Lower Ball Joint EASY Replacment

Cliffords Rig · Feb 8, 2016

My 03' Ram 1500 started sqeaking hard on every little bump. After some research I found it to be the balljoints(along with the quick look I took at them an saw that the boots were completely torn off. I went to get a quote that came out to being 500-800 depending on where I went. So i decided to order the parts($75 for regreasable ones from Amazon) and do them myself. After watching many videos of people struggling with it I stumbled upon this. Hope it helps anyone in the same situation!

Lokarton71 · Feb 15, 2016

Or you could get This tool and not have to take the control arm off the truck and use a press. Have only ever done ball joints on a 4wd 2500 ram, and am unfamiliar of how difficult they would be. The 4wd 2500 all 4 ball joint job at a shop cost about 4 hours of labor, from what I remember. And for the 4wd you need to remove the axles.

Cliffords Rig · Mar 6, 2016

Lokarton71 said:
Or you could get This tool and not have to take the control arm off the truck and use a press. Have only ever done ball joints on a 4wd 2500 ram, and am unfamiliar of how difficult they would be. The 4wd 2500 all 4 ball joint job at a shop cost about 4 hours of labor, from what I remember. And for the 4wd you need to remove the axles.

They're pressed in, the only way i've ever seen them removed besides this method is with a universal ball joint remover, they dont have the correct fitting for the joints so using the kit you have to mess with different fittings an such to find what works

xb1230 · Mar 17, 2016

I have done mine on my 4x4 1500. I have done them with the portable ball joint press without removing either the LCA or the CV joints.

I had removed the knuckle all together as I replaced the wheel bearings at the same time, but it is not required. I takes about 1½hour per side depending on how you have to struggle with rusted crusty fasteners. While you are there though it is not much more work to swap the UCA, Sway bar links, and Tie Rod ends.

The 20 ton press is more expensive than the portable ball joint press and takes up much more space. So unless you have other uses for the 20 ton press, you are potentially better off with the portable one which can also be used to unload the torsion bars on a 4x4...

Just saying.

fastf · Jul 20, 2017

I replaced them on my truck and everything else had to try two ball joint press the cheaper one from autozone would not work I checked Orielley and it was just like autozone went to advance and got the top of the line it had a small indenture that sat on the a arm to get the c clamp centered .All I can say after I got through I don't want to do it again.I had a 03 Dakota you had to drilli the rivets out before you replaced the joints that was rough.I think it is stupid not having grease fitting on cars now days .If your dodge has more than most of the time the ball joints are going to have to be replaced.

CorDog009 · Jul 30, 2017

I used the Harbor Freight ball joint kit for $89 and left the LCA on the truck. Threw some heat on the LCA with my propane torch and put a cheater pipe on the ratchet/socket I used on the hex head of the tool.

Lower Ball Joint EASY Replacment

Cliffords Rig

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