2000 durange lower ball joint replacement

[mishajm]

Do you have to replace the whole control arm when replacing the lower ball joint? Does anyone have the instructions or manual page(s) that show how to change them. Don't really want to have to buy the whole book. Thanks alot.

[john4.7]

You can't do the balljoints yourself unless you have a press because the balljoints get pressed out of the control arm and the control arm is reused. However, you're in luck you don't need pay for it because it has recently become a recall thanks to the nhtsa pressuring Chrysler. The recall is on the uppers though. I asked about the bottoms and was told that they aren't the problem. Just call up your local dealer and make an appointment. I just had mine done on recall and I had the same questions you did. I'm glad I could help.

[mishajm]

Yes I had my upper ball joints replaced and they told me that my lowers needed replaced too. I just don't want to pay all that money out!!! Please help.

[john4.7]

That's wierd I asked about the lowers and I was told that they aren't the source of everybody's problem. How much do they want to charge you to do them? It sucks that the recall doesn't relate to the bottom ones to. Did you pay to have the uppers done or get them done on recall. If you paid to have them done Chrysler will reimburse you for the money you had to pay. Maybe that could help offset the cost of doing the lowers!

[mishajm]

I didn't pay to have my uppers replaced I had them done on the recall, they want to charge me $450.00 to replace my lowers. They said they had to replace the control arm also they couldn't just replace the ball joints.

[john4.7]

Is it the dealer that told you the control arm had to be replaced too. I would get a second opinion just to be safe. I know the tops get pressed out so it seems odd that the bottoms couldn't be. I wonder if it could possibly be another problem too. Sometimes they don't get it right. I have a 2000 too and don't have a problem with the lowers. When tops were done drove like new vehicle.

[mishajm]

Hey thanks alot for your help.

[cousincletus]

You can remove the control arm, take it to a machine shop and let them press in the balljoints. Then reinstall yourself. Would be way cheaper than $450.

[steelerguy]

Originally Posted by cousincletus

You can remove the control arm, take it to a machine shop and let them press in the balljoints. Then reinstall yourself. Would be way cheaper than $450.

About what would that cost be? How do you know a good shop? Is removng the torsion bars a big deal on the 4wd? I get horror stories from the shops.

[gost]

I would get a second opinion for sure. I had the recall done and they came up with a ton of other things they said I needed to do but either ended up not being needed or I did simply and cheaply (like the serp belt,dodge $100, myself $30) ALL dealers are crooks. They have to make money especially when you come in for a recall. They only get a fixed amount from the factory for the joints and they try to make it up by ripping the customer off. I hate those guy's. I Have never ever found an honest dealer's shop!!

[Flash75]

Find a good alignment shop and have them change the ball joints. Ask for an estimate first. They will recommend you also have a wheel alignment but you need a wheel alignment if the ball joints are changed.

Clifton

[mytruckco]

I did the ball joints (uppers and lowers) on our 99 durango after getting several quotes. Never done em before and I had everything done inside 4 hrs. Used to have to replace the upper control arm, but not anymore. I went to car quest and bought moog joints, uppers and lowers. I rented a press, and pickle fork, from autozone (you pay for the tool and get a full refund when you return it). I looked at a chiltons manual for some info on torques.

Take off wheel, remove calipers, remove hub and axle assemble (one nut connects hub to the axle). You will need to remove the axle as well. It is held on by 6 bolts just outside the differential housing, then just drop it down and slide it out of the hub. Take off the castle nuts on the ball joints, then using the pickle fork placed under the grase boots, give a few ahrd whacks to release the joint from the spindle. The press, which looks like a giant c-clamp with some pieces of what look like short pipes are then used to press out the ball joint from the control arm. The piece of pipe goes over the threaded providing so the press is not pushing on both sides of the joint at the same time. It takes a pretty good amount of torque on the clamp to move the ball joint. Installation is just the reverse. Uppers are a liitle different. The bal joint was riveted to the control arm. The new joint comes with bolts. You take a grinder and grind the tops off the rivets, then just whack the ball joint with a hammer and it will fall off the control arm. Make sure you frind away the rivet but not the arm. took me about 5 minutes with a grinder. The new ball joint just bolts into the old rivet holes.

Assemble everthing the opposite of how you took it off, then go get an alignment. You will need one if the joints were indeed bad. The Chiltons manual from pepboys helped me a lot. It was cheap and had some good explanations. Lots of times they have an open one you can just go look at. the public library may also have one.

[steelerguy]

Originally Posted by mytruckco

I did the ball joints (uppers and lowers) on our 99 durango after getting several quotes. Never done em before and I had everything done inside 4 hrs. Used to have to replace the upper control arm, but not anymore. I went to car quest and bought moog joints, uppers and lowers. I rented a press, and pickle fork, from autozone (you pay for the tool and get a full refund when you return it). I looked at a chiltons manual for some info on torques.

Take off wheel, remove calipers, remove hub and axle assemble (one nut connects hub to the axle). You will need to remove the axle as well. It is held on by 6 bolts just outside the differential housing, then just drop it down and slide it out of the hub. Take off the castle nuts on the ball joints, then using the pickle fork placed under the grase boots, give a few ahrd whacks to release the joint from the spindle. The press, which looks like a giant c-clamp with some pieces of what look like short pipes are then used to press out the ball joint from the control arm. The piece of pipe goes over the threaded providing so the press is not pushing on both sides of the joint at the same time. It takes a pretty good amount of torque on the clamp to move the ball joint. Installation is just the reverse. Uppers are a liitle different. The bal joint was riveted to the control arm. The new joint comes with bolts. You take a grinder and grind the tops off the rivets, then just whack the ball joint with a hammer and it will fall off the control arm. Make sure you frind away the rivet but not the arm. took me about 5 minutes with a grinder. The new ball joint just bolts into the old rivet holes.

Assemble everthing the opposite of how you took it off, then go get an alignment. You will need one if the joints were indeed bad. The Chiltons manual from pepboys helped me a lot. It was cheap and had some good explanations. Lots of times they have an open one you can just go look at. the public library may also have one.

mytrucko, is yours a 4wd? I have a haynes manual & it says to disconnect the torsion bars. I like your method better if it will work. Think I'll check out the chiltons manual also.