I am way past due for working on my front suspension. I have a 98 Ram 1500 4X4 with 189,000 miles. I bought the truck with 44,000 miles on it so everything is factory. I am going to start off with doing upper and lower ball joints. With what I have read I think I should replace the hubs and u-joints while I have it apart. I am hoping that the guy’s that have done this already could let me know if there is anything else I should replace while I am in there.

Thanks

Ray

 

-control arm bushings
-sway bar and link bushings
-steering damper/stabilizer shock

 

maybe axle seals. drivers side is at the pumpkin. passenger at the cad. you'll need to make a seating tool from heavy threaded rod. regardless of new or old seals, be very very gentle reinserting axles as its easy and common to damage the seals.

http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech/axleseal.php

 

I would do axle u-joints since it has such millage. Mine went at about 115k...

 

depending on how much you wanna do id do the stuff u sed the stuff everyone else sed and tye rods too im sure there starting to go with 189000 miles on them with all that youll practley have a new front end lol

 

Ok, So I look at the front end a little more last night. With the help from a co-worker I was able to see a lot of play in my steering linkages.The ball joints in the tie rods are gone, the track bar as well. Likestated above, looks like I am going to have a new front end when I am done. So my next question is does anyone know where I can get a kit that will have most or all of the steering parts as well as a ball joint kit. I believe that steering should be the place to start due to the play I saw. The truck is a 98 Dodge RamSport1500 4x4 I beleve they come with a two inch stock lift.

Thanks for all your help
Ray

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...172&rd=1,1

This is the only thing I could find so far

Ray

 

i dont think there is really a pkit per say but if you go into your oarts store with a list and tell them what you all need they can make you one lol.

play in the steering is realy obvous however play in other spots isent so much, if i were you id try to do it all at once because your going to need an alinment after and ittl be bedt if dont with all the new part on

 

So I ordered all my steering parts today. This weekend Ihit a bump and the truck started to shake bad,I was wondering if I put the track bar and steering parts on before I do the Shocks, Ball joints and Hubs will that cause them to go bad? Thanks for your help

Ray

 

One stop shop is the way to go. With 189,000 miles, it owes you nothing. If you're going as deep as the u-joints, go for it all. Yeah you could save a lot of money by using your hub bearings again and never sieze them real good just in case but if you got the dough put in new ones. Asfor what everyelse said, I agree. Ball joints, tie rods, u-joints, shocks, bushings, brakes, rotors, bearings and perhaps axles seals. The axles seals and possible removal of the hub bearing are going to be the biggest PITA of the whole job. Soak the hub bearings the night before and the day of with PB. Good Luck. It will be worth it as it will run smooooth and be done.