I need new ball joints for my 2500 with 4wd. Local mechanic asked me which one I want to use. He recommends the Moag's.

Seems like there are two options for the Moags:

1)Part Number: 1986-07031738
Notes: Ball Joint -- Frt Susp; Upper; 4WD; w/ 4500 lb. Dana 60 Axle; Problem Solver; adjustable ball joint; allows up to 1 deg. adjustment of camber
$104.98

2)Part Number: 1986-07031736
Notes: Ball Joint -- Frt Susp; Upper; 4WD; w/ 4500 lb. Dana 60 Axle
Features:
•Easy to install
•Greaseable for smoother steering
•Designed as stock replacement
•Improves chassis performance and durability
$60.98

There are also other ball joints out there that ware way cheaper:

Parts Master
Part Number: 1986-07063433
Notes: Ball Joint -- Frt Susp; Upper; 4WD; w/ 4500 lb. Dana 60 Axle
$24.98

or

MevOtech
Part Number: 1986-05045009
Notes: Ball Joint -- Front Upper; W/ DANA 60 AXLE; ADJUSTABLE BALL JOINT; ALLOWS UP TO 1 DEGREE CAMBER ADJ; W/ 4500LB AXLE; W/ 4WD
$38.98

MevOtech
Part Number: 1986-05046995
Notes: Ball Joint -- Front Upper; W/ DANA 60 AXLE; W/ 4500LB AXLE; W/ 4WD
$34.98


Any opinons or suggestions? Does the adjustable ball joint make a difference?

Thanks for the help!
Rich

 

From what I remember, the problem solver was made for adjustments for controlling the Death Wobble by adding a little camber to the front end.

I would not go cheap. After all that work I would hate to do them again in 20,000 miles. I am in the market for joints as well and will probably go with the MOOG..

 

I wouldn't say Moog is bad, but I didn't get more then 40k out of one of the lowers. I plow during the winter and run 33x12.5 tires a few months out of the year so they don't get an easy life, especially on our horrible New England roads, but I expected a little more out of them for the price. Actually the passenger side had more miles on it with a cheaper brand and they are still fine!

I swapped in XRF's (from tireclub.com), all four were under $100 to my door and they have a good warranty. The new XRF's made my steering feel funny (wouldn't return back to center off a bump as easy) for a few hundred miles, then they loosened up and all is great now. Moog's didn't do that, felt a little loose right out of the box. If you do a search you'll get all sorts of opinions, thats just mine. Good luck.

 

I put the $60 moog upper and lower ball joint in my 1998 V-10 with a plow 60,000 miles ago and they are good yet. My 2006 has 55,000 miles on and the factory joint are getting bad already and I don't even have a plow on that one. Don't go cheap!

 

I bought a set for mine that were no-name and low priced, and they are holding up fine. While I am not suggesting that you do that, if you do a search on ball joints, you will find someone having problems with every brand available. Even XRF's. Go figure-
I don't regret not spending a ton of money on mine...

 

These are all fair arguments. Food for thought.

 

I bought cheap ones, they are so easy to change if they fail in 20k I could car less, I keep them greased and saved the recipts, it only take me about 1.5 hours per side to change them and that was the first time they had been done(everything was rust) I could do it again in less then 1 hr per side I would guess.

 

When I go to tireclub.com it just goes to search engine, not a valid site

 

thetireclub.com

 

I searched on there and couldn't find them

 

http://www.thetireclub.com/content.w..._RAM_KITS.html

XRF Link was on the homepage.

 

Try this. Shows the ball joint kits (all 4) but you can order them individually, as well as some "adjustable" uppers for camber/caster adjustment.


edit: Ah beat me by that much! ^

 

$100 more for 2001 compared to 1999, how come?

 

In the 2000 model year, the ball joints and the knuckles changed up to the newer style that the 3rd gen trucks use. From what I have seen, the Moog joints can cause the same problems on the 2000-2002 trucks that they do on the 2003 and up trucks so I personally would stay away and go with XRF.

Also, I don't recommend the adjustable joints unless you have a big problem you are trying to compensate for, as they have no default position. You will never be able to put your caster/camber where they were before.

 

for economy you can't beat rockauto's prices on raybestos ball joints. if you do a google search you can find a 10% off coupon too. i have always used these joints on both of my trucks and had no complaints.