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!@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint

Posted By: Jim_Lusk

!@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/05/13 10:29 PM

Ok, today is ball joint day on my 2000 2wd Durango. I got all four rivet heads cut off and NONE of them would punch out the bottom, so I cut the bottom off one and it wouldn't punch up. So, I removed the control arm (bushings didn't look good anyway). I tried the press on one rivet form both side, no budge...

So, WHAT'S the deal with these? The FSM is no help because they expect you to replace the entire arm. The lower joint has steel parts of the control arm on both sides of the joint. My temptation is to cut out the welded in bottom side...
Posted By: stumpy

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/05/13 10:42 PM

Why not just replace the arm? It isn"t that much more then paying for a good ball joint and bushing.
Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/05/13 10:52 PM

Quote:

Why not just replace the arm? It isn"t that much more then paying for ball joint and bushing.



It's more than double...I got some Moog joints for a GREAT price and the Moog bushings are under $20 for one arm. The crap (Master Pro) that O'Reilly's sells is $153/arm (I got all four ball joints for about $180). The prices are better at Rock, but then it's down and unless I go with the Moog ($117 plus shipping) I don't know the quality and I'm still spending more money.
Posted By: stumpy

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/05/13 11:02 PM

How about drilling out the rivets? I don't think I'd start hacking on the arm myself.
Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/05/13 11:07 PM

I'd rather not distort the holes, cutting and welding makes more sense, in my opinion (that and it really easier and quicker as there is no way to mount this thing level in the drill press).
Posted By: Supercuda

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/05/13 11:10 PM

Quote:

The FSM is no help because they expect you to replace the entire arm.



hmmm

wonder why?

Think, McFly, think
Posted By: MPerry

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/05/13 11:20 PM

I've had luck with some riveted balljoints drilling in the center of the rivets enough to weaken them. Then they punch through.
I can't remember my last 2000 durango but some of the gms were pricks to do!
Posted By: 340duster340

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/06/13 12:15 AM

are you using an air chisel and still not budging?
Posted By: WayneM

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/06/13 01:20 AM

I'm assuming '98 is the same? I just knocked the heads off mine with an air hammer with a sharpened chisel. IIRC, I put a block of wood to prop up the arm and gave it a good slug. I use MOOG problem slovers with the fittings exclusively.
Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/06/13 01:24 AM

Yeah, I watched a couple of videos and both buys drilled out the center. That does two things, keeps the punch in place and cause a stretch to slightly shrink the size. I got one side out, now to go get lower bushings and the rack...Good thing I got a great deal on the Durango almost two years ago, it doesn't hurt so bad now spending a few hundred on it.
Posted By: Goat330

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/06/13 03:52 AM

My 2000 Ram Sport has the riveted ball joints and I replaced them a year ago. Get a good drill and plenty of good bits because that's the only way my would budge.When you drill almost to edge of the rivet, then the air chisel will pop them out.
Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/06/13 06:10 AM

Quote:

My 2000 Ram Sport has the riveted ball joints and I replaced them a year ago. Get a good drill and plenty of good bits because that's the only way my would budge.When you drill almost to edge of the rivet, then the air chisel will pop them out.



Yeah, that's what I wound up doing. That air chisel is gonna kill my elbow (that's been hurting for weeks now), though.

I also found where I've been losing coolant. It's a slow leak and I figured I'd go look for it soon. Well, looks like both freeze plugs behind the motor mounts are leaking and probably the rear one on each side. It looks like the front ones have already been replaced...
Posted By: denfireguy

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/09/13 03:52 AM

Thanks for posting this. I am about to do the same thing on my 2003, as well as the half shafts that are clicking. I think I will got with the arms

Craig
Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/09/13 06:29 AM

I finally got them done. The good news is my elbow pain seemed to be from lack of use (I've been doing on-line school for the last six months or so and ignoring most of the car stuff). Arms were just out of the budget. I did finally get the last freeze plug in (had to borrow a tool from a buddy). Might get it all back together tomorrow night...
Posted By: WayneM

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/09/13 10:18 AM

The first gen Durango is not a bad truck to work on. Just don't try to change the cat converter unless you REALLY need to!
Posted By: mercman1

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/10/13 02:40 AM

I have a 99 2WD Durango and the pass side upper ball joint had failed a few years back. Took it to dealer and they were of no help. Called Chrysler customer assistance regarding the failure (it was on national news back then about all Dakota/Durango ball joint failures) and proved my 99 had a late build date. Chrysler customer assistance called back and said that they would cover all four ball joints.... PARTS and Labor!!!!
Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/10/13 03:46 AM

Quote:

I have a 99 2WD Durango and the pass side upper ball joint had failed a few years back. Took it to dealer and they were of no help. Called Chrysler customer assistance regarding the failure (it was on national news back then about all Dakota/Durango ball joint failures) and proved my 99 had a late build date. Chrysler customer assistance called back and said that they would cover all four ball joints.... PARTS and Labor!!!!



I'm a little late on this one, but they didn't fail, they just wore out. The wheels go back on tomorrow and then I'll align it.
Posted By: denfireguy

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/20/13 02:31 AM

Quote:

I finally got them done. The good news is my elbow pain seemed to be from lack of use (I've been doing on-line school for the last six months or so and ignoring most of the car stuff). Arms were just out of the budget. I did finally get the last freeze plug in (had to borrow a tool from a buddy). Might get it all back together tomorrow night...

Well I decided to be lazy and order both arms. NAPA was 0 for 4 on getting me the right arms. My first clue was they had to get them from Billings Montana. The lower arms look like they are for a Dakota since they to not have the torsion bar socket and looks like the bottom of a coil recess. The uppers had 1/2 inch bolts and the orginals are 9/16. Both are going back.
Meanwhile, I had the lowers press fitted in by NAPA and I used a cut off tool on the uppers. I also am replacing the half shafts since they are whining and clicking.
Posted By: therocks

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/20/13 01:33 PM

I had a bad one on my 99 4 WD a few years ago.It only had at the time 70K miles.It took me about 1 1/2 hours to do all 4 at the shop.Biggest advantage was having a lift.They were some of the easiest that Ive changed.Having a good air chisel also helps along with a good impact.Rocky
Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/20/13 05:34 PM

Quote:

Quote:

I finally got them done. The good news is my elbow pain seemed to be from lack of use (I've been doing on-line school for the last six months or so and ignoring most of the car stuff). Arms were just out of the budget. I did finally get the last freeze plug in (had to borrow a tool from a buddy). Might get it all back together tomorrow night...

Well I decided to be lazy and order both arms. NAPA was 0 for 4 on getting me the right arms. My first clue was they had to get them from Billings Montana. The lower arms look like they are for a Dakota since they to not have the torsion bar socket and looks like the bottom of a coil recess. The uppers had 1/2 inch bolts and the orginals are 9/16. Both are going back.
Meanwhile, I had the lowers press fitted in by NAPA and I used a cut off tool on the uppers. I also am replacing the half shafts since they are whining and clicking.



Sounds like you got 2WD parts...Dakota and Durango used the same front end parts, but 4wd arms were different.
Posted By: Dakota_Don

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/20/13 06:14 PM

what i do is, grind/cut head off, then i drill half way down the rivets, then i use a punch and hammer and drive em out.. works every time
Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 10/20/13 06:40 PM

Quote:

what i do is, grind/cut head off, then i drill half way down the rivets, then i use a punch and hammer and drive em out.. works every time



That's what I had to do...
Posted By: denfireguy

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 12/06/13 03:53 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

I finally got them done. The good news is my elbow pain seemed to be from lack of use (I've been doing on-line school for the last six months or so and ignoring most of the car stuff). Arms were just out of the budget. I did finally get the last freeze plug in (had to borrow a tool from a buddy). Might get it all back together tomorrow night...

Well I decided to be lazy and order both arms. NAPA was 0 for 4 on getting me the right arms. My first clue was they had to get them from Billings Montana. The lower arms look like they are for a Dakota since they to not have the torsion bar socket and looks like the bottom of a coil recess. The uppers had 1/2 inch bolts and the orginals are 9/16. Both are going back.
Meanwhile, I had the lowers press fitted in by NAPA and I used a cut off tool on the uppers. I also am replacing the half shafts since they are whining and clicking.



Sounds like you got 2WD parts...Dakota and Durango used the same front end parts, but 4wd arms were different.

That is exactly what happened. Also, the lower ball joint for 4WD/AWD is much thinner than the one for two wheel drive. The NAPA joints were too thick and interfered with the cover on the half shaft CV joint. This is becoming a major project now. The Cuda was much easier but it was not AWD.
Craig
Posted By: J_BODY

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 12/07/13 03:36 AM

lets see... front core plugs were replaced, you just did the side ones...



... you know what that leaves correct???
Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: !@#$#@$ Durango lower ball joint - 12/07/13 05:50 AM

Quote:

lets see... front core plugs were replaced, you just did the side ones...



... you know what that leaves correct???



Doesn't much matter now. I may yank the engine while I search for a parts Durango for front sheetmetal and plastic parts...or I'll leave it and see what happens...
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