How I DELETED my BALL JOINTS on my DODGE RAM 2500
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- Опубліковано 7 сер 2022
- How I installed the new Ball Joint Delete Systems for the 2000-2013.5 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks with the AAM front axle. This is a complete press-in kit offered by American Iron Offroad.
These things are built for a hard working truck, not to mention fix some of the problems that the AAM axles were plagued with right off the showroom floor.
- 4130 custom machined press-fit upper & lower cups
- Custom spec’d 7/8” heat-treated and hardened hardware with Grade 8 nylock nuts
- 7/8” Teflon-lined F2 fit bearings for smooth operation and normal steering return-to-center
- 3D printed plastic dust cap and Viton seal head to keep debris from tops of each assembly with open bottom to allow any moisture/debris to evacuate from joint.
AAM Full Delete Kit: americanironoffroad.com/colle...
Looking forward to the next video!
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If you only have negative comments and are unable to convey your opinion in a way that we can all sort of understand and gain insight from, please keep your opinions to yourself. If I find that there is no value added in your comment, I will either respond with pure sarcasm or blatantly ignore you. I respect myself too much to deal with people who are extremely ignorant.
Build on people 🤘
Looking at this I’m just wondering if you ever have to lube or grease these things? Kind of like king pins. All I know is anything has to be better than the garbage ball joints that I’ve replaced 4-5 times I have no idea why they designed these axles the way they did never seen a ball joint set up where the top was off set to me it don’t make sense just makes it wear out faster.
@@richard6606 certainly doesn't make sense to me how they designed them. According to American Iron, there is no need for lubricating these joints. They should last awhile, though.
@@gearheadfabworks next round I’m going to try them out anything has to be better! 👍
Just a little tip that will save you a ton of time. You DO NOT need to remove the rotor or bearing from the axle shaft, just undo the 4 bolts on the back of the wheel bearing and everything comes out in one piece. It's a lot easier to whack on the rotor to get the bearing and axle shaft out.
Yeah, I totally forgot about that until after I had done it. That's how I tear down my Ultra4 car, but didn't do it with my towpig for some reason. Lol
Yeah, you don’t even have to take your wheel off.
@@ETsBees now that's just getting carried away 🤣🤣🤣 while true, that's gotta be a hassle loading it in and out. 😂
@@gearheadfabworks 🤣
And another tip if you put something inside the freezer it will help retain the heat.it can be - heat
As a retired mechanic I did a lot of ball joints on a lot of trucks especially Dodges (including my own). I wish these had been around then and plan on installing on both my Dodge pickup and my TJ.
Yeah, I wish there were better options for every ball joint. One day, American Iron Offroad will be fixing several other models. It's a shame the manufacturers of cars haven't updated their design to do a better job.
I've worked on everything from automotive to heavy truck and equipment. Straight axles work best with a king pin type arrangement and this is very close to that.
@@snow8581 definitely some good insight! I haven't personally ran a king pin. I've always been a super duty guy. Super duties have been known to have stronger knuckles, but I believe aftermarket has fixed that for many king pin axles anyway. That's for offroad, though.
spherical bearings wear out MUCH faster than ball joints. you really think the oems dont know these exist? lmao. yall dumb as fuck.
@Your Name more often than not, unfortunately.
Man so helpful, Thanks! I did enjoy the content, please resume this kind of good content.
I'll do my best! I appreciate it! Lots more ideas, mostly related to fabrication and offroad. But there will be all kinds of cars on here🤘
A big tip from an aircraft mechanic. Find some liquid nitrogen or dry ice will surfice. Leave those joints in the liquid or dry ice for a number of hours is best. Then take one out at a time right after warming knuckle with torch. Then just drop the joint into the hole and it will just fall in place no pressing required.
I've done similar with rebuilding differentials. But haven't done it with these, yet. Would definitely be a great idea! Thanks for the insight!
@@gearheadfabworks i forgot one important thing, wear a welding glove to handle the cold joint so you dont loose skin snd warm the joint prematurely.
@@GregariousAntithesis that is a fair point for those not familiar with those methods. I've seen a Christmas story... We all know what happened to his tongue! 🤣
Non aircraft mechanic here.. I feel like I should probably not introduce liquid nitrogen into my life any time in the next 120 years.. but can a dry ice soak really shrink the metal to that extent?
@@JLO72713 yes that should work just leave it in longer. I have done it on a 2 stroke motorcycle crank bearing as i remember just putting it in the freezer and warming up the receiving part with a propane torch or you can use an oven on low if it fits.
Oooooo It's a good feeling when the front end is nice and tight .
That it is! That it is!
Just like your girlfriend 😂😂😂
Thanks, I was getting ready to try that 800 dollar ball joint kit.
Between brakes,ball joints and hub bearings I would never have to work on my truck.
I'm doing this delete kit hopefully the last time I touch them, maybe. they should be grease able considering all the salt in winter.
That could be something that could be added in later designs. As of now. These are sealed from the top but open bottom, so they can drain any water. These are much easier to replace though compared to ball joints.
Great video, looking forward to more!
Thanks! I've got a few that just need editing. They're coming 🤘
I installed the Canada ball joints and they have been great and can be adjusted if the get slip in the and so far they have been great .the trick for ball joints is to not lift your truck or put huge tires on them use the size tire it comes with and they will last at least 200 K miles before they need work .
That trick with the mini sledge at 6:15 is definitely gonna save me some time somewhere down the road, I'd never thought of giving the press a little help like that.
Definitely keeps the pucker factor down. It is scary how much the press flexes. I would rather it not shatter in my face. 🤘
@@gearheadfabworks or end up with a crescent-shaped allthread and/or epsilon-shaped C-clamp.
Those threaded rods get a little noodly on stubborn ball joints. One of the reasons I appreciate my ranger's joints being in the steering knuckle, I can just use an arbor press once I figure out how to jig it.
Add load with the ball joint press, apply impact force with hammer and boom she moving ! Only other thing would be to clean the area and add a bit of heat.
It's all well and good til the hex of the push bolt gets beat to sh!t. I don't recommend hitting the tool, but rather tapping on the knuckle where the joint is. Tapping on it is the key, not beating it into submission
Kermit killed that install.
0:55 beautiful solid front axle setup bro!
I subbed my first watch because of that “ double nut” joke lol I knew this was my new channel! Awesome recommendation!
Haha! One of those moments I literally couldn't hold my tongue. I had to decide whether to keep it or not in the video... Figured, why not! Lol. Thanks for the sub! Should be a lot of fun on this channel. Build, break, repeat, and somehow explain eat part of that. 😂
If you are doing this on a regular basis, the Snap On ball joint press set is well worth the money. I've done dozens of front axles and U joints with it and its pretty amazing how well everything holds up. I did damage a cup once and it was replaced with no questions asked!
I'm hoping to not have to do it too often. But might be worth the investment if I find myself doing a few sets. Lol
Nah I got the cj old school snap on press it’s stout but by madox harbor freight set with the extension case of all the sizes nd shapes it’s better and way less money. Snap on ain’t the best tools they just live off their name if their tools were more reasonably priced I’d go back on the tool truck but there’s no point.
If only there was a way to eliminate wear parts
Cries in matco
Haven't had to do the ball joints on mine yet, but I did have to replace a hub. The bearings in the hub disintegrated in the middle of nowhere in New Mexico on a trip from NE Texas to SoCal. Only knew there was some sort of an issue with my ABS sensor there. Actually drove about 70 miles at hwy speeds before I had any indication that there was something worse going on. Fortunately that was when I got off the hwy in a town that happened to have an auto parts store with the parts I needed to get back on the rd.
Dang! You definitely had just a little bit of luck on your side. Lol
Great video and some of your lines cracked me up! Cheers
Thanks! One day I'll actually script my videos. Until then, just winging it. Lol
Beauty mate I thoroughly enjoyed that.
I'm stoked to hear that! It's the beginning for me, so who knows where this can go. Should be fun any way it plays out🤘
i luV ball joint deleting so much, i am subscribed for that reason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I'm glad. Lol. I'm sure there'll be more. 😂
Looks like it is still a ball joint but a much better one. I like stuff that can be repaired.
Same here! At least I won't be wearing out my C's and having to pull out the ball joint press.
Thanks for the tips !!!! Finally something different!!! I just replaced for the third times on mine!!!!
Not a problem! Glad I could help.
You just earned my sub I’m so impressed
Thanks man! Means a lot. Future is definitely a lot more fabrication and race car building. Lol
I can see why they made the spherical bearings replaceable... because they will need to be. I just have a hard time seeing a spherical bearing being able to take more abuse than a good ball joint. In the heavy equipment industry, I don't see spherical bearings used on high load applications. Cool video though
Thanks for the compliment on the video part. I've seen some of these bearings used in high load applications, but not much in heavy equipment, so far. They're used a lot in agriculture, though.
Tip for removing rusted on rotors.
Pass a hex screw, size appropriate, through one of the caliper carrier holes towards the rotor.
Place a nut on the screw between the carrier and the rotor.
Push the screw until it makes contact with the rotor.
Tighten the nut up the screw towards the carrier.
Continue to tighten the nut and draw the screw through the carrier hole and force the rotor off the hub.
You can generate a lot more force this way than you can with a mallet.
Don't try and force one side all at once.
Do one side until you see movement then back it off, rotate the rotor 180 degree and go again.
Repeat until it cracks off.
But sometimes the rotor just comes away and you can lift it off.
It depends on how welded they are onto the hub with rust.
It's a lot easier and less effort than beating the rotor with mallets and stuff.
Just make sure you have removed the rotor keeper screw(s)
Good God! Where were you a couple weeks ago? I've seen that trick done before, but it's been years and long forgotten. Definitely keeping that for the future. I appreciate the tip!
The bolt and nut idea through the caliper bracket holes is brilliant. I almost feel dumbfounded now because of how much time in the past I've wasted try to beat the s**t out of rotors to get them off.....THANKS !!!!!
Good way to bend/break extra stuff if it's really stuck on there
I did this as a teen in MI and the rotor was so stuck it bent the tabs holding the caliper bracket and it got to a million degrees on the first drive so I had to make shims to realign the caliper over the rotor
You will note I mentioned :
"Do one side until you see movement then back it off, rotate the rotor 180 degree and go again."
In other words you walk it off. That's when you have a deep top hat rotor.
If you're trying to force a deep one off from the one side then you could end up bending the carrier.
It's all about the geometry.
So there's no risk if you know what you're doing.
The shallow ones come off easy.
But in either case the only thing that's holding them on is rust and road shite and the tensile stength of rust and road shite is nowhere
near enough to bend the carrier.
@@yeahitskimmel agreed. Those cast ears weren't made to take a side load. They're there to hold the caliper.
You did really good!
Thanks! I'm not the greatest in front of a camera... Lol but I'll always give it a good effort.
Ya got my like on that double nuttin' Ahaha. Wish I'd known about these ball joint deletes a ways back. Let us know how they work after some time! Good video man!
Thanks, man! 6 months and 17k miles in. Still going strong.
@Gearhead Fabworks Fantastic then! Thanks man for reply!
Even easier way to remove stuck rotors and wheel bearings on the front axle, use a large diameter pipe/rod and prop between rotor/bearing and a solid part of the suspension or frame. Start the truck up and use the power steering to push off the rotor or bearing. It may be a little tricky with one person but it’s possible to prop, and then steer the wheel on your own.
You can also use a slug of 3/4 inch bar stock about an 1 1/2 long and the the power steering.
Watched a guy launch a pipe threw a car door like that one time😂 with a old f450
I would probably just use a nut and bolt through the caliper mount. It was thought of after I had already done this. Lol
@@gearheadfabworks saw someone do that and have to replace the knuckle because the tab bent
@@gearheadfabworks.
Saw a guy use that method to remove rear rotor on 2003 Ford f250
Getting the impression that these are kind of like King pins that were once used with the Ford Twin I-Beam suspension systems. I never had any problems with King pins on my Fords, kept them greased and ran a few trucks over 300k miles on originals. I don't think that ball joints as a rule belong in ANY truck suspension- they are made for CARS!!
Some similar concepts in design, but the actual bearings are different. I believe most king pins used some sort of bronze bushing. But the stud design is similar in many ways.
That’s true but if you remember the king pins were an inch or so in diameter with brass bushings not a half inch stud in a bearing . The old king pins were reliable
@@Dirtydigger these are 7/8" studs, FWIW. Plus they are hardened 4130 chromoly.
@@gearheadfabworks I understand and I have no doubt it’s a great product but after tax and shipping $200 per unit x4 is just outside the average truck owners reach. its like that for most of the Dodge Cummins trucks parts example; a high volume frame mounted fuel pump is $800 Airdog, Fass , etc and like my Cummins is a higher horse power engine than stock the oem carter isn’t enough so I’m forced to pick basically between these two pump manufacturers.
@@Dirtydigger fleece makes a in tank pump.
You have come a long way since driving bambulances!
Oh the good ole days! I still drive like that on any given day! Haha.
Great job and great video also nice to see boots, gloves and glasses while working in the shop...gives me the heebie-jeebies to see guys doing this work wearing sneakers and sandals. Tks.
I definitely appreciate that! I'd like to still be kicking around the shop with all my fingers and toes in 20 years. 😂 I may not be the "most safe". But I'm fairly cognizant of my surroundings. Safety third🤘
Watching the video, before you said Michigan. I live in Michigan, I was saying to myself this has to be a rust belt state. The southern mechanics will never understand. The rule of thumb. It can take 1 hour. Or a torch and all day..
So much truth to that! It was a 10 hour job between both sides. Definitely a fine line between busting stuff loose and just breaking things into pieces. I was pretty close to breaking my ball joint press with this. Hence why I hammer the press in between some ugga duggas! 😂
us Southern Mechanics do understand, we have rain, rain makes mud, not as aggressive as your salted roads but it still locks everything in place with rust
Tip for removing rusted on rotors.
Pass a hex screw, size appropriate, through one of the caliper carrier holes towards the rotor.
Place a nut on the screw between the carrier and the rotor.
Push the screw until it makes contact with the rotor.
Tighten the nut up the screw towards the carrier.
Continue to tighten the nut and draw the screw through the carrier hole and force the rotor off the hub.
You can generate a lot more force this way than you can with a mallet.
Don't try and force one side all at once.
Do one side until you see movement then back it off, rotate the rotor 180 degree and go again.
Repeat until it cracks off.
But sometimes the rotor just comes away and you can lift it off.
It depends on how welded they are onto the hub with rust.
It's a lot easier and less effort than beating the rotor with mallets and stuff.
Just make sure you have removed the rotor keeper screw(s)
That dust shield might as well say Michigan on it🤣
@@wainbowcomp you're not wrong! 😂
Little tip. Remove them stuck rotors with a 2x4 cut at about 15" start truck and turn the wheel one way with the wood on rear of truck point on rotor and to frame. Turn the other way and repeat on front of truck point on rotor. Itll come loose very gracefully
Thanks for the heads up. I've learned a few tricks since this video. I was definitely not a master mechanic 😂
I like these it about time for me to replace my ball joints again on my 2012 Silverado 1500. From the factory it had some crappy sealed ball joints that went out at 60,000 miles. I could not believe it. However, I replaced them with some Moog ball joints with grease zerks and they are still holding up and not abnormal tire wear but the boots are torn and the bottom ones have just a little play. The last time I greased them In cleaned the boots and put black flex tape around the boots and they held the grease fine. My Moog ball joints have over 120,000 miles on them since my truck now has a little over 180,000 on it. The Moogs have been greased regularly but that is outstanding if you ask me!
That's a good run on Moog. Maintenance is probably 75% of the cure for ball joints on most rigs. On straight axles, definitely some other issues. These dodge 2500/3500 trucks had poor geometry from the factory. Maybe they'll make some for the 1500 Chevy at some point. Supposed to be started some IFS stuff soon for Toyotas, then Chevy's. But it'll be a few months at a minimum.
Moog is trash. You'll be redoing the ball joints sooner than if you would have used OEM. You can't be a cheap ass with these trucks.
I talked to the owners about getting a set for my truck and they told me don't get them if you use your truck for a daily. I'm not the only one they told that to a bunch of my other buddies who have lifted trucks they told them that also. That's why I just went with the EMF rebuildable billet ball joints
What owners did you talk to?
Good video! However after all the problems I have had with my Ram 1500, I’m planing on deleting the entire truck 🤣
Can't blame you... I really am only a Cummins fan... The rest of the truck isn't my favorite. Style is nice... That's about it. 😂
I found rather than the freezer, the cooler method is colder and much quicker. If u have a good cooler (cheap cooler may bust due to cold) put ice as u normally would to ice down your favorite beverage, then, add about two handfuls of rock salt (ice cream salt). This will lower the temp to a dangerously low temp, freeze a beer in 10-12 min, slush soft drinks vert quickly. Bearings in that cooler will surpass any household freezer in 15 min or so. Hope this helps someone chill a bearing or win a bet with a buddy over freezing his beer😂🍺
Hold my beer, watch this.
you sure about the salt? is it just normal salt? or some epsom salt that you call rock salt as the normal rock salt is just normal table salt..
I like the idea and how it serves multiple purposes! Lol. I'll keep that in mind 🍻
@@vihreelinja4743any salt will work but rock salt is cheaper than table salt
That requires a freezer that gets ice to that lower temp first.
Also... Yeaa let's introduce salt.
going to buy a set of ball joint delete kit for my 06 dodge ram 4x4 5.9 cummins!
Nice! It's a cool little setup. Especially if the ball joints need to be replaced, anyway.
Very Interesting!
I'd probably get an MOT fail here in England on my Land Rover Discovery 2 due to the ball joints not having a rubber seal around them.
Yeah I'm not sure how I would navigate that. But you might see a completely sealed system in the future.
Government sucks ass
Kind of / sorta related.. (LOL) : whatever you do.. BE CAUTIOUS.. not to damage your steering knuckle! I broke one quite some time back, and let’s just say.. if you don’t have some good connections... or a way to custom fabricate... you may be buying a whole new axle.. sheer luck and gods help is the only reason I found a replacement! And (while I had other things break too, to be clear..) it did cost me a few grand. (Like 4!) anyway; awesome video! Thanks for showing this product! Edit: my advice is mainly specific to 4x4 versions only! & incase it matters.. my truck has the 9.25 AAM axle.
Oh wow 😳. How did you damage the steering knuckle causing it to fail? Good insight for sure. I personally don't like the knuckle setup. It looks and feels weak. But at least a broken balljoint won't be my failure now. Lol
Inner or outer knuckle?
There are plenty of cores, why so expensive?
I just finished emailing American Iron about ball joints for my ‘16 Ram 3500 4th gen truck. I am very impressed with your install/review. Thanks for the video.
Their site has the ball joints only up to ‘13.5, yet their install instructions states ‘00-‘18. I need some clarification from them.
Thanks! I'm sure he has something in the works for later 4th gen Rams. Hopefully those come soon!
Yeah at 86k I’m frustrated with the constant right pull, so it’ll be interesting to see if they have a product for the 4th gen. Keeping positive!!
@@Sunofasack did you ever get the ball joints ordered and installed?
Great video now all I need is to buy a puller forget the shop easy job nice save big💲💲💲💲video saved 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Thanks! I feel like the video work was harder than the actual front end work on the truck. Lol
If you draw a straight line from the upper to the lower pivot points, you'll see that the joints don't bind. But it's still a design choice I'd like to understand better.
Now, if you want to see "messed up" ball joint design, look at the track bar setup on any 1994-2002 Ram 2300/3500 4x4. The track bar has to BEND the ball joint end for the front axle to articulate. I did a conversion to make it a Heim setup and it helped a lot with tracking and death wobble.
nice! probably should anti-seize that bearing in the cup.. ..judging by the condition of that poor shock. :)
I did think about that... Might be something worth mentioning. I might do that before winter hits while doing some maintenance. Lol.
Yes I'm going to be replacing my left ball joint this will be the third time and I wish they had a bump steer kit for these trucks too they do have bump steer.
Yeah, bump steer is significantly better now! And Michigan roads are not smooth. 😂
That snap ring holding the bearing in might be fun to get out in the salt belt
Gonna find out... I used anti-seize on a lot of parts to make life easier. But shall see.
I wonder if we could get something similar for these old Hondas. It's getting harder to find quality parts. Plus it would make the suspension even more solid
A lot of race and drift cars go to stuff like this to reduce any deflection in the suspension. Their might be something for your car already.
Wondering how this would run on a regular daily street car.
It is really cool to see this. My question is how long will these last. And the next question is how much longer would they last if they weren’t over torqued so much.
These are just a stripped-down naked version of a Dynatrac ball joint. They use FK rod end bearing inserts
Still figuring out how long they will last. I'm just over 17,000 mi and 6 months in, and they are still going strong. As far as over torquing, I don't believe that they are over torqued. I am just doing things the way I was taught when I started working on cars and hydraulic systems. If you are using torque lube, one torque click and you are fine. But if you are putting them on dry, you should check them at least 1 to 2 more times. This was just the rule of them that I was given when I was working as an engineer tech.
One click and your done. Every time you click it it turns more and will over torque it. Read the instructions on your wrench. Not trying to be a dick but just a tip from a master tech.
@@roystockton1064 I'm just using the suggestion from fastener manufacturers. When using lube, one click is fine. When dry, the bolts/nuts can become bound up and give a false reading/torque. Letting the hardware relax momentarily can allow it to unbind, and then torque again. For internal engine components, you'll never see me do this.
@@roystockton1064 not exactly, if you are rushing and aren't applying a consistently increasing torque, you will hit the torque spec and go maybe a 4-8 inch pounds over, also most torque wrenches use a phyiscal click or something similar to a break over torque wrench, plus as a master tech you should know that 99k out of 100k bolt torque specs arent an exact finite unit where 1 foot pound above and the bolt isnt tight and 1 over and the bolt has to be replaced because its stretched, such as alldata or prodemand, it will give you a range, if the torque spec was that precise they would have listed it in a much finer measuring scale, also to mention doing lug nuts, you should torque them down in a star pattern and then follow it up with another pass after because as a torque spec is measured in the forced required to move an object and not a distance, something may be "at torque spec" where it clicks, but due to the extra resistance of the wheel not being seated properly it isnt actually at the proper torque spec, and lastly, it really just comes down to personal preference, if you feel the need to click it once more after you set the car on the wheels, then thats just fine
Good video 👍 curious on how well they stand up, I have been running XRF ball joints , so far they seem like there lasting over 80,000 k , I plow snow all winter and pack heavy loads with my truck daily.
Holding up great at over 30k miles and 1.5 years in the salt belt. I'll post when they need service. Hopefully, not for awhile.
Always install the lower ball joint first so the threaded rod of tool can go through upper balljoint hole, keeping the tool straight.
Normally, I would agree. However, the upper and lower ball joints are in different planes on the dodge trucks. You can't put the tool through the upper inner C hole to install the lower, unfortunately.
A broken ball joint may be the cause of a mysterious clunking noise or drifting steering. And once they're worn, they will seriously affect your steering and suspension. If a ball joint fails completely, it can even result in the wheel dramatically falling off the car. A scary thought!
Yes! I've sent a whole knuckle off while offroad. Went ball joint deletes and never looked back. So, when these came out, I had to put em in my toe pig too.
Another indication of worn ball joints is camber wear on the tires. The tire not being held in position but allowed to settle into the wear causes it to camber slightly.
@@snow8581 good point! I wasn't quite there with the ball joints, yet. Lol. They were barely out of spec and had some slightly perceivable back and forth play. Most felt like it came from the upper stud joint. Otherwise, the steering just felt sloppy and unpredictable. Much better now.
diy bearings will fail even more catastrofically i would quess :D
Seem pretty cool using a bearing. Wonder how long they will last
6 months in and a little over 17,000 mi. Still going strong. But I'm still looking to have that long-term report.
I swapped a kingpin dana 60 in my k1500 probably 5 years ago. The bottom kingpin is a bearing, similar to this one, but slightly larger in diameter, but not much. Its had a hard life, 3 sets of 40x15.50's and a set of 35x15.50's and still daily driven, and my passenger side lower kingpin bearing just developed a tiny amount of play after all of those tires + 65,000 miles. These should last a very long time. If I had a Ram, I wouldn't hesitate to convert to these. I put a kingpin axle in my Chevy for a reason, I absolutely hated ball joints lol
@@xXShadowRejectsXx yeah, I have suffered the consequences of ball joints while rock crawling. Sent my entire knuckle and wheel off of my axle when I got bound up on an obstacle. Ever since then, ball joint deletes.
Check for recall on those Jack stands. They look exactly like mine (Pittsburgh) they work great all the way down. 😬
New subscriber, thanks for the content. Lifted wk2 Durango
I believe it was the 6 ton jack stands, right? These are the 12 ton. So far, no issues🤘 lol. Thanks for the sub! I definitely don't see many lifted Durango's! I used to want one really bad. But got the Jeep bug. Lol. Do you wheel it?
I run these on my rear steer buggy. 👍 awesome BJE.
I love some rear steer! That's a future build for me, for sure! Not much use in Michigan, but we'll be heading out west plenty in years to come.
also great vid , few tips you didn't have to remove axle nut , take out as an assembly , reason being ya don't want to let axle hang in there as ya did it will egg out your axle seal and possibly cause leaks , same on install slide axle in centred as ya can and immediately put unit bearing in its bore ( have every mating surface polished and antisiezed and ready to go ) so there is no pressure on seal . because ya don't want do axle seals if ya don't have to as you may know .cause they a bitch
It's funny you mention that. I tear down my Jeepster the way you said and for some reason I didn't do it on my truck. Couldn't tell you why. Lol. Good tip!
All he needed to do was remove the four nuts holding spindle and ABS wire take tire spindle and axle out in one piece
@@Dirtydigger yes but I don’t think i’d leave tire on too , ya want to have total control of unit bearing and axle sliding it out and putting back in , it just like delivering a baby lol ya want to prevent damage to them seals at all costs , and if axle universal , unit bearings or balljoints are even questionable just replace em all cause every time that axle is pulled to replace one of them ya increase yer chance of a leak
@@TheCaperfish I would also take the tire off just made an observation and made a statement might help save a few people some time and without the tire you don’t have to disconnect the brake line just remove caliper and it’s good to check the wheel bearings if it’s been forever.
Is this only for one certain front end, or for ALL 2000-2013? My 04 2500 needs ball joints And I just discovered these after looking at the really expensive ball joints like Dynatrac, EMF, thuren etc
They are for any 2500/3500 from 2000-2013.5. The inner C design was on the Dana 60 and AAM 9.25/9.5 axles. So should work for your year.
@@gearheadfabworks nice. And there’s no bad effects from doing this? Even for a daily driver mostly highway rig?
@@Bama_RTMF not that I've found so far. My rig handles and drives 10 times better already. Steering feels tight, as in it doesn't have a bunch of slop anymore. Plus, since I'm hard on my rig and I drive over 400 miles a week, I know it'll be much easier to replace a couple bearings compared to whole balljoint assemblies.
@@gearheadfabworks that’s what I was thinking too. I’ve seen people say the delete isn’t worth it, in the 3rd gen groups but nobody ever really elaborates on why that is.. they just recommend the super expensive carli or emf ball joints.
@@Bama_RTMF honestly, that's a great question. These deletes are new to the Dodge guys. I'm not sure anyone with a 3rd gen has done them yet. For all intensive purposes, the axle design is the same between 3rd and 4th gens, though. These have been undergoing several months of testing between a few guys. Josh just finally released them to the public recently. Maybe not enough 3rd gen guys have used them to recommend, yet. I've got em on my offroad race car and have no complaints, if that's any consolation.
The biggest reason people change balljoints alot is improper load equalization.
After you install , if they don't turn easy, your only loaded on one.
Balljoints should last well over 100000 miles.
Interesting point. I'm curious to dig into that a little more.
Man that’s a nice product!!! Should have been invented years ago. I did a set of ball joints on a old rusted ford truck once, the ball joint press wouldn’t take them out, it actually broke. Probably because it was made in china. Lol, What I did was took my Bench vise off the work bench and used it as my Press!!! Lol!!! Definitely a little odd and heavy to use but worked. Great video and thanks for sharing the Ball Joint Deletes, I will definitely use them in the future. People if you ever buy a Ball Joint Press spend a few more dollars for a Quality Tool, it will save you a lot of Aggravation. 😂
I don't know if I would've thought of using a bench vise, but that is genius in a pinch🤘
"We're not gonna bore you with the disassembly......" but we are gonna show you how hard to take something apart that's never been maintained though.
Damn straight! 🤣🤣🤣 Had the video and it was plenty of work. Figured everyone else had to suffer through an ounce of it too. Lol
So what is the actual pros and cons of using these rather than traditional balljoints? Other than being easier to replace.
The delete knurled surface will delete all tolerances as you press it in. Future ball joints fall will out, no press tools ever again plus you get maximum confidence from a product needing double nutting when the stock one never needed it. Like fixing your wet dreams with a trip to the knackery. Should have named it "money delete".
Well, someone is a little bit sassy.
@@mrrberger Finally someone with some knowledge. "Today we are going to replace a greasable, industry standard component with some polished heim joints from tractor supply"
@@gearheadfabworks Hey no disrespect on your work and great Vlog production. Seeing new product with obvious flaws (knurling, double nutting, inappropriate sealing, inbuilt galvanic corrosion) is cringe. We stand on the shoulders of giants and some see fit calling those giants insignificant to inflate their own size. Your Vlog rightly enthuses people, if the product lets people down it's disappointing you'd get tarnished via association. Historically, shimming, periodic greasing and denibbing was part of maintenance for ball joints to keep them optimized and strong. Now the consumerism of total life failure means balljoints are no longer serviceable. It doesn't stop the enthusiast from regularly replacing them however. Maybe a Vlog "perfect ball joints forever" would have the process of replacing old for new every 4 years (off road abuse considered) and have it down to a fine art of efficiency and speed, part of a high performance off roading at budget commitment. Rant over
I can definitely respect that! I agree 100%. There are some things that I wish could be better in this design. But I do think they did a good job with the parameters they were given. The nice thing is, this company continually pushes to make their products better. Most of my experience with this company comes from the off-road segment and racing. I have never had a failure with these while being ignorantly abusive to my off-road cars. I am still running these joints in my daily truck, and the plan is to give any and all feedback that I can based on my experience. I'll be tearing it apart this spring to inspect and actually show any wear and tear. So far, a little over 6 months and almost 20,000 mi in, no problems yet. I know that's not a true full life cycle, but that is actually a lot longer than most OEMs would test. I only know this, because I used to test for the big three four durability and life cycle. I do think these joints would be a lot better in the southern states. But time will tell how bad they will get up here.
Damn! I wish these were readily available for all makes and models.
Eventually he will have more lines of these. It's sounds like he is pushing to go into the IFS arena. But he has covered quite a few of these solid axle vehicles.
He neutered his Ram 🐏 😳
🤣🤣 I don't need this old rusty pig making any rusty babies!
What would the difference be between these joints and the ones made by EMF (Evolution Machine) for the Dodge trucks?
Would you consider them equal or have you not tried the EMF joints?
Long term reports would be great as well
Curious as well
Not sure on strength versus strength. If I'm not mistaken, EMF uses a ball joint style, but they do everything from a better machining process than what the OEM uses. So, my guess is that they are better than OEM. But I have not been able to truly compare them to these deletes. That being said, I'm 6 months in and 17k miles, still going strong. I'll be pulling the front end apart this spring to do typical maintenance. I'll report back at that point.
I need these !!!
Get em!🤘🇺🇲👊
Shank you very much nice video
I appreciate it! 🤘
When you triple/quadruple (or more) click your torque wrench you are going beyond your set torque. But you probably know that already.
Im glad somebody said this. I was like.... really!!!
The problem is doing it dry versus doing it with torque lube. Dry oftentimes requires you to torque it more than once.
@@gearheadfabworks
Only if the torque spec calls for lube. Otherwise the torque was meant to be dry.
@@aiesusserphin8187 I'll take your word for it
I don’t know a lot about ball joints, but doesn’t replacing a ball joint with a spherical bearing make it a… ball joint?
Possibly. I guess maybe it's a technicality that it's not a full "ball". Spherical bearings and ball joints are manufactured differently, too. Ball joints are typically pressed into a cup with a little lip formed to retain it. That's why you'll occasionally hear of them popping out as they wear or reach their load threshold.
But this has the added benefit of not being sealed or greasable or the ability to pass inspections.
@@gearheadfabworksWon’t have that problem with EMF balljoints, arguably the best design hands-down, intelligent rebuild design with the ability to tighten before considering any replacement👍👍
@@FireBosspilot you definitely have a point. I like knowing that there are people still out there pushing new ideas and innovating. Let's the next person build upon the framework.
Definitely getting a set for my 3rd generation I'm tired of new ball joints giving me camber
To some people, that camber is kind of a cool thing! Just not for me. Lol
To quickly get the rotors off, just use an air hammer. Use a flat bit and run it in between the studs, all around.
Good idea! Didn't have a "good" air hammer at the time. However, I have one now. I'll keep it in mind for next time.
Its still a ball joint
Take it up with our customer service line that doesn't exist. 😂
Just a little tip that will save you a ton of time. You DO NOT need to do this mod. Ball joints work fine and have worked fine forever.
Did you see the price of these?
@@stevo1563 No
To each their own.
Agreed, this is just a heim joint. Heim joints have no place in automotive.
Not to be rude or anything. But you dodge rams definitely burn through ball joints faster than the government is money.
My 2004 2500 Dodge has and does drive straight even with standard ball joints since I bought it new. I had 315 tires and it drove fine. I did a total front end rebuild at 275 k (greasable ball joints) added a steering box brace for extra measure. I would like to get a Red Top steering bow and Borgensen joint for an upgrade.
Redhead Steering gear is at the top of my list for future upgrades. My steering box has lots of slop in it and is only about 3 years old.
Redhead has gone down hill in the last 2 year's I went with Borgeson also they have been around a lot longer.
To get the hub assembly to come out easier in the future, put a coat of grease on any place the hub touches the knuckle. I have had to do a few hub assemblies on my dodge. My hub assembly just fall out of the tru k once I remove the 4 mounting bolts. No more beating the hub to get it off the steering knuckle
I actually laced a bunch of the services with anti-seize. So hopefully it'll come apart a little easier next time.
It's still a ball joint, nothing has been deleted
I didn't name them. 🤷 But I like the way they work.
Stopped watching to much unnecessary work to watch !!
Well, I had it on video, so I put it in there. Tried to speed it up. Maybe future videos will be better.
I race a quad and there a company that makes a-arms with those style “ball joints” and they wear out in no time. So for me I still prefer a good solid ball joint. Frap for my application is best
Independent suspension is a bit different. It cycles the ball in all directions and collects lots more dirt. However, these are considered stronger than ball joints. Which is why many companies offer them.
Here's a tip, anything more than one click is over torqued. I think ur the king, four clicks, damn.
It was only three clicks, and there is a difference between torquing something with lube and torquing something dry.
ok, nice ... when are the Ram 4500/5500 versions coming out? That is what I would need.
Hmm, not sure. Good question for Josh over at American Iron Offroad. I know he had a few things he was working on. I'll have to ask when he's back from KOH.
Ya the ball joint press ur using has an extension kit that’s got cups and recovers etc to fit this truck and many other cars n trucks
I didn't know it wasn't in the kit until I tore into it, of course. I rented a ball joint tool last couple times I did this. This time, bought the tool but didn't think twice. Lol
@@gearheadfabworks right tool for the job makes life so much nicer and that Maddox ball joint kit and expansion kit is awesome glad ur enjoying it
They need to make these for the Lexus LS 460. The Ball Joint Eater
That would be nice to see. Definitely could be something in the future. Not sure how those ones are designed, but anything can be made better. Lol
Man...these peices are really cool! But at 700 bucks??? Thats just crazy!!! Good video tho!
I do wish they could be cheaper, as with a lot of things in the world. But they are competitive with the other aftermarket special "balljoint" companies. Maybe we'll see prices come down when material pricing comes back down and our world calms down a little.
Oh and apply a thin coat of anti seize on the axle b4 pressing it together would help
Being this is Michigan, we use anti-seize on everything! Lol
“So your torque specs are perfect” proceeds to get another 1/4 turn out of every bolt by making his wrench click 17 times lol
Just an added layer of internal joy hearing it click a few extra times 😅
Would packing in dry ice or soaking in liquid nitrogen be better than household freezer? Is any kind of epoxy primer recommended to help prevent corrosion between the knurled outside and the knuckle?
Nothing has been noted for rust prevention. However, I'd be curious myself. I HATE rust! If I leave Michigan, it's because of rust. Lol. As far as dry ice, yes it would be better. But I dealt with what I had. Freezer works fine. They pressed in without much hassle.
Oh, never mind me getting these I guess it is Moog again for me since they are not made for Chevrolet!
Pshhh... I just bought XRF ball joints from the boy's at FICM repair. Cheaper, very solid, and a lifetime warranty.
I hope they work out. I was showing what I used. If they have a better product that's cheaper, I'd show those off if I installed them. Fortunately, that'll be awhile before I need to service my bearings. 🤘
?
So these are ball joint delete parts, but what's internally is a ball bearing? Theoretically, they're still ball joints just encased with aluminum housing. Until it's made completely without a bearing component as its main component, it's still a ball joint no matter what and can't be called a ball joint delete kit.
Understandable... I'm sure it's a play on words in some way. Probably easier to market than saying "spherical bearing upgrade for your ball joints."
If you use put the dead blow on the edge of the rotor then use a hammer or sledge to hit the dead blow you won’t damage the rotor and it’ll come off easier
Luckily I was replacing a good majority of everything on the front, anyway.
Hope your doing well.
I have watched this video about 4 times now since you posted it, and I been hopping you would give an update on how there lasting/wearing. As you stated there not inline with each other? Im really curious of how its wearing after a year or what other issues you might have run in to?
is there anyway if your still active on your account if you could post or comment on here would be awesome!
I've posted in a few comments replying to people. They are still going strong at just over 30k miles and 1.5 years. I typically only use my truck for towing now, so miles are increasing much slower in the past 6 months. No issues with the bearings, though.
Slowly getting back to video stuff. It's been awhile and I've been working a lot in a completely different industry than I was in.
fyi: applying anti-seize on the back of rotor will save time later on. BYM
I try not to put anything in between there, in case it doesn't sit flat when bolted up. Idk if that is truly a concern. I should probably experiment with it.
AAM logos gives me ptsd. I did 5 years at the one in oxford making ring gears for everyone lol. Also swap the intermediate shaft bushing if the steering slop gets worse.
I'll definitely keep that in mind! These AAM axles are... Decent, at best. But not my go to axle for offroad builds. 😂
The "no bueno" part was when the caliper bounced off the floor at the end of the rubber brake hose.
Yeah, not a proud moment. But I also don't want people thinking I'm perfect and nothing stupid ever happens.
3:45 zip ties are your friend 🤣
Yeah, I'm definitely aware. Not my proudest moment. But I also like to show that I'm not perfect. Lol
I think you definitely benefit from using a copper mallet. Plenty of heft, but won't mar a surface..
It was all being replaced, thank God. I've learned a couple methods to remove hubs and suspension components since this video. 🤘
My 14’ 2500 Cummins tracks perfectly straight with no input and has since I got it
I'm really glad. This is a common issue in 2500s. It is just exacerbated as time and wear occurs.
How do they do with alignment i have a 6" lift and they said i need 1.5 degree upper ball joints.
Time saving tip. Lose the OCD, click a torque wrench once. It moves a fraction of a degree every time you come at it and it clicks again. Doing this overstretches your bolts.
I think it's a habit and I have no idea where I got it from. When bolts are lubed, I don't double click. But again, idk who taught me this or where I picked it up.
@@gearheadfabworks
Millwright things, I get a little over worked with these things. I watched a guy tring to tighten a compression flange pipe clamp. He went around and tightened the bolts to 100 ft-lbs when he got to the start he tightened the first bolt again and shifted and clicked. He proceeded for 6 laps thinking the bolts weren't tight enough. On lap 7 the flange broke from the compression load.
@@Kodykenway oof! I can't say that I have that extent of OCD. Lol. I will definitely keep it in mind for torquing nuts and bolts. It's gotta be painful to watch people not learn. I prefer to take the criticism and get better 🤘
Just just replaced my ball joints a few months ago. Too bad I didn’t see these before hand
They might not have been released yet. I only knew of them because I was part of the FB group and I run them on my Ultra4 car. As soon as they were public, I had to have a set!
Just checked they sell them $650 good lord
Did you put any lubricant on those before pressing them in? No grease on the bearings? I can't imagine them lasting long without any lubrication
No grease on bearings. They are supposed to be lubrication free. Has a Teflon layer. There could be future design iterations that are sealed with grease. But these have been pretty good for the Jeeps and super duty Ford's, so far.
Can we have an update? I found this video a year ago when i completely rebuilt my front end, and wheel hubs.
Long story short, the part store ball joints arent up to par with the carli suspension and king shocks i run pretty hard.
How have these held up for you after a year on your Rig?
Holding up great. Been through 2 winters and over 30k miles. Steering is still tight and no issues that I've found, as of yet.
Do you have a long term review video of for this delete kit?
No video yet. Been prioritizing family life lately. I should be getting back to videos soon. But I've got a couple other projects taking precedence.
That's the fastest dodge wb removal ever.
Meh! I greased it about a year prior when I did wheel bearings. Lol