'98 Dodge Ram front suspension; ball joints

[hemi68charger]

Hey gang..
I was curious..... Are the upper and lower ball joints pressed into the upper and lower control arms on a '98 Dodge Ram? I have a SS/T and it's make one hell of a squeeking noise now when I turn the tires.. I got under the truck with my wife turning the steering wheel and it sounds like it's coming from the lower control arm towards the ball joint. I initially thought it could be a control arm bushing for I heard it while driving, but after hearing it as I park my truck and my wife turning the wheel in the driveway while not moving, it's, to me, focused on the ball joint. The ball joints are the original ones to the truck and do not have grease fittings, they are factory OEM... I was trying to do this myself.. I can do our older cars front suspensions in my sleep, but this looks like a situation where I'm going to need a press..

Seems there's a ball joint press/remover one can rent or buy.. Anyone ever used one on a truck ball joint?

Thanks in advance..
Troy

[68RT4ME]

I'm gonna go deep here into my mechanical expertise and ask, "Did you check the air in the tires" 

[The70RT]

Hey gang..
I was curious..... Are the upper and lower ball joints pressed into the upper and lower control arms on a '98 Dodge Ram? I have a SS/T and it's make one hell of a squeeking noise now when I turn the tires.. I got under the truck with my wife turning the steering wheel and it sounds like it's coming from the lower control arm towards the ball joint. I initially thought it could be a control arm bushing for I heard it while driving, but after hearing it as I park my truck and my wife turning the wheel in the driveway while not moving, it's, to me, focused on the ball joint. The ball joints are the original ones to the truck and do not have grease fittings, they are factory OEM... I was trying to do this myself.. I can do our older cars front suspensions in my sleep, but this looks like a situation where I'm going to need a press..

Seems there's a ball joint press/remover one can rent or buy.. Anyone ever used one on a truck ball joint?

Thanks in advance..
Troy

I thought they were screwed in. See if they have a place on the bottom for a socket. If they don't they are pressed in. If they are pressed in you can go to most any machine shop and drop off the a arms and they can do it for you pretty cheap.

[hemi68charger]

I'm gonna go deep here into my mechanical expertise and ask, "Did you check the air in the tires" 

Why do you need to be such a punk.... 

[hemi68charger]

Hey gang..
I was curious..... Are the upper and lower ball joints pressed into the upper and lower control arms on a '98 Dodge Ram? I have a SS/T and it's make one hell of a squeeking noise now when I turn the tires.. I got under the truck with my wife turning the steering wheel and it sounds like it's coming from the lower control arm towards the ball joint. I initially thought it could be a control arm bushing for I heard it while driving, but after hearing it as I park my truck and my wife turning the wheel in the driveway while not moving, it's, to me, focused on the ball joint. The ball joints are the original ones to the truck and do not have grease fittings, they are factory OEM... I was trying to do this myself.. I can do our older cars front suspensions in my sleep, but this looks like a situation where I'm going to need a press..

Seems there's a ball joint press/remover one can rent or buy.. Anyone ever used one on a truck ball joint?

Thanks in advance..
Troy

I thought they were screwed in. See if they have a place on the bottom for a socket. If they don't they are pressed in. If they are pressed in you can go to most any machine shop and drop off the a arms and they can do it for you pretty cheap.

I was trying to avoid doing that... I was thinking of getting a ball joint press  I don't think mine are screwed in.. I'm also wondering about the spring. If I have a jack stand under the lower control arm,  will that serve as preventing the coil spring from expanding once I disengage one of the ball joints from the knuckle?

[The70RT]

Hey gang..
I was curious..... Are the upper and lower ball joints pressed into the upper and lower control arms on a '98 Dodge Ram? I have a SS/T and it's make one hell of a squeeking noise now when I turn the tires.. I got under the truck with my wife turning the steering wheel and it sounds like it's coming from the lower control arm towards the ball joint. I initially thought it could be a control arm bushing for I heard it while driving, but after hearing it as I park my truck and my wife turning the wheel in the driveway while not moving, it's, to me, focused on the ball joint. The ball joints are the original ones to the truck and do not have grease fittings, they are factory OEM... I was trying to do this myself.. I can do our older cars front suspensions in my sleep, but this looks like a situation where I'm going to need a press..

Seems there's a ball joint press/remover one can rent or buy.. Anyone ever used one on a truck ball joint?

Thanks in advance..
Troy

I thought they were screwed in. See if they have a place on the bottom for a socket. If they don't they are pressed in. If they are pressed in you can go to most any machine shop and drop off the a arms and they can do it for you pretty cheap.

I was trying to avoid doing that... I was thinking of getting a ball joint press  I don't think mine are screwed in.. I'm also wondering about the spring. If I have a jack stand under the lower control arm,  will that serve as preventing the coil spring from expanding once I disengage one of the ball joints from the knuckle?

Right Troy. The weight of the vehicle will hold the spring. Hopefully you can get a tool loan from the parts suplier.....or rent one maybe. I bought a ball joint tool for a ford truck and it cost like 80 bucks on eBay.

[68RT4ME]

I'm gonna go deep here into my mechanical expertise and ask, "Did you check the air in the tires" 

Why do you need to be such a punk.... 

I go with my strengths.....