I'm putting together a parts list of everything I may need to change when I install a leveling kit and am seriously considering changing the ball joints. The lower ball joint is readily available as a separate part from the control arm, but the upper ball joint doesn't appear to come as a separate piece, so I have some questions on it:

• Can I pull it out of the upper arm and if yes, what replacement part do I use?
• How reliable is the OEM upper ball joint?
• I'll have about 50,000 miles on the truck when I replace the OEM struts & shocks, should I replace the OEM ball joints at that time as well?
• Should I also include upper & lower control arm bushings at the same time or are they fairly reliable?

 

DONT go with ANY OEM front end part, Alot of use go with Moog due to they are usually greaseable and good quality.
My trucks at 103k/km and I have only replaced 1 ball joint, 1 wheel bearing, 1 Tie rod and both end links other then brakes

 

x2 on using OEM. Stay away from OEM unless you want to be replacing the same parts again. I dont even think you can buy the upper ball joints separate from the control arm. Looks like the new control arms come with bushings.

 

You cannot get just the ball joint for the upper control arm, and you wouldn't want to anyway.

You buy the entire upper control arm, and it is a simple, 3 bolt removal and replacement. 1 nut on the ball joint itself, and one nut for each control arm mounting bolt.

Put the arm off, slide the new one in, bolt it all up.

Fast and easy job. Easier then replacing your brakes IMO.

No alignment needed, the uppers are not adjustable, the entire alignment is done on the lower control arm.

 

Currently, both the upper & lower joints (both sides) appear to be fairly solid, but I'd be interested to know how long the OEM joints last. If they don't last that long, I'd rather plan to change them while I have everything apart so that I won't need to take everything apart again a few months later.

 

Well basically, if the OEM was moog quality, we probably wouldn't have to change for 120k miles. But its not, I have 60k and I can see both my upper balljoints have been done and 1 swaybar link. I can't tell if the lowers have been done, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

Read my recent thread. DONT BUY MEVOTECH. Uppers are easy,loosen the two bolts then loosen the balljoint nut,pop it,loosen it and boom done. Rinse and repeat. I'm going with moogs next time because my uppers aren't holding grease. I hate mevotech,they make junk that can cost you or anyone else your life. Always get greasible,mopar parts are junk.

 

Thanks, I read your thread and when I checked the prices at one of my local parts distributors, some of the Mevotech parts were more expensive than Moog, so it's not much of a contest - poor quality at a higher price isn't something I'd jump at. From everything I'm reading, it looks like I should throw out all the OEM components and do the whole job once.