1999 Durango 5.9L

I had the wheels aligned recently because they felt odd, and the
mechanic said that the upper and lower ball joints, front AND back need
to be replaced. Quoted price, almost $5000.
That price included control arms and many, many hours of labor.
Something didn't seem to add up there.

I see that I can get the ball joints for about $35 each. I'm not sure
why I'd need a control arm too?

Could someone enlighten me please?
Is this something I could do in a weekend, or something that I should
definitely shell out $1000+ for professional labor?

"Av" <spam-newsgroups@silverwraith.com> wrote in message
news:slrnf7gmo3.2i8q.spam-newsgroups@gooseberry.silverwraith.com...
> 1999 Durango 5.9L
>
> I had the wheels aligned recently because they felt odd, and the
> mechanic said that the upper and lower ball joints, front AND back need
> to be replaced. Quoted price, almost $5000.
> That price included control arms and many, many hours of labor.
> Something didn't seem to add up there.
>
> I see that I can get the ball joints for about $35 each. I'm not sure
> why I'd need a control arm too?
>
> Could someone enlighten me please?
> Is this something I could do in a weekend, or something that I should
> definitely shell out $1000+ for professional labor?

Not a truck Mechanic but if I were you I would get a second opinion, 5K is
to much money for that kind of job. how many miles on this truck?

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

Av wrote:
> Is this something I could do in a weekend, or something that I should
> definitely shell out $1000+ for professional labor?

Wasn't it the ball joints that were part of a recall on 1998-2003
Dakotas and Durangos? You might check and get it done for free.

that could be a little high for that. Especially since I don't think the
rear has ball joints. That frame is a Dakota frame from what I could tell
just looking at it from a distance. I replaced the ball joints on both my
older Dakotas at $65 ea. + sales tax, after market - (Moog). I did the work
myself at about an hour labor each. I also replaced the upper control arm
bushings at about $10 each control arm. It did cost me an alignment
afterward. When a shop replaces the ball joints they don't usually. They
replace the control arms and that are more expensive and more labor
intensive.

Since I don't think the rear even has control arms then $5000 may be a good
price to have the rear end completely redesigned to install them.

"Av" <spam-newsgroups@silverwraith.com> wrote in message
news:slrnf7gmo3.2i8q.spam-newsgroups@gooseberry.silverwraith.com...
> 1999 Durango 5.9L
>
> I had the wheels aligned recently because they felt odd, and the
> mechanic said that the upper and lower ball joints, front AND back need
> to be replaced. Quoted price, almost $5000.
> That price included control arms and many, many hours of labor.
> Something didn't seem to add up there.
>
> I see that I can get the ball joints for about $35 each. I'm not sure
> why I'd need a control arm too?
>
> Could someone enlighten me please?
> Is this something I could do in a weekend, or something that I should
> definitely shell out $1000+ for professional labor?

On Tue, 19 Jun 2007 20:03:08 -0500, "Abby.Normal" <Back.Off@nospam.net> wrote:

>that could be a little high for that. Especially since I don't think the
>rear has ball joints. That frame is a Dakota frame from what I could tell
>just looking at it from a distance. I replaced the ball joints on both my
>older Dakotas at $65 ea. + sales tax, after market - (Moog). I did the work
>myself at about an hour labor each. I also replaced the upper control arm
>bushings at about $10 each control arm. It did cost me an alignment
>afterward. When a shop replaces the ball joints they don't usually. They
>replace the control arms and that are more expensive and more labor
>intensive.
>
>Since I don't think the rear even has control arms then $5000 may be a good
>price to have the rear end completely redesigned to install them.

ahahahahahaha! :-)

On 2007-06-19, maxpower <damnnickname@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Not a truck Mechanic but if I were you I would get a second opinion, 5K is
> to much money for that kind of job. how many miles on this truck?

Just over 100k. It's otherwise in pretty good shape.

On 2007-06-20, miles <nope@nopers.com> wrote:
> Wasn't it the ball joints that were part of a recall on 1998-2003
> Dakotas and Durangos? You might check and get it done for free.

Te recall was only for 2000-2003 iirc :-( Not the 1998/9's.

LOL you truly are abbynormal! :D Yeah, ball joints on
leaf-spring/solid-axle rear suspension, who woulda thunk it? What would
ball joints back there do? Just go along for the ride? They'd sure never
wear out....

"Abby.Normal" <Back.Off@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:46787c80$0$14984$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> that could be a little high for that. Especially since I don't think the
> rear has ball joints. That frame is a Dakota frame from what I could tell
> just looking at it from a distance. I replaced the ball joints on both my
> older Dakotas at $65 ea. + sales tax, after market - (Moog). I did the
> work myself at about an hour labor each. I also replaced the upper
> control arm bushings at about $10 each control arm. It did cost me an
> alignment afterward. When a shop replaces the ball joints they don't
> usually. They replace the control arms and that are more expensive and
> more labor intensive.
>
> Since I don't think the rear even has control arms then $5000 may be a
> good price to have the rear end completely redesigned to install them.
>
> "Av" <spam-newsgroups@silverwraith.com> wrote in message
> news:slrnf7gmo3.2i8q.spam-newsgroups@gooseberry.silverwraith.com...
>> 1999 Durango 5.9L
>>
>> I had the wheels aligned recently because they felt odd, and the
>> mechanic said that the upper and lower ball joints, front AND back need
>> to be replaced. Quoted price, almost $5000.
>> That price included control arms and many, many hours of labor.
>> Something didn't seem to add up there.
>>
>> I see that I can get the ball joints for about $35 each. I'm not sure
>> why I'd need a control arm too?
>>
>> Could someone enlighten me please?
>> Is this something I could do in a weekend, or something that I should
>> definitely shell out $1000+ for professional labor?
>
>