My '98 2wd has 198,000 miles and it's time to replace all 4 ball joints. Because it's been squeaking when hitting bumps, I'm also doing upper a-arm bushings.
1. I've heard conflicting ideas on drilling/grinding the rivets out of the old ball joints. What is the easist method? I have a 4 1/2" angle grinder with either grinding or cutoff wheels. I also have an air hammer if needed. Any hints?
2. For the bushings, I've been told it can be a not-so-fun job. I'm assuming I'll need a spring compressor to unload the a-arms, correct? Any other tips to make it as painless as possible? I will, of course, be getting a front alignment when it's all done.

Power steering--it's getting very difficult to steer when idling but it gets easier as the RPM's increase. I suspected the P/S pump but was told by a mechanic (who did not actually inspect it) that it was probably the rack and pinion. How do I know if it's the rack vs. the pump, and do I have to replace both at the same time as the mechanic suggested?

Thanks!

 

Main thing is you are in a cramped wheel well that’s what makes it so hard, I don’t like the grinding them off because that grinding wheel will be all over the place grinding all it touches unless you are good at that kind of thing. I’m NOT

Bushings I didn’t do... that will be later but I hear that’s not fun also.

But it beats paying $900 to a shop.

Those rivets are not easy to remove unless you have some nice power tools.

Top are not so bad bottom are hard very hard to do
Remember you will be beating on this thing so make sure the truck is on solid strong jack stands I used big 6 Ton stands very big solid stands

 

I have heard/read that an air chisel makes short work of the rivet heads. When I did my ball joints I just used a 4 1/2" electric angle grinder and ground the rivet heads off. There were a couple that I could not get to very easily with the grinder, so I just used a hammer and chisel on those. Once I removed the rivet heads I started with about a 3/16" cobalt drill bit, drilled a hole down through the body of the rivet, then I kept changing out the bit, going one or two sizes bigger, drilling it out bigger each time with my electric right angle and regular electric drills. I went to Home Depot and bought a large cobalt or tungsten some kind of hardened drill bit, I think it's a 7/16", but it has a reduced shank to fit a 3/8" drill. I used that bit for the final drilling on each rivet and they fell out of the control arm onto my garage floor. A little cutting oil would probably help in the drilling too, but I didn't have any of that.

I have never done the bushings either, no info there, sorry. 98 Dak is absolutely right, you will be drilling and pounding on the truck pretty hard to get the rivets out. Be sure the truck is supported very securely before you get started on the job.

When I did my ball joints, I took a few pics and posted a write-up about it here:

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...to-w-pics.html

Maybe that post will help you with your truck. Good luck. Let us know how it turns out or if you have any more questions.

Jimmy

 

Be careful drilling the rivets out you don’t want to damage the holes by enlarging them.

01SilverCC has a great post on the lower ball joints here
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...to-w-pics.html

I found a great guide on the top ball joints here http://www.rp95.com/BJ_replacement.pdf

 

Great writeup, 01SilverCC, thanks very much! As for the upper bushings, will I have to compress the spring? Just need to know whether or not to borrow one for the job.

 

Dont use a spring compressor tool just lower with a good floor jack works just fine thats what I did I tried the compressor with not so good results

How to Replace Springs on a Dodge Dakota

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Things You'll Need
Jack, Jack stands, Open-end wrench set, Sledgehammer, Replacement springs


1 Park the Dakota on a level concrete or asphalt surface, then apply the parking brake. Lift the front of the Dakota using a jack and put jack stands under the frame. Take off the front wheels using the tire iron and set them out of the workspace.


2 Unbolt the shock absorber from the frame and the lower control arm using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket and an open-end wrench, then remove the shock from the front suspension. Unbolt the stabilizer bar from the lower control arm with an open-end wrench.

3 Unbolt the steering linkage from the front spindle with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket. Position the jack under the lower ball joint on the lower control arm. Lift the jack until it touches the ball joint. Unbolt the lower control arm ball joint from the spindle with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket, and then strike the side of the spindle with the socket to separate the spindle from the lower control arm.

4 Lower the jack with the lower control arm slowly to gradually release tension on the coil spring. Pull the spring out from the front suspension with your hands. Install the replacement coil spring into the front suspension and then lift up the jack to lift up the front suspension. Connect the lower control arm to the spindle with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket and then remove the jack.

5 Reinstall the stabilizer bar to the lower control arm with an open-end wrench. Reinstall the steering linkage with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket. Reinstall the front shocks with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket and an open-end wrench. Reinstall the front wheels with the tire iron and lower the Dakota off the stands with the jack.

 

You guys are simply awesome. Wouldn't have thought I could get by without a compressor, but that's good to know. I'm gonna go ahead and replace the shocks as well, and this truck should feel like a new one!
Thanks again for all the info.

 

Im doing everything this weekend..one part broke, so I have to find a junk yard piece.

Two things i can say; use air/angle grinder, cut a cross in the top of the rivet, chisel off, punch the remaining rivet out.

If you do lowers, and they are the same as a 4wd, see if you know someone with a Rotary lift. The extension tubes for the pads to hit your frame are PERFECT for pressing in the new joints. I will write up everything in the next day or two.

 

His Dakota is a 2wd not 4X4

There are many ways to get the rivets out /off choose one that works with the tools you have available and you have the ability’s to perform.

Some people would not do so well with a grinder or cutting wheel unless you are familiar with the use of the tool.

 

Well, guys, thank you for all your input and I got 'er dun this afternoon with my 14 year old son helping. We did the driver's side on Saturday and it took HOURS, not to mention dealing with rain a good share of the time. Those rivets are a PAIN IN THE NECK, as are the upper bushings! It wasn't much of a problem getting the rivet heads knocked off, but drilling and punching them really can take some time until you find the knack for it. Then trying to press those bushings out/into the A-arm--ARGHHH!
Today it went better on the passenger side, but still was quite time-consuming. I managed to break off one drill bit in one of the lower rivets, so that REALLY made my day but finally got that one punched out, too. Again, the bushings were a nightmare.
One tip that I found for getting the rivets to let loose was after I drilled them out (and by the way, do NOT drill all the way through the bottom, that only makes it worse!) I took a hammer and smacked the ball joint both directions a time or two to loosen it up, then they punched out a lot easier and did not damage the holes.
Oh, and for this side I removed the upper A-arm and put it in a vise to do the punching since it had to come out for the bushings anyway. It made it much easier.