RE: Balljoints - CBS story

From: Bernd D. Ratsch (bernd@texas.net)
Date: Tue Oct 28 2003 - 20:32:31 EST


I also had abused the snot out of my factory ball joints and didn't have to
replace them until about 50K miles. However, I did install zerk fitting
into the factory joints to keep them greased up.

- Bernd

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of andy levy
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2003 7:28 PM
To: dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net
Subject: Re: DML: Balljoints - CBS story

Tubamirbls@aol.com wrote:

> I have a 2wh drive that I use for my business and never drive it
> "hard."
> From reading this list over the past 4yrs I know many of you, especially
with 4wh
> dr models, do drive hard and serious off roading too. Can you imagine
such
> an absurd position for a dealer to take?

I had 2 balljoints replaced on my '99, under warranty. I think. Don't
recall exactly, the service manager just said "oh, we found 2 bad
balljoints and replaced them" if I remember right.

Unfortunately, a lot of the 4 wheeling we do with our Daks could be
considered "abuse" by Dodge even though they do market it as a capable
vehicle. My '03 hasn't been offroad yet and I'm not sure if it will
ever make it (depends on what I can do for tires and a front recovery
point).

The real question is...did Adam ever have to get balljoints replaced? I
think he was about the most abusive of any GenIII owner with a stock
suspension. If his '00's balljoints never had to get replaced, "abuse"
may not be what really causes them to fail.

That Durangos with 32K on them could have the balljoints fail
catastrophically without ever seeing dirt (nevermind what people around
here have put their Daks through) is the really, really scary part.

-- 
-andy

http://home.twcny.rr.com/andylevy/dakota - andy-dml@levyclan.us -------------------------------------------- "Whatever Adam does, do the opposite and you'll be fine" -Bob Tom --------------------------------------------



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