I am trying to remove/press out the front ball joints on my 1999 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 with a Dana 60 axle. All the videos on youtube don't have the same setup up as me. My ball joints are installed in the opposite direction with the upper ball joint bolt, pointing upwards, while everyone else's upper bolt is facing down. I also have a strange washer like thing on top of my bolt which I am unsure on how to remove. Can someone please advise me?

Some type of nut/washer?

 

I believe the additional bushing there is for alignment purposes. Make sure to mark its orientation before removing it. No clue about the strange washer..... maybe used for turning the bushing?? (yeah, before it has had 20 years to rust in place......)

Get two large hammers. Hold one against the side of the "C" on the axle, where the ball joint passes thru, use the other to SMACK the opposite side as hard as you can swing it. Two or three good whacks should break it loose. Do the same for the lower joint, make sure the axle can pull out of the hub/bearing before trying to remove it though, otherwise, it will pull out of the axle itself, and can be fun to get back in properly, without destroying the seal, that is a MAJOR ordeal to change.

 

Yeah, I am wondering if that bolt is actually threaded through that washer...
And what is the purpose of the slot that is on the top of that bolt?

 

I don't think it is threaded on there, but, I wouldn't be surprised if it hasn't 'become one' with the rest of it.

Bushing is slotted so it is ostensibly 'easier to remove.' Considering how long it has been in there, 'easier' is going to be pretty relative. The bushing itself I do believe the hole the balljoint goes thru is off-centered, so you can use it to adjust camber, to an extent. That's why I suggest marking it's position, and reinstalling it in the same spot. (assuming it even comes out at all. )

 

So it wasn't threaded on there but the hammer thing didn't work either. I was able to put a nut on top of the bolt and just hit the nut with a hammer "it came out easy btw", thus hammer the knuckle down and out of the axle. Unlike all the other dodge ball joint videos I have watched, my ball joints were mounted in the knuckle and not the axle.

So now I am looking at this front end and I am seeing a lot of shady looking parts but don't know what they are or if they need to be replaced. Truck has 190K miles. I am constantly maintaining the wheel while driving because the steering wheel turns side to side a lot. Truck just doesn't drive straight like it used to. What would be the cause of that? And what are these parts called because I think they need to be replaced.

 

Those would be stabilazer bar links. Rubber parts are well rotted, but probably don't have much play, yet, but it will be there. Usually those lower ball studs wear out and have some play.

IIRC it was 2001 when ball joints switched their location.

There are lot of things that have affect on steering, but I'd say that it's the notoriously badly designed track bar that causes your steering wander. Get a helper to turn steering wheel back and forth, and look for loose ends on track bar, and while you're there, check all the tie rod ends, too.

 

Some video I took, not sure if the play is bad.