Hey Guys i have a problem..

[Rebel_Lady91]

when i turn my steering wheel sometimes it makes a racket like its rusty is that my spring or shocks? i do know that my first aliment is pulls to the right when i let go of my wheel? what do i need to do guys?

 

[HemiBabe]

I would check your ball joints and tie rods.... See if the rubber is broken around the ends, I think if i remember right, the OEM ones are not greasable, but the ones you buy to replace them with, are.

 

[Rebel_Lady91]

thanks girl i will check that out how much do you think it would cost it replace them?

 

[05singlecabHEMI]

Tie rods can be done yourself with maybe 3 tools. Think the ball joint is a little harder. Tie rod will maybe cost $30 just for the parts. Just make sure if you replace anything get an alignment.

 

[Rebel_Lady91]

thanks nick

 

[HemiBabe]

Yeah they aren't too much per one. But you have inner tie rod ends and outer tie rod ends. I bet that's what it is...

 

[05singlecabHEMI]

Yea hope its not the inner tie rods. Those are a PITA i hear.

 

[Badger]

Ball joints are easy if you rent the tool. Toe rods suck. If you get either of these things done by a mechanic prepare to take it up the... Well you know

 

[HemiBabe]

Yeah that aint no lie. I had to replace inner/outer tie rods and upper/lower ball joints on my old 2nd gen I had. It was $550 for all the replacements. To me, the ball joints were the PITA. They were held in place by heavy duty rivots instead of bolts.

 

[Rebel_Lady91]

dang thanks guys i will check them out tomorrow, one more ? are they located inside the spring or around that area?? i know this is probley a stupid question lol

 

[Okiespaniel]

dang thanks guys i will check them out tomorrow, one more ? are they located inside the spring or around that area?? i know this is probley a stupid question lol

Not a stupid question.

I've edited my post because I don't know if you have a 2 or 4wd truck.

 

[05singlecabHEMI]

dang thanks guys i will check them out tomorrow, one more ? are they located inside the spring or around that area?? i know this is probley a stupid question lol

outer tie rod is connected to the steering rod next to the wheel? i guess thats what its called. inner tierod is in the other end of the steering rod that you probably wont see.

upper ball joint should be above the spring and lower on the bottom side of the spring.

anyone correct me if im wrong lol.

 

[Rebel_Lady91]

thanks guys Glad i have people like yall to help a fellow rammer out

 

[Okiespaniel]

Picture is worth a sip of coffee....


Even shows the early steering with the stabilizer mount hole in the pitman arm TRE. Y'know...my bad...do you have a 2 or 4wd truck? This pic and the proceeding desocription sare of a 4x4 setup.
If you have a 2wd your steering is diferent. My appologies!

 

[HemiBabe]

There's the ball joints, #2 in the illustration on the left

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/de/full.aspx?Page=112

And here is what the tie rod ends look like

 

[Okiespaniel]

This web page with a familiar name has some good pics of a 2wd setup.


Mopar1973Man's Dodge Cummins Diesel Forum - Dodge Ram Steering/Suspension Components

 

[Badger]

i did my ball joint upper and lower on one side in 2 hours.... i was lucky. I rented the tool, the hardest thing about it is the damn axle nut, no air tool we had would budge it but a 6 foot pipe and a brass hammer did the job

edit: soak EVERYTHING in pb blaster the night before you will be glad you did

 

[Mopar1973Man]

On my 4WD 02 Cummins it was a 2 day affair to change 2 upper and 2 lower ball joints after 185K miles...

Ball joint press from Harbor frieght is a very handy tool but it will make you cuss something horrid. The cups and such don't fit for our application but with a bit of pipe and time you can make you own cups to fit the ball joints...

 

[Rebel_Lady91]

I have a 2WD thanks for all the advice guys