Just a note to anyone changing Ball Joints on a Dodge 2500 Truck. Today at my work we were changine the ball joint on a 2001 Dodge Truck. The factory rivets were not coming out easily. We air chisled the heads off and tried drilling and punching them out but no luck. Next we took the torch and was cutting them out and BLAM the ball joint exploded. Loudest noise I have ever heard. My ears are still ringing loudly 8 hours later. It just blew the joint down to the car lift. Some schrapnel came out and hit me in the stomach. These are dangerous. If you need to use a torch anywhere around them drill a hole in the joint to relieve pressure.

 

cant see how the ball joint could explode as its not a sealed unit, did it explode because you did not have the lower control are supported?

 

Most likely this ^^.

What happened was the sudden collapse caused by the thermal shock. So, not an explosion per se-- just violent collapse.

JMO

 

Just put some XRF ball joints in my truck. Had a problem with the lower ball joint and the same thing happened to me using the torch. Ball stud chipped the concrete in the floor and took a chunk of sheet rock out of the ceiling. Be carefull with the torch on these. Does not happen allot, but it can happen.

 

I had the lower ball joint out of the spindle and was cutting the rivets out of the lower a frame and what ever it was called my ears are still ringing a day later! I call it an explsion. But thanks for your imput and be careful these things could kill someone. Danny.

 

Any chance we might get some pics of any of them?

 

I should be able to get pics Monday. I dont go back to the shop till then and I know the trash isnt going to take itself out so I will find the joint and socket and snap some pics.
Danny