I’m redoing my whole front steering and suspension in on my 01 Ram Sport 4x4. It’s a Dana 44 with 4.10’s 611050. Removed they upper and lower ball joints but the new Detroit Axle lower ball joint has a snap ring but I have no room to install it. The ball joint is seated properly. The lower ball joint that I removed didn’t have a snap ring and the top was just about flush. I also purchased a Delphi TC5370 without a snap ring and it’s to large for the opening. The opening measures 1.749”, the Detroit Axle lower ball joint measure 1.751”, the Delphi is 1.798”.

Rear of the knuckle ball joint opening is .832” front is .708”. Detroit Axle ball joint measures approximately from the lip to the top ball joint at .858” and the Delphi is .868”. As you can see in the pics this how the Detroit axle sits. No room to install the snap ring.

 

It'll be fine. From what I read when I did mine the snap ring is used on other vehicles but not our trucks.

I stared at it for a while too and questioned it but it was fine. Push the new ones in, tighten down the castle nuts, and put a pin through them and away you go.


(I used a brand called mevotech or something)

 

Whole weight of the front end is pushing the inner C against the ball joint, so it won't go anywhere even though there is no snap ring.

 

I know almost all parts are made for multiple vehicles. The factory service manual states to use the snap ring. I did some research and had seen that others have also used the snap ring on their 2nd gen Rams. Since the orginal didn’t use a snap ring is the reason why I tried using the Delphi lower ball joint, which doesn’t fit at least not on mine. I’m surprised no one else has run into this issue. I had thought someone swapped out the front axle for a Dana 60 and after finding the tag I was correct with it being a Dana 44.

 

I can't remember if I used it or not. What I do remember is my upper one came with a small ring to and I didn't use it because you couldn't.