Time for New Control Arms
#21
03-17-2011, 08:35 PM
As I said earlier, it would make sense for anyone with low mileage to get a grease gun needle and grease the factory ball joints. They die at 50k because there dry, period. It's a simple ball joint, as long as it stays greased, it lasts. Better to have a tiny hole in the boot then run a ball joint dry.
#22
03-17-2011, 09:31 PM
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#24
03-17-2011, 10:10 PM
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Kent, trust me, my truck has alot of miles on it and the leveling kit didnt cause the problem. I would say the leveling kit finished it off, but it was on its way out.
My front end has been clunking, but most of it was coming from the sway bar. I have greasable bushings on the way. This past week I started hearing an aweful noise from the front end, so I pulled the sway bar off. The sound went away I thought, but the next day it was back and sure enough I could grap the top control arm and move it up and down. The uppers are still factory, and have 120k on them. Any stock suspension part that lasts that long (especially on a Dakota) is good in my book. I dont blame the leveling kit. The lowers went out around 90k. Tie rods are still factory, and will be replaced this summer when I have some extra cash floating around.
My front end has been clunking, but most of it was coming from the sway bar. I have greasable bushings on the way. This past week I started hearing an aweful noise from the front end, so I pulled the sway bar off. The sound went away I thought, but the next day it was back and sure enough I could grap the top control arm and move it up and down. The uppers are still factory, and have 120k on them. Any stock suspension part that lasts that long (especially on a Dakota) is good in my book. I dont blame the leveling kit. The lowers went out around 90k. Tie rods are still factory, and will be replaced this summer when I have some extra cash floating around.
#28
03-17-2011, 11:08 PM
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#29
03-18-2011, 08:59 AM
It's a needle nose adapter. You can buy them for any grease gun. Some question how effective they actually are though, and whether it can grease a sealed ball joint well. Plus it makes that tiny hole in the boot. You just push the needle into the boot and grease it until full.