Mike98
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/03/2009
13:42:33
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 Subject: Ball joint tool
IP: Logged
Message:
I came across a great time-saver for changing the ball joints in a 2WD Dakota. It's the "TIE ROD AND PITMAN ARM PULLER" from harbor freight, which I picked up for about $5. Works for the upper ball joints, and looks like it also fits the lowers and tie rod ends.
I recently decided it was time to replace the uppers with the greasable MOOG ones. I spent a whole day doing just one side, with at least an hour wasted hammering at the old ball joint with a pickle fork (which destroyed the boot) and trying to fit a C-clamp to it. Wasted so much time that I didn't have time to do the other side that week, so I took it in for an alignment. Turned out I also had bad control arm bushings, so I was going to have to re-remove the control arm without destroying the new ball joint.
Normally I'm not a fan of cheap tools, but since I never plan on doing the ball joints again I gave this tool from Harbor Freight a try. It made the job a thousand times easier. So you don't need the special tools like it says in the FSM.
Also I'll report that I had good luck with the Energy Suspension control arm bushing set, and highly recommend them vs. the rubber ones. Found them to be lower priced than buying all 8 bushings individually, plus they are a better material than rubber. On the uppers I used a drill to chew up the old rubber bushing within the control arm, and a screwdriver to pick it out of the metal shell. Then I just pressed the new bushing into the shell by hand, and pressed the inner shell far enough to thread the nut onto the pivot shaft. Tightening the nut presses the inner shell in the rest of the way. I didn't do the lowers, and probably never will, but they also came with the set.
All in all I definitely recommend having a puller tool to work on the ball joints. And if you're going to bother replacing the ball joints, you may as well do the bushings as well. Plus, it's a lot easier to grind/drill the ball joint rivets with the control arm in a vice, instead of on the truck.
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