I tried doing a search and found no real information. I have recently had to relocate to an apartment, all my tools, including my jack are in storage and I think I need to replace my upper balljoints. I called down to Firestone and they say that you have to replace the entire upper control arm.... I have an '08 1500 w/ 4.7. I look around on-line and you can purchase just the ball joint, but is this going to be a waste of time. I'm already a little irritated at the fact I am replacing ball joints at 80k miles, but Firestone now wants $900 plus an alignment to replace upper control arms / ball joints. Has anyone else done this?

 

Some guys swear they don't come off. I've never done my own, they are still in great shape but I did a friends '05 and the uppers came right off with a pickle fork. No problem pressing the new one on either, just used a press borrowed from Advance.

And as far as having to replace ball joints at 80k miles, don't be a hater, I had a Furd truck in the mid '90s couldn't go 30k without needing them...

 

I'm assuming the 1500 and 3500's are different, however I JUST had my 3500's BJ's replaced without having to replace the control arm. They had no issues pulling them. I installed MOOG's.

 

The parts list for our 2008 1500 (4x2 or 4x4) does not specify an upper balljoint, only the entire upper assembly, whereas there is a part number for the lower balljoint. Also, the '06-08 UCA is significantly different than the rest if the 3rd gens. Looking at mine when I installed the spindles, the balljoint does not appear to be pressed in, but rather it looks to be a part of the control arm. $900 sounds like a bit much just to swap out the control arms, but I do not think they are lying to you.

 

You would be correct in assuming that they are different. Even in '08, the 2500, 3500 and "1500" megacab still used the same UCAs as the pre-'06 1500. They could be used on either the left or right-hand side interchangeably, and the balljoints (while not specifically stated anywhere that I can find) appear to be replaceable, as Hammer stated earlier.

 

1500s must replace the entire assembly for the upper. Only the lower BJ pops out

 

Ok I am confused. I have an 08 1500 quad cab 4x4 with the 5.7. I went to advanced and bought uppers and lowers and they are just the ball joints. Their computer did not show a complete assembly and rock autos site didn't show a complete assembly either. I don't know if I should take these uppers back and try to find a complete assembly or not? I would really hate to start to get into this project and not have the right parts.

 

Looking at rockauto.com, I see ONLY full assemblies under suspension > control arm. There is only one part listed under suspension > balljoints for "upper", and they appear to be for a megacab, which uses a different UCA. Again, even if you could get the upper balljoint out, I don't know how you would get a new one back in.

 

What is the P/N and brand you bought for the upper BJ? Look them up on the manufactures site and see what they are listed for.

 

oh I was just looking at suspension>ball joints. I couldn't tell how you knew if they were for the mega cab or not. I seen some that 8 lug which I believe is mega cab but some that said 5 lug were also listed.