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06:09:20 - 04/26/2024
General Dakota Board
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AirzooGuy
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/19/2005
10:42:40
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 Subject: upper ball joint 98 Dakota
IP: Logged
Message:
You have all been very helpful to me. Hope this helps someone else. FYI, 98 Dak, V6, 130K miles.
verified ball joints myself. only 1 bad so far. just lucky I guess.
I just replaced the left upper ball joint on my '98 Dakota. Here's the process I went through. First, get a book and read up on the procedure. I used the MOOG parts. They worked great.
A floor jack is really helpful but you can make due with a scissors jack if you must. You must have a solid jack stand to support the truck while you are working.
The original ball joint is riveted so you are going to have to remove these rivets.
I used a drill and cold chisel to do this job. Center punch each rivet first. Use care while drilling. You are NOT trying to drill through the entire rivet. Brake lines are very close to where you are working so be extra careful where your drill goes. It'll be easier if you slightly loosen the lug nuts before you start. Also put a block behind the rear wheels for safety.
1. Jack up the truck and place a jack stand under a solid part of the frame. Let the truck down onto the jack stand. You're gonna need the jack in a minute.
2. Remove the wheel.
3. Remove the brake caliper and support it with a rope or something so that the weight is not hanging on the brake line.
4. Remove the brake disc. (Good time to inspect pads and rotor.)
5. Use a floor jack to lift the suspension so that the ball joint is not under pressure from the springs. (If you can move the ball joint by hand, you have lifted it enough.)
6. Now comes the fun. Center punch each rivet head (there are 3)
7. I used a 1/4 inch drill which seemed to be about right. Drill the center of the rivet head until the drill is about 1/4 inch deep.
All you are doing is weakening the rivet head. Do not drill into anything else but the rivet.
8. Using a cold chisel, pop the rivet heads off. Sounds easy, doesn't it?
Trust me, you'll need a hammer. (You’re using safety glasses, right??)
9. Now remove the cotter pin and large nut from the under side of the ball joint. You're gonna need a breaker bar for this one. Make sure your knuckles are not in harms way when this sucker lets loose.
10. Now get up and go to Sears and buy a ball joint "pickle fork" tool that you forgot to get before you started. It's about 15 bucks.
11. OK, that was a pleasant break, now back to work.
12. Using your shiny new pickle fork tool and your favorite hammer, pop the ball joint loose from the casting.
13. At this point, if you are lucky, the ball joint will pop loose from the newly headless rivets. If not, you still have that hammer & chisel handy.
14. Once the old joint is out, use the chisel to cut off the shaft of the now exposed rivets, then pin punch the remaining portion of the rivet out.
15. Install the new joint. Put in all three bolts to hold it to the frame and start the nuts but don't torque them yet. Pick up the nut you just dropped and start it too.
16. Make sure the hole for the lower bolt is clean and not corroded or out of round, then install the lower bolt through the hole.
17. Once the lower nut is started, tighten and torque the 3 attachment bolts. Then tighten and torque the lower bolt.
18. Make damn sure you use the recommended torque on all of these bolts or you could find yourself with a 3 wheeled truck at an inopportune moment.
19. On the lower bolt, torque it to recommended value and check to see if the cotter pin will fit. If not, use that breaker bar again and slightly TIGHTEN the nut until the cotter pin will fit. Never loosen the nut to put in the cotter pin.
20. Now set back for a minute and admire your work. Then put the rotor back on and reinstall the brake caliper. (You did use correct torque on those caliper pins, right?)
21. Put the tire back on and drive slowly and directly to where ever you are going to have the alignment done. Yes you do have to because you just broke every adjustment there is on that wheel. Be happy. You just saved yourself over 100 bucks and you have a new tool.
Disclaimer. This is what I did. Your mileage may vary. Batteries not included.
working under a vehicle can be dangerous. be careful!!!!!!
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