ok here it is..... i was looking at my tires the other day and they were chopping.... so i investigated found the ball joints to be worn out... ok here the question mines a 2000 and the ball joints i bought from autozone gotta luv military discount but yeah they come on a small bracket with like 3 holes..... do i just bolt them up?.... i was under the impression they were to be pressed in... then the dealer said u have to buy the whole control arm because there riveted.... what gives......?

 

My dad's 95 2wd ball joints are pressed in. I have not looked at the newer ones, or even a 4wd truck' ball joints for that matter. If you look at yours and they are riveted in, which they shouldn't be, just get some high grade bolts and bolt the new ones in. The dealer wants you to buy an entire control arm cuz it costs an arm and a leg.

 

I just did it on my 2002 and Had to grind off the factory rivets and use the bolts that come in the kit. Hint...... Remove the arms from the truck those suckers gotta be beat out after you grind the down.... Hope that helps

 

I used a chisel and hammer to cut the rivets. The chisel I used was for a air chisel and a 3lbs shop hammer. It took 6 to 8 hits per rivet, I changed all 4 ball joints that day. I used a long punch, 3lbs shop hammer and a block of wood under the control arm to knock the rest of the rivet out. A air chisel would work the best. I tried grinding them off it took to long.

Hope this helps,

Rodney

 

If they gave you one that are rivited in and yours are pressed in, you need to take those back and get the right ones.

 

http://www.quad4x4.com/Dodge%20Frt%2...all_Joint_Kits
i think u might be drilling some new bolt holes.

 

In 2000 on 2 wheel drive trucks the ball joints were changed to the rivet in type. The 1999 2 wheel drive use the press in like the 4 wheel drives.

I had a hard time finding the ball joints for my truck. The parts stores were trying to give my the press in ones.

 

6-8 Hits per rivet!!!!!! I know why your name is BIGROD.... LOL those rivets were Tough

 

I used an air chisel, but the same idea. they just bolt in as replacement. Make sure you get ones with grease fittings

 

I may have been using the 8 lbs shop hammer and not the 3lbs. But swing a hammer that hard you don't want to miss.

 

thanks for the help.. now i gotta figure out if i am going to need to buy wheel bearings also because i heard soemone say press out the wheel bearings........ also any tips or websites showing how o do it so i dont screw up anything.. because i have not yet attempted this modification yet...

 

on my 2000 they're pressed in...did you crawl under and look ?

 

The 4X4's still have press in ball joints. It's the 4X2's that they changed.

 

I used an air chisel on an S-10 4x4. Then the control arms didn't have to be taken out. Then an air punch to pop the rest of the rivet through the ball joint and control arm. I assume it would be the same as your 2wd Dodge. Then yes they just bolt right in with three bolts maybe four. If you are mechanically inclined at all you shouldn't have any trouble lookin at it and figurin it out. Now my 4x4 ball joints on my Burban be just like the 4x4 Dodges and press in. Then I use a BHH(Big Honkin Hammer) to press them in and out.

 

thanks for the input.. i just was trying to get as much of the info as i could possably get from everyone becasue i didnt want to get to work on the truck and then find out afterwards or in the middle of everything that i missed a step or someone forgot to mention something... I just want to get this done the first time without much pain in the ***... i had such a hard time on the rear axle when i did the work on that job because someone would tell me one thing and then the next minute i ask a question because i was stuck on a part and then people would com eback telling me... oh i forgot to mention you had to do this before doing that.....