Easy Car Suspension Question

[bball09124 10+ year member]

So my Dad's truck was making some nasty noises in the right front end intermittently, and we both don't know a thing about cars. Pulled the wheel off, and something is definitely broken. What is it? And how do we replace it? It's a 98 Ram 1500.

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[Bodar 10+ year member]

ok so what broken? the first pic is that bolt comparable to the other exact one on the other side? what vehicle is this, make model and year.....

*edit

see that shiney spot on the first pic where that bolt is? is that metal to metal contact. looks like it. if that bolt is broken thats pretty bad. it kinda holds the top of you wheel and brake assbly from folding over...... driving that is a no no

when the wheel is on does the tire sit on an angle? or is it staight up and down......

 

[bball09124 10+ year member]

Before taking off the tire, if you were to rock the tire back and forth, there was a few inches of play. It was almost like if you only tightened the lugnuts halfway, but they were all definitely tightened all the way.

It's a 98 Dodge Ram 1500 V8, btw.

 

[nickpapa 10+ year member]

thats a balljoint which looks like its attached to the arm (usually they are seperate). so you will probably have to replace the whole arm. There may be a bushing on the other end of that arm as well.

 

[4OZGLOVES 10+ year member]

Your upper ball joint is shot. List price $115.00, 52037674 is the part # for it. Real common prob on that generation of rams. I work in a mopar parts room for a living.

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

usually the original is held on with rivets that you'll have to drill out and the replacement will bolt into place. Need a pickle fork to remove it...

 

[eharri3 10+ year member]

And look to quality aftermarket pieces before you go for OEM replacement. Preferably something with a grease fitting so they can be periodically lubed as part of the problem with these new sealed ball joints they're using on trucks is they grind themselves down and wear out inside over time and there's no way to slip fresh lubricant into them. This isn't the only model of dodge truck known to have had this problem. The truck probably wouldn't pass a safety inspection like that and if the wear is now visible and audible you're probably on borrowed time until the joint separates and that wheel buckles while driving. It actually happened with a number of 01-03 Dakotas, a guy even went to Dateline about it before Dodge stopped dragging its feet and did a bj recall on certain model year Durangos and Dakotas. Various manufacturers have had issues to a small degree but Dodge seems to have been further behind the curve than most in getting it right even though they've all gone to this type of design. It's a part that takes ALOT of stress so if it isn't 'overbuilt' those things just get ground away on the inside and wear out fast. If any water works its way into the joint it goes even faster.

I went through two sets on my 04 Dakota by 75000 miles.

These are the types of areas where Dodge pinches its pennies so if those are oem and you've gotten more than 50-60 thousand miles out of them you've gotten as close to your money's worth as you could reasonably hope.

 

[AVSTANG02]

Your upper ball joint is shot. List price $115.00, 52037674 is the part # for it. Real common prob on that generation of rams. I work in a mopar parts room for a living.

Show off.

 

[ShiningBuick 10+ year member]

Looks like a press in balljoint, 4ozgloves would know for sure though.

 

[traksta15 10+ year member]

had to replace them on my 97 silverado, parts were like $130 from autozone, took me and my dad a few hours to do both sides. It's something you def wanna fix.

 

[ShiningBuick 10+ year member]

True that.. a broken balljoint while your driving makes a mess.. and you're lucky if you get out of it with just a little damage and not an accident.

 

[audioatg 10+ year member]

Humm yes its a broken ball joint. Do both of them. And its a press in ball joint you dont need the whole arm replaced. You can see the grooves in the picture on the ball joint. Press in.

No cotter pin and look like it has not seen any lube in YEARS tisk tisk. lol