lower ball joint help

[pitbull]

Ok here is the situation. I have a 2000 ram 1500 2 wheel dr. I replaced the factory lower ball joints on both sides because they had alot of play in them. before i replaced them i had no vibration or shimmy's. Now that the new ball joints are in i have a VERRY BAD vibration in the steering wheel and the fromt end bounces once I get past 55 MPH. I have checked all nuts and bolts making sure they are all tight and checked the other components in the stearing and suspension system and cant find anything wrong. What might be causing my problem

 

[05singlecabHEMI]

Did you get an alignment done afterwards?

 

[pitbull]

have not had a alighnment done yet. please ecusse my ignorance im not to inclined in mechnics but i was under the understanding that ball joint replacement didnt require a alighment. the ball joints i installed have no obvious adjustments on them . if im wrong please let me know lol i want my truck back im tired of driving my wifes ford lol

 

[05singlecabHEMI]

It could be possible it went out of alignment from it. My rule of thumb when im doing any work with the ball joints, tie rods, or suspension i go take it to check the alignment. Cost like $20-$25 for them to test it. Usually if the steering wheel vibrates it is either the alignment, or the wheel isnt balanced. And since it didnt happen before im gonna guess and say its the alignment.

 

[pitbull]

Ok had the alighnment checked and that took out about 40% of the vibration ( yes the alighnment went out ) then put a cheap set used tires on the front and that took another 50% of the vibration out. Now it has about 10% of the vibration left. It only vibrates at high speed's during a curve and its minimal vibration. That being said Im thinking rotate and ballance and see where it takes me. Any one have any other advise on what I might look at based on the info at hand ? So far the advice I'v been given here proved to be good thanks guy's.

 

[05singlecabHEMI]

So in going to guess and say the ballanced the front one when putting the new ones in. If the rears are out of ballance the steering wheel shouldnt vibrate. When it vibrates i woulf look out the side mirror and see if the truck bed is vibrating. Also do you have a posi trac rearend, limited slip, or open differential? If its a posi trac when ever you make a turn itll cause it to vibrate.

 

[pitbull]

Yes you are correct the front tires are what I'm going to have ballanced. The rear tires are less than a year old bought new. The bed doesnt vibrate as I drive. As far as the rear end being posi, limmited, or open I have to say im ignorant on that one I have no idea. I dont know the diffrence in them sorry. But I have to assume since I didnt do anything to the rear end and the vibration didnt start untill I tinkered with the front end that the rear wouldnt be contributing to the issue. That being said I'm no mechanic and I'm the first to say I am a learning as I go ( untill then im a mech moron lol ). I figure I have tools so im going to atleast try to fix whats broke if nothing else I get to use power tools in the prosses lol

 

[pitbull]

My issue is solved. Just to inform those who may be intrested i have all the shimmys out now. what a adventure I started out replacing tie rod ends then got a alighnment and found out my lower ball joints were bad. While replacing them i noticed the bolt on the tie rod sleeve was left loose by the shop i had the alighment done at. Well thats another trip to the shop for a new alighnment on the house and repeated apoligies form the young man who did the original alighment. after that i still had some shimmy left so i got a cheap set of used tires and put on the front thinking the bad ball joints and tie rod ends may have worn the tires abnormally. I was right that solves most of the remaining shimmy. But i still had a slight bouncing feeling at high speeds (55mph and up). So i thought shocks after all the truck 187,000 miles on it and the previous owner aperantly didnt do much maintence on it concidering i also found a bad rotor worn so thin i litterally cut myself on it lol. So after doing front brakes,shocks,and a new rotor I have a smother ride than when i bought the truck. And if your wandering yes the shocks i took off were the original shocks they had the chrysler emblem stamped on them at 187,000 miles of service lol.

 

[Okiespaniel]

All's well that ends well...

I'd probably change and flush all the fluids in the truck to be on the safe side, and change the rear shocks too.

 

[pitbull]

All's well that ends well...

I'd probably change and flush all the fluids in the truck to be on the safe side, and change the rear shocks too.

the rear shocks is on the hit list and when i got the truck i did tune up/ oil change and have been maintaining those regularly also drained the tranny and swaped the filter. havent done the coolaint yet to be honest hadnt thought of the coolaint lol but i probably better thanks.