the 100's of other problems like the coolant leaks internal and out of the engine ,and I thought the ol'ladies 01 neon was junk.NEVER AGAIN DODGE !!! This a new truck year for me,guess that extra cost of a toy or chev is really worth it.Just remember dodge was bailed out by the U.S. gov.once,this time let'em go under for good and save buyers a lot head aches.



Aaron Kamp
Dodge Dakota
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3/27/2002
18:39:28

RE: Ball Joints
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Knobbyman -

Yeah, left coast = west coast.



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