Hey everyone,

I have a 02 Ram 1500 and i'm trying to replace the upper and lower ball joints. I purchased the whole replacement setup off ebay for a decent price. But after taking the truck apart and getting to the lower ball joint I find that it's the version that is riveted in place and there isn't a way that I see to press it out. I guess the big question is does anyone know what I can find the ball joint with that new arm and the bolts to bolt it back on? All my local auto parts stores look at me funny and I can't even find any online.


Thanks

 

So even the dealer is telling me that I have to press the ball joint out, since the the whole unit looks like it's cast the only way I see to get it out would be to pull it out of the control arm not press it since the backside is covered in metal.

Do I have to replace the whole control arm just to get this right?

 

you should be able to gind off the rivets and rent a ball joint press from like auto zone or someting like that.then press the old one out and press the new one in. then if you have holes in the new one put bolts in even if you have to go buy them at the hardware store.All the ones i've ever did they didn't have bolt holes in the new ones so i just put them together and ran it without them.i never had any problems after that with them comeing apart. if you think your are different maybe you could post some pics

 

Do you really have to grind the rivets? Can't you just grind cap off of joint and press out? I'm about to go through this and I've gotten different ways, some say to take rivets out and some just press out joint.

 

I looked at mine today and it looks like you could just press the old one out and then the new one in.it looks like you could leave the riveted plate still riveted in the arm

 

yes, you press them right out...it looks like a cap but is part of the balljoint....don't touch the rivets...

 

Thanks guys

 

Replaced the lowers yesterday on 02 Ram 1500. Pressed the old ones out and pressed the new ones in. Chefred112 is correct. No need to touch the rivets.

 

when you pressed them out, what position was the knuckle/spindle? did you have to disconnect the tie-rods or anything because when I rented the c-clamp looking tool, I couldn't line up the adapter ring to press the lower out (while everything was still attached)