How often replace ball joints?

[Rick]

I used Carli's in my 06 2500.  I swapped all of them at the same time.  Going on 50,000 miles now and still as tight as new.  I did them myself, just had to rent the tool from Napa. 

I did a TON of research on which joints to buy and Carli was always the number 1 recommended part.  I think I paid $850 for all 4 of them.  Lifetime warranty, rebuildable, and serviceable. 

I also found that most shops use Moog, which I found in my research to be terrible joints.  Carli also has a write up on their website about what they found when they cut a Moog joint open, but take that for what it is since they also sell replacement joints.

Again, I can't recommend Carli enough.  But be prepared to be put on a waiting list to get them, took me 6 weeks to get mine.

Lots of dudes complain about crappy Moog joints on the Dodge/Cummins forums.

[pd]

You guys are scaring me with this thread.  Ignorance truly is bliss: I had no idea that I needed to worry about ball joints.

I just sold my previous (2004, original owner) F-150 @ 100,000 miles, and I am a few days away from buying a new F-150.  I treat my vehicles with TLC--I am willing to bet that my rig is the cleanest, best treated vehicle on the site.  Somebody mentioned the minor abuse that hunters give their trucks; mine gets very little abuse (dirt roads excepted).

Question: Do I need to worry about ball joints with 2013 or 2014 F-150s?  I would put regular lube top-ups on the maintenance list, but did not know F-150s had zerk ports.

[jackelope]

I used Carli's in my 06 2500.  I swapped all of them at the same time.  Going on 50,000 miles now and still as tight as new.  I did them myself, just had to rent the tool from Napa. 

I did a TON of research on which joints to buy and Carli was always the number 1 recommended part.  I think I paid $850 for all 4 of them.  Lifetime warranty, rebuildable, and serviceable. 

I also found that most shops use Moog, which I found in my research to be terrible joints.  Carli also has a write up on their website about what they found when they cut a Moog joint open, but take that for what it is since they also sell replacement joints.

Again, I can't recommend Carli enough.  But be prepared to be put on a waiting list to get them, took me 6 weeks to get mine.

Lots of dudes complain about crappy Moog joints on the Dodge/Cummins forums.

I think lots of dudes use Moog's because that's what the aftermarket parts houses sell. When someone says...hey, can you put some in with zerks, they go and get some Moog's. That's my guess.

[baker5150]

I used Carli's in my 06 2500.  I swapped all of them at the same time.  Going on 50,000 miles now and still as tight as new.  I did them myself, just had to rent the tool from Napa. 

I did a TON of research on which joints to buy and Carli was always the number 1 recommended part.  I think I paid $850 for all 4 of them.  Lifetime warranty, rebuildable, and serviceable. 

I also found that most shops use Moog, which I found in my research to be terrible joints.  Carli also has a write up on their website about what they found when they cut a Moog joint open, but take that for what it is since they also sell replacement joints.

Again, I can't recommend Carli enough.  But be prepared to be put on a waiting list to get them, took me 6 weeks to get mine.

Lots of dudes complain about crappy Moog joints on the Dodge/Cummins forums.

I think lots of dudes use Moog's because that's what the aftermarket parts houses sell. When someone says...hey, can you put some in with zerks, they go and get some Moog's. That's my guess.

Moog's seem to be the most common aftermarket joints I found.  Most parts houses have them on the shelf. 
I think a lot of guys just buy whatever the parts house gives them. 

[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

Made it a whopping 17k on this set of upper ball joints.
Did both axle shaft joints at the same time.  They are fried again too.
So much for buying good ball joints and axle shaft joints. 
 

[fishngamereaper]

If they are getting loose replace asap. I broke one last summer on my 05 HD2500. Snoq. pass towing my boat   Im lucky my 35" tires track straight or I woulda been in a world of hurt. By the time I got pulled over truck looked like gravedigger after jumping a school bus... Now Im going to replace every couple of years just because. Lift kits and oversize tires dont play well with the joints.

[6x6in6]

Of course.
I would be in no mood for a front end failure at 23,000 lbs with the camper and loaded horse trailer along for the ride.
No lift here, stock tires and suspension with training wheels on the rear axle. 

[Alchase]

You guys are scaring me with this thread.  Ignorance truly is bliss: I had no idea that I needed to worry about ball joints.

I just sold my previous (2004, original owner) F-150 @ 100,000 miles, and I am a few days away from buying a new F-150.  I treat my vehicles with TLC--I am willing to bet that my rig is the cleanest, best treated vehicle on the site.  Somebody mentioned the minor abuse that hunters give their trucks; mine gets very little abuse (dirt roads excepted).

Question: Do I need to worry about ball joints with 2013 or 2014 F-150s?  I would put regular lube top-ups on the maintenance list, but did not know F-150s had zerk ports.

No worries!
Do not fix what is not broken

If you have no indication of bad ball joints, and the boots look good, no need to worry.

[hunterrcc]

Honestly go on to RockAuto.com and buy the upper and lower control arms with the ball joints pressed into it already if you're doing it yourself if is a lot easier then trying to press them out and for the time saved in labor it is worth it.  I replaced my 2500HD chevy after 70K with 6" lift and 35's.  I put in Moog because they were the best for the money with good reputation without spending a ton.  I replaced all mine by myself it wasn't that hard to do.  Just have a good weekend and the right tools and it is pretty easy to do yourself. 

[Come Get Some]

I use Tiny's Tire in Tacoma. Great price. Half of what the dealer wants. My F350 has 400,000. Only replaced the balll joints once.  Tiny's has lifetime replacement on parts.

[Special T]

I thought some one made a Dodge geometry correction kit for the 3rd gen 4x4? am i wrong?

[JKEEN33]

Having my front end done tomorrow. Made it 270,000 on the original parts. 2000 Sierra with a lot of back road driving. I have a lot of terrible stories about the transmission and fuel pumps on the other hand.

[6x6in6]

I thought some one made a Dodge geometry correction kit for the 3rd gen 4x4? am i wrong?

Not for balls and axle joints.
You can get the '09 steering upgrade kit that helps with the wandering steering issue and reduces the death wobble chances.
My '07 has the upgrade steering kit and it drives much better than the OE steering did.
My '05 still has the OE steering but as soon as the tie rod ends show some play, it will get the upgrade kit.

Just make sure you buy the kit with at least the last 2 letters in the part number being an AH or later.  AA, AE, and AF parts had failures and are covered under a recall and people still sell them on the 'net.
The AA's thru AF's had low speed turning bind on the drivers side tie rod end and would actually shear the stud off.  My '07 originally had an AE kit installed.  Below is a picture of the sheared off stud that happened to me in a parking lot 3 years ago.
Here's an AH for example:
http://www.dieselpowerproducts.com/p-5062-mopar-09-steering-upgrade-kit-for-03-08-25003500.aspx

[6x6in6]

Note the shiny new axle shaft joint that I replaced 10 days earlier.   

[jackelope]

Heard about a new recall today on the steering linkage for you Dodge guys. One member on here lost steering over the weekend. Made a phone call for him. N62 is the new recall. My former coworker at the Dodge dealer says they're getting towed in left and right with broken tie rods.