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Ball Joints AGAIN!

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  #1  
Old 03-23-2009, 07:29 PM
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Default Ball Joints AGAIN!

If you guys remember my past posts about ball joints then you might remember that im going through joints like water. Had my oil changed recently, and the shop tech says you need to replace your ball joints soon. Now, i havent personally checked my joints yet to make sure hes not ****ting on me. But, if i go ahead and replace my joints this will be number 5 within the past two years. That is insane!

Can anyone sermise why im going through ball joins like this. Keep in mind, this ram does not see off road, except for snow during season, and the occasional grass/ light mud while turning around or what have you. This ram is mainly on street and strip. I do not abuse this truck so im pretty lost. Last time we dicusses this it was decided that i was being given ****ty ball joints. Last change i made sure to get non ****ty joints, payed well out of pocket for these joints, and i got just over 15k from them.

Ideas, could somthing else need to be changed that could effect the joints? I also was told my front u joints need to be replaced...they were replaced a year ago. I was thinking about replacing my front coils and shocks due to age. Could they be effecting my joints?
 
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Old 03-23-2009, 07:55 PM
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Shocks may need replacing depending on how long its been, but to my knowledge coils rarely need replacement unless you are heavily using them (off-roading heavily maybe or plowing). Not sure if either wearing out would effect the ball or u joints.

The guy who previously owned my truck did a lot of bouncing through his corn fields, my shocks and rear driver's side (since thats where all the weight on a Dodge is located, the driver's side) leaf spring were completely shot.

My front coil springs were perfectly fine though, not a single issue. I even replaced the front driver's side one, thinking maybe that would help my leaning to one side issue. Turns out it did absolutely nothing, all I needed to do was replace the driver's side leaf spring.

I went to Meineke when I first got the truck, and they replaced the u-joints and ball joints (all fronts were bad). My ball joints came with a Lifetime Warranty, so if I ever have problems with them again, I can take it back to Meineke. U-joints only came with a 1 year, which I figured is good enough since they are a common wear item.
 
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Old 03-23-2009, 08:15 PM
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maybe ill check meineke out. Cuz this is rediculous, there is no reason for my joints needing to be replaced this much for my use of my truck. People at the shop keep saying its my tires. I can hardly believe that 33 inch tires on the road would kill my joints.
 
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Old 03-23-2009, 08:37 PM
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Old 03-23-2009, 08:40 PM
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They shouldn't. There are guys that run bigger tires that don't eat joints.

Ask Meineke for the lifetime warranty ball joints, and make sure they'll honor the warranty if they go again before you agree to any work. I didn't even ask for them, I just got the receipt after they replaced them and it says clearly Limited Lifetime for the ball joint warranty.
 
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Old 03-23-2009, 08:41 PM
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Aint a bad price for a kit.
 
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Old 03-23-2009, 08:43 PM
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Hmm ill def check in with meineke. I knew my tires wouldnt kill my joints like this.

Purple, thanks man thats good for my u joints but they dont have a ball joint kit for my year... i guess 1999 to 2000 though isnt a bit of a difference though.
 
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Old 03-23-2009, 08:47 PM
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What's a shop charge for 4 new ball joints in stalled? $140.00 for the joint I think when mine go I'm going to see if the guy I take them to will put them on for me.
 
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Old 03-23-2009, 08:48 PM
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the good joints i paid for was 200 each...then plus labor
 
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Old 03-23-2009, 08:48 PM
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Originally Posted by dodge15004x45.9
Aint a bad price for a kit.
That is the kit Im getting.
 


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