It can; and I do that every oil change.

But if you don't have to ...

RwP

 

Next question, Ralph:

Given the lower ball joint is stud-up and the upper ball joint is stud-down and, therefore, reduces vertical movement of the wheel assembly once the knuckles are cracked (vs if the studs went in the same direction), do you think there will be enough play to wiggle that wheel assy off the ball joint studs? I know I need to support the lower control arm so the spring doesn't shoot out and cave my skull in so the extra vertical play will have to come from the top. Will that upper control arm flop enough to lift the wheel assy high enough to get it off that lower balljoint stud? Or is there a chance I'll need to completely remove the upper ball joint first?

Hope that question makes sense. It's what I think of when I have all this time waiting for parts to show up. It's also a safety question because I have an incredible amount of respect and fear of that spring and questions are never dumb when it comes to springs of that size.

 

The studs are NOWHERE near as long as the movement of the spindle for a factory truck. Now, if you've got a 4x4 and cranked the torsion bars for 3" of lift, that may not quite be true ...

Leave the shock installed; that spring won't go anywhere. It will serve as a travel limiter.

But you should be able to pull the spindle completely off if you want to.

(You will need a jack under the lower control arm to get it all back together, though; the shock isn't at full extension when the suspension snubber contacts the upper control arm. Matter of fact, there's enough left to get the lower ball joint out at that point, even with the spring installed.)

RwP

 

Excelente and gracias! That reminds me the front snubbers on my truck are rotted out. It's the only rubber pieces I know of on my truck that have rotted out. The rest of them are healthy looking. Don't know why just the snubbers.

 

Probably because the shocks were shot, and a PO kept jumping things. Or just rough roads.

IIRC, Energy Suspension has some poly snubbers available. *peeks* Yes. Front Bump Stops - Dodge Dakota - 5.6102 (energysuspensionparts.com)

I probably have them on my truck also

RwP

 

I like those red ones...nice!

Two sets of two (four total). I know where two of them go but where do the other two go? And I assume the ones without the bolts go in the cups for the lower control arm and are push-ins?? I say that because it's a cup and I saw no way to get a wrench on the bolt side unless you take the spring out. But I admit I haven't looked at it closely.

UPDATE: Went out and carved the rot out of one of those cups. See the bolt head in the cup (from the rotted out bumper?). So they threaded the cup and there's not a loose nut on the other side? Pix shows locknuts on the black ones. No nuts on the red ones.

 

I'd have to go look.

I'll try to remember this weekend as I'm working under it - oil and filter change, front end lube, U-joint lube, and I'm trying to get the cab bushings in (have had them for about five or more years now, they really OUGHT to go on the truck!)

RwP

 

No point rushing into anything, right?

 

You know how them southerners are.

 

I can't talk real loud..... I still have the seat covers that I bought for my truck sitting on shelf, still in the box, 4 years later....... And I'm from Michigan......