How To Replace Upper Ball Joint - Dodge Durango (’00-’03) & Dodge Dakota (’00-’04)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- This video is a step by step guide on how to replace the front upper ball joint on an ’03 Dodge Durango. This video applies to all 2000 to 2003 Dodge Durango and 2000 to 2004 Dodge Dakota rear wheel drive and 4x4 variants.
This is a very basic & simple job that can be done in less then a half hour, even if you take your time, with simple hand tools in your driveway. It is recommended that you get an alignment after performing this procedure, or any time you disassemble front suspension or steering components. An alignment that is out of spec by .5 a degree can have drastic effects on your tire wear & longevity.
Correction: Around 4:54 I incorrectly stated that the socket was a 15/16" socket. It's actually a 5/16" socket. Thanks to Jeffery Powell & John Barns for pointing that out.
My "''03 Dodge Durango 4.7L Repair & Maintenance" Playlist:
• '03 Dodge Durango 4.7L...
Ball Joint: MOOG K7392
The information in this video is for educational purposes only. Pet Rock assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use the information in this video at your own risk. Pet Rock recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Pet Rock. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Your video was the 4th one I watched and I found it to be the best for clear and concise instruction. Thanks for your help.
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it. I'm glad my video helped you out.
Thanks for the vid, but mine did not come off like this, makes it look way too easy. It took a torch, a pickle fork, a sledge, and my fat ass hanging onto 5' jack handle as a pry bar and it still took effort! Then I had to fight like all hell to get jack handle base to line up so I could get the handle back in. Split my hand open... That said, anyone reading this, be prepared or risk being stuck without a vehicle. Yes it was clean, no I am not in the rust belt.
Wow, your truck took your for a ride. Good to know you got it done. I would say your experience is an exception, not the norm. But you are right in that when doing any work on your vehicle there is a chance that it can take longer then expected.
Maybe it was easy for him, because he is an expert.
what really impressed me was the audio editing, the instructions were really clear, exact and concise. Perfect for someone who wants to be extremely efficient.
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
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@Marco Roy Yup, been using Instaflixxer for months myself :D
Thanks, Boss The dealership told me that my right upper control arm ball joint was worn out, ok that's fine cheap easy fix right? Because I don't have the time to do it myself..... Nope, they want to charge me $494.50 to replace the whole arm. "I will find the time" Thanks again, Boss!!
Damn, $500 for a control arm change. Most of that is probably labor, but still. Thats outrageous. I too would find the time.
Thanks for the clear video and your clarity when u speak, I will be doing this to my vehicle this weekend, Thanks
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Great video. A great refresher of ball joint install. 2 THUMBS UP!!
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Fantastic Video, local National Tire Auto Center wants $ 747 to do this relatively simple repair on my 2003 Dakota. Not sure if it has rivets, vs bolts, but if so once removed will the holes need to be drilled out larger for the bolt replacements? Thanks very much.
Wow, $747 is a rip off for an hour job. They were probably going to replace the entire upper control arm (which is more work) with a hefty P.I.T.A. surcharge. The holes shouldn't need to be drilled out. The bolts should just slide right in. Good luck.
Thought so, I have the tools and can do this myself, pretty cut and dry repair. Your video's are excellent!
For $747 you could buy all the tools needed a couple times over. :-)
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it. Glad to be of service.
Nice demonstration. These trucks destroy ball joints. So many ball joints. Thank goodness for lifetime warranties
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it. If your truck is lifted or slammed it will affect the life span of the entire suspension. Especially ball joints.
I like that design sure beats using a press . Man your truck is not rusty at all. 👍👍
+STEVE ROB, yeah. it is pretty easy when it’s a bolt on part. The lower ball joint does need to be pressed in though, which can be a bit of a P.I.T.A. Its a California truck. So no salty winters to deal with. Hopefully it stays that way though. Where I live now has some decent winters, but they use sand in my area not salt. Fingers crossed.
I honestly wish Dodge did not do the rivets. Engineering flaw. If you have a Dakota or a Durango that never had the riveted ball joints replaced then I Highly suggest doing your research before attempting to replace with the bolt on ball joints. If you have air tools then it drastically will cut down the time you will use to do the job. Also don’t cheapen out on drill bits, 135 degree cobalt bits will be your best friend.
just got my upper ball joints in the mail. Had no idea where to start. Thanks for making this video.. Helped tremendously !
Thats great! I'm glad my video helped you out. Thanks for watching & commenting. I appreciate it.
Man you make it look easy. Thank you for this straight forward video. I will do this my self now that I know it can be done on a 4x4 as well.
Thanks a lot & good luck.
Thanks, this helped me do it myself with no issues and I've never changed a ball joint before.
No problem. Glad to be of service.
Excellent video very well explained. Thank you
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Super video, the little extras you do were really helpful! Keep up the good work.
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Good job thanks you save me a lot of money because now I don’t have to pay to do it
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it. I'm glad my videos help you out and save you some $$$. Thats why I make them. 🙂 Pay it forward.
I don't have a Dodge truck but I picked up a few tips. Thanks.
+wyattoneable, cool. Glad to be of service.
Made the job very smooth thanks man new fan
Glad to be of service.
To the point and clear, even for me. Thanks
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Good quality info,,thanks!
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Very helpful! Thank you!
Thanks a lot. Glad to be of service.
I drilled a small hole in the rivets and then drilled a larger hold down the center. then punched out the rest of the rivet. PAIN IN THE ASS!
Yeah, the rivets are a P.I.T.A. At least now you don't have to worry about them again if you ever have to replace the upper ball joint again.
Very well done. 👍
Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
Great video! To the pointed easy to understand! subscribed!
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it. I'm glad my videos help you out.
Thank you for the removal trick without a pickle fork!
No problem. I'm glad it helped you out.
Good Video man!
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Thanks for the video! This helped a lot. However I wasn't able to looses the ball joint with a hammer so I loosened the three bolts attaching it to the upper control arm and used a pickle fork/ball joint separator to pop it off the steering knuckle. This is my first successful diy car repair and your video helped make it a success!
If you are replacing the ball joint a pickle fork is a valid option. But if you are going to reuse it, then I would avoid a pickle fork. They damage the rubber dusk cover way too easily. But I'm glad you got the job done. Thanks for watching & commenting. I appreciate it.
Pet Rock's Garage Yeah I wasn't going to reuse them but for my case it worked out.
Thats good. I'm glad you got the job done and saved some cash in the process. Thats why I make these videos.
Nicely done on the ball joint!
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Very informative. Thanks!
Thanks. Glad to be of service.
Very thorough steps 👍 just had mine done by the shop. I feel safer lol, they recently did my inner tie rod and that’s when they noticed my upper ball joints had play, I don’t have tools so I don’t mechanic, usually hire backyard mechanics but lately haven been putting it in the shop.
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it. Re DIY vs shop: there is nothing wrong with going to a shop. At least you know what the job entails so they can't rip you off. Knowledge is power.
excellent video
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Hi can this be done on 01 Dodge ram 1500 ball joints have bolts.i just don't want to have to take everything apart
I'm not sure. I have not worked on that year/model before. But if the ball joint is bolted on then it should be a similar procedure. Good luck.
Excellent video!
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Very helpful, Thank you
No problem. I'm glad it helped you out.
Thanks for the video. Today was the very first upper ball joint I ever replaced.
I tried it step by step following your directions, and the single bolt with the castle nut. I couldn't get enough thread through the brake/rotor housing. So I removed the 3 control arm bolts and put the single bolt through the hole and put on the castle nut with 2-4 turns only. Then I pressed down the control arm and held in place with 2 of the thick rubber bungee's. I made sure the 3 holes with the control arm and ball joint lined up evenly. I hand tightened the middle of the 3 bolts, to make sure there was no slipping of the ball joint holes from the control arm holes. Then I hand tightened the other 2, and torqued all 3 to 53.5. I was able to fit my torque wrench & bolt on the castle nut. I was surprised when I torqued to 60, the hole in the bolt lined up evenly with the slots in the castle nut.
Sounds like jacking up the lower control arm (higher) to meet the upper control arm would have helped. Either way, glad to hear you got the job done.
@@petrocksgarage I didn't even think of that. Adding that to that information to my detailed list of changing out upper ball joints.
Good job.
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
great video
Thanks a lot...
Not a 4x4.its a two wheel drive
Huh? Are you talking about your own vehicle or the one in the video? The one in the video is definitely 4x4, as you can see from CV axle shown in the first 10 seconds of the video.
How long did the ball joints last you each time?
It depends on a lot of factors. Typically I replaced them on my truck because the rubber boot was torn/damaged, not because the joint was bad. If the boot is damaged, dirt can get inside and make the joint fail fairly quickly. Hope that helps.
5/16" not 15/16" socket
Thanks for the heads up. Around what time in the video did I say it wrong? I'll add a notation with a correction (and mention you if you want). Thanks.
Pet Rock's Garage 4:54 time frame
Thanks a lot. I've added an annotation in the video & description and gave you two credit. Thanks again.
How do i find a ball joint the same size as my cars but with bolts instead of screwed? is there a chart? anybody knows? I need to modify my upper control arms I can't find any aftermarket ones for my car, I need the ball joint stud to be the same size, my car is a 2000 dodge ram 3500 van lifted 3'' my stock ones don't fit properly, little help here, thanks
I'm not sure what you mean. The ball joint in this video is bolted to the upper control arm, not screwed. 3 bolts specifically.
@@petrocksgarage THANKS, I THINK THE DODGE RAM 3500 THE BIG TRUCK IS GONNA FIT MY VAN I HAVE TO MODIFY MY UPPER CONTROL ARMS I LIFTED THE CAR 3'' WITHOUT KNOWING THAT WAS GONNA AFFECT THE ANGLE ON THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS
@@willywill6486, yes, lifting or lowering a vehicle will effect all sorts of angles in the driveline & suspension. Good luck.
What do you know about rear bump stops? I have a 2003 4x4 slt and can't find them
Sorry, I haven't had to replace them on my truck (mine is a '03 4x4 STL too). I took a quick look under my truck and they look to be bolt on, so you might be able to find 'universal' bump stops that will fit. Measure twice, buy once of course. The factory part number is 52106494AA. Good luck.
I've seen them listed as "Bumpers" too, btw.
@@petrocksgarage thanks for the reply. Great videos
@@briannilsson3572 No problem. Good luck! Could you let me know what you find? Thanks.
I was wondering, to check a upper ball joint, you need to place jack stands under the lower control arm to set free the ''load''..(Sorry for my english) On my 2002 dakota, the passenger upper ball joint is worn out, it needs replacement. To take it out, is it easier to put a stand under the suspension? Or just raise the truck and let the suspension go down by gravity and take the ball joint off?
Having the load off the upper ball joint makes it easier to remove the castle nut, and to get the ball joint shaft out of the steering knuckle. But it can be done either way. Good luck...
Thanks for the video. This helps out. (I'm a rookie mechanic and I like asking questions about everything. Knowledge building).
I have a couple of questions:
Do I use a jack stand on both sides of the vehicle (driver & passenger) or just the side I'm working on?
Will any hammer do (household construction) or a specific hammer at a certain weight?
Is it required to get an alignment once you replace a upper ball joint (or any upper & lower)?
Re jacks: For safety, you should keep as much of the vehicle on the ground as possible. So I would only jack up the side you are working on in this case.
Re hammer: any hammer will do but the bigger the better.
Re alignment: It is highly advised to get an alignment. Changing the ball joint effects the alignment. If your alignment is off you can burn up your front tires pretty quickly. New tires cost a lot more than an alignment.
@@petrocksgarage Thank you. Your answers matched everything I assumed/thought.
@@petrocksgarage Are there books or website's that tell torque spec's for all bolt's on a Dodge? I remember years ago there use to be books in auto stores that told you everything. Cannot find those anymore.
@@yankeeownz9980, you want the factory service manual for your year/model truck, which you can get through your local dodge dealer. Will pay for itself on the first service. I have one for all my vehicles. Don't bother with the Chiltons or Haynes manuals you find at auto parts stores. They are the Cliffs Notes of the manual world. Not worth the paper they are printed on compared to the factory service manual. Hope that helps.
@@petrocksgarage lol not worth the paper.... Haven't heard that saying in a while. I will contact Dodge directly as you recommend.
does that apply to a Dodge 3500 diesel 2 wheel drive automatic dueling
I'm not familiar with that truck, but a quick search online shows a completely different style upper ball joint for that truck. So I don't think this video applies to your rig. Good luck.
Very good video! Great explanation, tips and cautionary notes, start to finish.
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
how many ball joints does 03 4wd have? 4?
Yes, 4. Two upper ball joints and two lower.
Can you show us how to do a DIY at-home alignment
briansmobile1 has a couple videos on how to do one. However, I'm not a fan of DIY alignments. IMO, if you do one it should only be to get you to an alignment shop to get it properly aligned. Your alignment isn't something you should skimp on. If you do a DIY alignment incorrectly, and drive for a while that way, you'll wear out your tires pretty quickly, which will likely be more expensive then getting it aligned correctly in the first place. Just sayin'...
This the same for a 2004 or 2005 Durango?
No, they have completely different upper control arms.
Great video. Thank you for taking the time to clearly show the steps and details!
I have a question about a repair quote. My usual mechanic doesn't do alignments. I took it to another shop to perform alignment and they couldn't do it due to worn upper ball joints, quoting $700-800. I thought he was gouging me until some online estimates gave the same range. Doesn't that seem high?
Mistake-free DIY is always cheaper. Rockauto has $10 ball joints. You estimate a half hour for each. I have the tools on hand and they don't seem to be expensive.
Instead, splurge on the $25 ball joints and double your estimate to two hours. $100/hr labor makes my estimate under $300. Is the estimate flawed or am I missing something?
In any case, two ball joints are on their way to my house. Again... Thanks!!!
I've never understood shop estimate pricing. The most expensive part of this estimate is the labor of course. Even if the job takes 20 mins, a lot of shops will still charge for an hour. $700-$800 does seem high to me for this specific job. You could ask the shop why it costs so much considering how technically easy the job is. They may be quoting to replace the entire control arm instead of just the ball joint. Good luck...
I figured out why the estimate is high. It covers my case where my 2003 was built after the upper ball joint recall. I just finished grinding off the six rivets. I'm not sure they'd cut anyone a break if they found bolts instead of rivets. I super-splurged on the Mopar $30 ball joints :), $65 total shipped. MOOG was $25 more but I'm sore from the last month with $550 tires, $500 AC repair, and another $250 in DIY repairs. Thanks for helping me DIY a $700+ dual ball joint repair for $65!!!
Yeah, grinding those rivets off would increase the labor time. So they probably add a P.I.T.A. (pain in the a55) tax to make it worth their time. Glad to hear my video helped you out and you saved some $$$. Thanks for watching and commenting. I appreciate it.
I take it these are pretty rough on ball joints?
They can be. It all depends on how you drive it. Ball joints don't last forever.
True. UI just bought mine so I stil have to get the tire off and see what is popping
Good luck.
And... mine still has the rivets... and it is 29 degrees outside.
Yeah, that's cold. Maybe try to work where the sun is on your back and have a few heaters surrounding you? Good luck.
The whole top control arm is not much more expensive... how hard is that to replace?
IMO, its slightly more difficult then just replacing just the ball joint. Plus the added cost of getting an alignment afterwards. It sounds like your ball joints are stock. Years ago there was a ball joint recall on a few years of dakotas & durangos. Call your dealer to see if your truck qualifies. If so, you could take it to them to replace it for free. Good luck.
Thank you for the info!
No problem.
i need to do this
Good luck!