Thanks I'll look into it around here. I don't even know where the nearest dealer is. Probably Kaiserslautern. I'll check. You are quite right: a few Euro more is worth the piece of mind and quick repair.

Getting ahead of ourselves, though. I have to verify that's actually what it is, first! I'm going to try and go do that this afternoon.

 

Answer > Nail > Head

Lower ball joint on driver's side. They want to order me both side ball joints for $170. Just ball joints, no CA. I guess they will press it, themselves. I have problem doing both sides, as it seems pretty logical. However, should I just order online from somewhere? I'm trying to do my research on here right now. Looks like MOOG is the way to go with greaseable joints. Do those come as a unit in the CA?

 

Is this the part I need?:

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...339&cc=1430807

Well, the respective part for the other side, too, obviously. No CA for the lower, just press-in ball joints, correct? Seems I was thinking of upper ball joints with the CA replacement. Hooray for search...

 

Thats the part you need. If its suitable for your application. Moog = beeter than factiry in this instance.
Cant help with the UCA.
If moog make one, once again better than stock.
Al.

 

Thanks, again. Everything I need ordered the other day. Luckily I'm out of town for a few days (and then a few more days), so I won't be driving it much.

 

Mine's been doing it for about a year now, but that's only about 3k worth of driving. Same sound, just like the mattress in a cheap motel. I've been using the truck VERY sparingly, especially since every rotation slings grease from the driver's side CV all over the underside of the truck. I've had pretty much no rubber left on anything under the truck for a while - downside of fishing the intercoastal and slopping salt water around under there.

I had major surgery in December and have had 2 Moog lowers, 2 Moog UCAs and a pair or Cardone CVs in the garage since October. Health is about back to where I should be able to tackle this in the next couple of weeks...

 

Hi bud.
Thought you hadn't been around for a while.
Get well quick and good luck with your repairs brother.
Al.

 

Oh, man... School's had me limiting my internet time, so I haven't been around here as much at all recently (I've also gotten the bug to start slowly building our 2010 JK, which has eaten up my available internet research time). Sorry to hear about your surgery, Hammer. Hope it fixed whatever it was supposed to be fixing!

Question: That's four people now who have had ball joint issues that I know of. All have been driver's side. Is it just coincidence?

 

Yeah surgery in December went well but healing time is like 4 months. I can't blame Dodge, 10 years old, nine of it lifted with 35" tires is hard on IFS front ends and they'd prolly all still be good if I was better on rinsing salt water from underneath after fishing the intercoastal. I ain't had rubber boots in a couple years now. Hell, the boots on tge CVs will fall to pieces if you justvtouch them...

 

I hear you. Mine is 9 years old, so I'm not upset when little things start happening. I don't regularly abuse it, and I do the maintenance on it, but I also don't detail it every week, if you know what I mean. I'm not upset, just slowed down for a bit. It happened at a convenient time, though. Let's hope the parts get here while I am out of town.

Hope you are feeling better.