Brought the Dakota in to get the tires(and a full inspection which paid for and never got) they told me the lower ball joints were going and that i needed a new drivers side tie-rod...wanted 789.00 for 2 ball joints, 1 tie rod end and labor

I had a jeep lifted it and did a transfer case swap so I think I could do it.

any recommendations are parts/ and if i should try to tackle it? or should i see if i can buy the parts and get a shop to do it for 300???

I do like getting stuff from Rock-auto and i don't get the economy parts but always the middle road.

so how many wrenches out of 5 would it be to try this? (i might just do a write up if i do it)

 

its not a terrible job. do you have air tools? if so, its a 2.5 wrench job. if you dont have air tools and a torch, its probably closer to a 4. depending on rust.

A pickle fork will be handy also. and a BFH.

 

Ha ha 2.5. Well I have some access to some tools so it might not be too bad. I do have big breaker bars and 2 bfh's.

I am thinking Moogs parts from rockauto but don't know if grease-able tie rods are worth it? Do you have any other parts for places you think I should go to get these ?

I am assuming most of the work is getting the hub torn apart to get to the ball joints...

I referenced this(there is a series from this guy): for help

Balljoint removal youtube

Thanks!

 

Hit what IT goes thru not the end of the bolt. like tie rod ends into the spindle and the upper ball joint. just tap the side of the part where the bolt goes thru. it will make sense when u look at it.

 

Got it... hit everything but the joint... and my fingers...Parts are in route 150 for ball joints and tie-rods... all greaseable, and moog.. I don't think i can go too wrong.

the only thing i am still un clear of( it will prob make sense when I see it) is how to pull the load off the front shocks without killing myself.

I will see about a write up gotta get me a pickle bar and a ball joint press.

TO AUTOZONE!!

 

they wont spring open that much. your best bet is to put the truck on jack stands and put a jack under the bottom ball joint and seperate the top one. then just let the jack down. its also not a bad idea to leave the nut just barely threaded onto the top ball joint to keep it the knuckle from coming down too fast.

 

ok, got it allllll done, everything in 3 hrs... had 2 guys working on each side at once. makes it a bit quicker. Got it aligned tonight and we are good to go, put new brakes on the front while we were at it.

ONE SMALL PROBLEM.

My ABS light is on now, what gives, could i have broke something while switching them out? all we did was unhook the wires and set the whole hub assembly aside. What should I check?

 

Disconnect the battery for an hour or so.

 

Well it didn't. Work so I suppose now I got to take off each.side and check the connections clean em out, if that doesn't work what should be my next step

 

Just an update, tried the battery did not work, however, I did find that it was on right when I started the truck which makes me think it is a connection issue, since the light did not go on while i was driving.

It did go off last night momentarily when I backed up the truck for some reason. Then it went back on. Then this morning, on my way to work, it beeped at me and blinked once. I think I am going to run to AutoZone and see if they can Diag. today. then go home and take both connectors apart and hit them with some connection cleaner.


EDIT: GOT IT!!!! it was the passenger side ABS connection was not working well.... I hit it with brake cleaner and plugged it back in, drove it 2 miles and the light went out. no more ABS light! woot.