My Dodge took a big **** this past week.


I have a 2003 Dodge Stratus SE w/ 2.4 dohc, 197,000 miles.


I was making a right turn out onto the street. I heard a loud BOING! and a snapping sound, and then the smell of burning rubber and the sound of rubbing and scraping filled the interior of the car as I tried to limp it to the nearby side-street.


Now I have super negative camber and rubbing on just the driver's side rear wheel. it had to be towed home. I'll get it apart tonight, but I'm guessing shocks, trailing arms/tie rod type **** broke or something? Is replacing parts in the rear suspension system costly?

 

Depends on what's broke. Find out. Could be just a ball joint let loose. Gotta tear into it and see.

 

I got the wheel off. It is the ball joint. The ball popped out of the upper arm, the hub just dangles loosely


They way you put it, 'could be just a ball joint let loose' leads me to believe I could just press it back in?


I'm having trouble finding the parts to repair it on auto parts sites. I guess I don't know the proper names for all that rear suspension stuff. I just want to repair the ball joint without shelling out $600. Is that possible?

 

If it's just the ball popped out, and there is no other damage, you can replace the joint. You can't pop it bs k in as it will just pop back out again. It is worn beyond its usable life. Go to any auto parts store and ask for a ball joint. They can help you get the correct one and also rent you the ball joint tool you will need to press the old one out and a new one in.

 

Thanks a lot jkeaton. I see where the ball joint presses into the upper arm, and a nut holds it on to the column behind the brake hub. It's starting to make sense now. Can the same tool that presses it in also pull the old remnants of the ball joint out of the upper arm?

 

Yes. The ball joints secure the control arms to the spindle/hub assembly. It should be able to. If not, a big hammer would suffice. Look up some videos on you tune on ball joint replacement. It's not technically difficult but ball joints can be a pain to remove and install.