How often replace ball joints?

[Craig]

I have a 2007 Dodge Ram Mega cab that I replaces the ball joints 2-2 1/2 years ago. I took it to the shop today to get some work done and they said there is some play with the wheels and should look at getting the ball joints replaced soon.

How long should they last? The new ones only have 30,000 -40,000 miles on them.  the truck is lifted and aftermarket tires 35x12.50x20

$870 just for the labor  to replace them.

[lewy]

Ive got an 08 ram 2500 cummins and have the same issues (50k). Irritating! Put the good ones in it when you do em'. My buddies 09 went threw a set in 30k. Dodge front ends including brakes suck.....

[6x6in6]

Welcome to owning a Dodge.
My '05 is on set 3 plus the lower on the RF is #4. 125k on the ticker
My '07 is on set #2.  The originals actually made it 65k.  10k now on the new ones.

Buy good joints.
XRF or if you are feeling really rich, Carli joints.

Both mine are now running XRF's

[dewandgin]

Big tires and a Lift on a weak front end and yes 30-40k is normal. Get good quality ball joints and you can get a few more miles out of them.

[shoot-em-dead]

That sounds like they were replaced with really cheap ones or they didn't replace all of them. upper lower inner and outer. There are lots of other parts under there too that effect the steering. It is also hard to say if the quote you got was good or not because we don't know the quality of parts replaced or how many parts are being replaced. Does it include a alignment? ect.

[coachcw]

my 2500hd chev got them after 60 k of hard miles ie firring center and manashtash , umptanum crap .

[whacker1]

Dodge 3/4 and 1 ton have had a reputation for eating ball joints.

I have had 97-03 version of the F150 and they are fairly notorious for eating ball joints.  I replace them with every set of new tires as a normal trend, which equates to 50kish range.  I get 10k more miles out of them if they have fresh ball joints for the life of the tire.

[gasman]

Interesting, I have 150k on my 03 2500 and now have to replace them. Only have on side bad but I will do them all at the same time my self, only cost me parts and some time on a weekend.

[Rick]

Big heavy tires and wheels with crappy backspacing eat suspension parts alive.

[Heredoggydoggy]

I had a 1991 Ford Ranger with 183,00 Miles on it, and never had a problem.  I always put the size tires on it that were stock.  Most vehicles were never designed to have those big cool-looking tires on them. 

[DRobnsn]

I've talked with the guy from super bee alignment in Olympia about this very issue several times. I work next to his shop and the guy is crazy busy all the time. He has done a few of my friends trucks and has pressed a few axle u joints for me, he is very reasonable to deal with. 

During our conversations he never stated big tires will ruin ball joints. He did say they will make a crap ball joint wear faster but its crap to begin with so your on borrowed time no matter how you slice it. He also said Fords have the same issue, your lucky to get 60k out of a stock set. The material the stockers are made from is just plain junk. It's the material the joint is made from that is the problem not the joint design.

Have you replaced your unit bearings? Or the axle u joints? These don't last on 3rd gen dodges either.   

[follow maggie]

I hear this is a common problem with the dodges.  Everyone I know who's had one has had to change them frequently.  Depends on the truck, I guess.  My 98 f150 had a little over 200k on it before I had to have the lowers changed out this year.  That's with several yearly trips over Colockum Pass to Tarpiscan Creek, th Olympics, Methow and using the truck for work in my construction company.

[jackelope]

Worked for Dodge for +/- 10 years. It's common. Now I work for Ford. It's common with them too. Lots of F150's Explorers Expeditions, etc. Early 2000's-2008 or so. We do them all the time.

[jackelope]

The super duty trucks get them too.

[coachcw]

remember we don't have any chuck holes around here either !