I replaced the 2 lower ball joints on my 2WD Dakota this weekend. Drilled out the rivets and all that. I removed the steering knuckles to get at the ball joints. Got it all back together and it steers fine, but there is a bump or clunk type noise when I go over a small bump at low speeds, and when making slow speed turns, like in a parking lot. I don't know what's wrong and I can't see anything loose. I also replaced both sway bar links. If anyone here has any info on this I sure would appreciate it.

Thanks,

Jimmy

Here's a couple pics:

http://img109.imageshack.us/i/009xg.jpg/

http://img3.imageshack.us/i/012htb.jpg/

 

was there a clunk before you replaced them?

if so, sounds like the uppers need replaced as well.

 

No clunk noise before I did the lower ball joints. A tire store told me the uppers were OK but the lowers were shot. They couldn't get it aligned right and checked the lowers and they had a lot of slop, probably half an inch of up and down movement on the tire. The only thing I can think of is it was harder to get the sway bar link re-installed on the right side. Left side went back in just fine, but I had to use a pry bar to get the right side in the hole on the sway bar itself. I think it has to be something with the sway bar, but there was no noise or clunk present before I started this whole ordeal. Thanks for the help.

 

I run 4X4s exclusively and have always had to replace the upper ball joints. Did you take a rubber mallet and tap on the upper spindles? New lower ball joints may have transferred more load to somewhat worn uppers. Looks like you did a nice job on the lowers.

 

If it helps. I just did a whole bunch of work to my 98 4WD and ended up with a clunk. Even though the shocks were new and bolts were tight for some reason it didn't hold the bottom mount tight on one side. (BTW I couldn't tell just by reaching in and grabbing it - I really had to bounce truck!) I just unbolted and turned bottom of shock around and rebolted The 2WD drive is a different set-up but maybe make double sure your shock(s) are tight.

 

Maybe when you take it in to get aligned, they can pin point it.
Did you use the bolts that came with the new joints? I have read where some buy bigger bolts.
Im doing this same install in a few weeks. Did you have to remove the sway bar? And did you try knocking out those with a air hammer before drilling?

 

I thought it had to have something to do with the sway bar links. A clunk type noise when going over bumps and speed bumps was the reason why I replaced them 2 years ago, with Napa Chassis lifetime warranty parts. When I went to do the ball joints I found the left link had a ripped boot. Napa warrantied it for me. The right link stripped out the threads on the control arm end of it when I removed it. Try as I might I could not get a nut back on it when reinstalling it. Now I knew Napa would not honor the lifetime warranty on their sway bar link because of stripped threads, so that's why I just bought a new TRW link from AAP yesterday.

Here's where it gets interesting. I had some difficulty installing the AAP link yesterday/last night. I compared it to the stripped out Napa part in the store and they looked the same. The AAP parts guy compared them too. I put on the new TRW part as tight as I could. It appeared the shaft end was seated in the hole on the control arm like it should be. When I drove it last night there was a pretty bad bump/clunk noise when turning and going over bumps. This made me think something could also be wrong with the new ball joints I had worked so hard to install, or maybe the uppers were toasted too.

I took the day off work today and took another good look at the whole front end. The Napa sway bar link didn't look the same on the truck as the AAP one. I removed the AAP one and compared again to the Napa part, there was an obvious difference in the length on the control arm ends and the round joint end was larger too. So I went back to AAP and we looked at the receipt, made sure it was the right part number and all that. Then we compared the part I bought yesterday to a Moog link, they appeared the same. The AAP guy then got another TRW link and I finally noticed that the one I bought yesterday had a different curve in it than the other TRW part from the shelf today. One curved towards the stud end for the control arm and the other one curved away from it. So they exchanged the parts for me and apolgized for the mistake. It was a classic case of the wrong part in the right part numbered box.

I got back home and put the new link on, it fit exactly like it should. I took a test drive and there were no more bumps or clunk nor any noise of any kind. I went on to the tire store where I have a 3 year alignment policy that doesn't expire until November this year. They aligned it for me, the steering wheel is perfectly centered and straight and the steering is nice and tight, and is just as responsive as a new truck. That was the reason I replaced the ball joints, after rotating the tires two weeks ago, the steering wheel was crooked. I had not noticed any noise/bump or loose steering problems. The alignment guy at the tire store showed me the bad ball joints and said there was no way to align it properly and straighten the steering wheel until the ball joints were replaced.

So the moral of the story is, when buying parts get a really good look when comparing the old to the new. The other moral of the story is this was a very hard job to do, drilling out the rivets and installing new lower ball joints with nuts and bolts. Add to it the aggravation of having to exchange and R&R the sway bar links and it became a real irritating experience. I broke a lot of drill bits and my knuckles look like I was in a bar fight but I persisted and was very patient with the job and myself and I won the battle of the ball joints. It probably would have cost 700 or 800 bucks in parts and labor to do what I did for about $210, which includes the cost of the cut off wheels, electric right angle grinder, right angle drill and a 7/16" cobalt drill bit I had to buy, $106.00 for the new TRW ball joints and $24.00 for the new sway bar link from AAP. It would still have cost at least 350 or 400 bucks per side if I had paid a shop to replace the whole lower control arm assemblies.

I'm glad I was able to get this fixed myself. Thanks everybody for the help here.

 

^^ I had a similar issue ones with Napa parts. Got a rear brake rotor for a Grand Am. The part number on the box was correct, but the rotor was a vented, 4 lug rotor. The grand am has solid rear 5 lug rotors. Go figure.