It's been awhile, but my 98 1500 has just been that good. The ball joints started popping 6 months ago and I have just been waiting until the tires wore out to change them. I borrowed an OEM 3 in 1 puller from Autozone and the c clamp in the kit cannot fit over both adapters. So, I am looking at the cheap Chinese 14 piece kit because they have shorter adapters. Has anyone used them to know if they will work on the upper ball joint on a 98 Ram 1500 2wd? I really don't wamt to buy an expensive set for what is likely to be 1 job.

 

This is the kit I just used on my 1996. I rented it from Advanced auto parts.

 

Unfortunately, the small towns ear me only have NAPA(who won't do tool loans), O'Reilly's and Autozone, which only have the pathetic OEM 3 in 1.

 

Even with this the lower ones were a giant pain in the ***. Refused to press in straight.

 

I appreciate the info on the lower ones. Another part house has a press kit with Dodge specific adapters. My wife is going to drive me in when she gets off work.

 

beat it out some with a hammer and the tool will fit !

 

1) The local Autozone had a "master kit" the counter jerk didn't know about. A very nice and smart young lady got it for me. The adapters worked to press out the lower ball joint, but none fit to press them back in. A machine shop has a Snap On master kit and none of them fit the lower ball joint. The 2 1/8" adapter is to big and ***** sideways. The 2" won't fit over the boot. So, I got a piece of hardened steel and ground a beveled edge on the inside and it fits perfect on the ball joint, but it too small for the adapter that holds it on the C clamp.
No adapter on the OTC or Snap On master kits could work on the upper ball joint because the two "lumps" next to the ball joint keeps the adapter from sitting flat. I broke down and bought two new upper control arms with ball joints. Thankfully a machine shop in Illinois makes them and sell them for $60/piece with a 2 year warranty.
Now, I am hoing back to the machine shop to see if he can flare the botyom of the pipe 1/16" to fit on the C clamp adapter. I talked with 3 local shops who said they had the exact same experience with 2nd gen 1500 2wd Rams and they won't do ball joints on them. They only replace the entire upper and lower control arms. They said Dodge and Honda use non-common size ball joints and make it as difficult as possible.
my truck has been down 3 weeks. I am seriously pissed.

 

Sorry you had such issues. I just played with what was in that kit till I made something work.