I have a 2004 Dakota 4x4 with 80k. I just replaced tires and shocks. The front end is "clunking" now and the noise kind of vibrates up to the steering wheel. I'm assuming I need new ball joints since I have read a lot about Dodge ball joints being bad. I checked and there is no recall. A few questions:

1) Whats typical mileage for ball joint replacement?
2) is the lower one a ball joint replacement, or the whole arm??
3) Could the noise just be worn tie rod ends? (the tie rods twist kind of freely)
4) I jacked the tire off the ground an took a lager set of channel locks to squeeze the ball joints and they didn't move. Is this the right way to test?
5) could it be the stearing box and how do I check that?

Thanks in advance for your help

 

Anyone?? Hellooo is this thing on? Helloooo

 

lol.... its on bud. I wish i knew about suspension, but it is not one of my strong points. Sorry...

 

aright jack up the front end of the dakota, now with each tire, move it side to side, this is how you check your tie rod ends, any play, they're bad, another way to check is with the truck on the ground, engine running, have someone up in the cab turn tthe wheel back and forth 6 inches and look at your tie rods and see if there is any "delay" in movement... now to check your ball joints with the truck up in the air, take a steel bar, prefebly 4 feet long, shove it under the tire and lift, if the tire rocks, ball joints are worn... as simple as that

 

You Rock! One last thing, can they be bad at 80K miles? Or is this around the time they should be changed?

BYW, the Hello post was a spoof on Homer Simpson

 

Ball joints- DO NOT BUY PARTS PLUS BALL JOINTS- BUY OEM MOPAR OR MOOG!!! unless you get a kick out of changing them!!! Also when checking them, make sure you unload the ball joints-in other words if the coil spring is pushing down on the control arm you won't feel any play unless they are really worn! Jack up on the lower control arm and do one side at a time.


If you put aggressive tires on it- I.E. mudders or anything over 30"- that is the source of your noise.

 

Actually, I found out what the noise was. I put a wrench on the lower shock bolt and tightened it about 1/8 of a turn, and whala. The noise went away. When I installed the shocks, I tightened them, I thought, as much as I could but, maybe with the break-in and movement, i was able to get one more small crank on them. Anyway, I still think I need ball joints. Is there a standard milage where they should be replaces? Like plugs every 30k and oil every 3k. Do ball joints have a limit?

Thanks guys.

 

I had my lower ball joints replaced on my 04 Dak QC at about 60k miles, to give you a point of reference. Both had noticeable play.