Just priced a set of dynatrac ball joints.. $660.00 Suggested press tool to do the job right $422.00. Spicer drive axle Ujoints $90.00 ea. Sooo I`m looking at $1262.00 and I have not even gotten to the Spintec hubs ($1600.00) I have my heart set on for next months project.Throw in a brake job, and its a $3000.00 project. I think I`m gonna have to make some concessions here to get the hubs I want :spend:There is an old saying for hot rodders " Speed cost money, How fast do you wanna go?"

Can you rent or "fab up" the ball joint press for the job?? $90.00 each sounds way high for axle U-joints. IIRC, mine were just over half that price. Mine are Precision...........made by Moog though.

Can you rent or "fab up" the ball joint press for the job?? $90.00 each sounds way high for axle U-joints. IIRC, mine were just over half that price. Mine are Precision...........made by Moog though.

Our local Oreilly`s has a universal press in thier tool loan stuff.. We used it on a friends 04 to do one side and it was about a two hour fight, and that was after about an hour long fight to seperate the hub carrier from the joints. Miller tools makes a vehical specific press, and adaptors for the Dodge pickups that look like they would take alot of the out of it. Dynatrac is pretty proud of their Spicer Ujoints unless I misunderstood the man they were $90 apiece.. After the $660 for ball joints I figured that must be par? Oreilly has their of the shelf brand for about $45 apiece, and ball joints for around $50 each. I guess I`m gonna try the cheaper route with the free tool loan on this part of it. I`ll just need to set aside a full day to do it.

I'm getting ready to do the same project..Dynatrac Ball JointsAxle U-JointsYukon HubsShocksSway Bar LinkSteering BraceI wouldn't buy the tool, and added hour of frustration per side pays you over $200/hr to be frustrated :-)The spicer 500613's are sealed lifetime joints, but at $90/ea they had better be!! I am willing to spend the cash to never have to do it again. I have read mixed reviews on the Precision greaseables life, and so far everyone recommends sealed as they are stronger. My OEM's are fine, but like I said, only want to tear it apart once. Unless you find a local distributor for the dynatracks they are going to be $659. A local guy may take less in cash. I just did a quick internet search, Amazon has the Spicer's for $72, and the precisions for $45. [h=1][/h]

The universal ball joint presses do not work well on the AAM front axles as they have a goofy offset and have a bigger gap between the 2 joints, You can get them apart but getting the upper one in with the universal kit can be done but it takes some inginuity, There are specific ball joint presses for the AAM ball joints for Dodge and Jeep products but they are expensive.I had to disassemble my upper ball joints from Carli to install them with the universal ball joint kit as I couldn't get any of the parts in the kit to work right.

I'm getting ready to do the same project.. Dynatrac Ball Joints Axle U-Joints Yukon Hubs Shocks Sway Bar Link Steering Brace I wouldn't buy the tool, and added hour of frustration per side pays you over $200/hr to be frustrated :-) The spicer 500613's are sealed lifetime joints, but at $90/ea they had better be!! I am willing to spend the cash to never have to do it again. I have read mixed reviews on the Precision greaseables life, and so far everyone recommends sealed as they are stronger. My OEM's are fine, but like I said, only want to tear it apart once. Unless you find a local distributor for the dynatracks they are going to be $659. A local guy may take less in cash. I just did a quick internet search, Amazon has the Spicer's for $72, and the precisions for $45. [h=1][/h]

I'm on my 4th set of axle U-joints. The latest set was installed when we did the SpynTec hub conversion. The OEM's and the next two sets all failed within a few months of each other and at similar miles. I think part of the problem on my truck with axle U-joints is that I live in the "rust belt" where salt is over used on the roads in the winter to melt the snow. Another problem is that 3rd gens turn tighter than 1st and 2nd gens and tight turns and u-joints don't mix. 3rd gens are near the max weight rating for the axle which probably stresses other parts also. I also do a lot of low speed trailer backing/maneuvering. You'll probably be fine out there with sealed ones.

I'm getting ready to do the same project..

Dynatrac Ball Joints

Axle U-Joints

Yukon Hubs

Shocks

Sway Bar Link

Steering Brace

I wouldn't buy the tool, and added hour of frustration per side pays you over $200/hr to be frustrated :-)

The spicer 500613's are sealed lifetime joints, but at $90/ea they had better be!! I am willing to spend the cash to never have to do it again.

I have read mixed reviews on the Precision greaseables life, and so far everyone recommends sealed as they are stronger. My OEM's are fine, but like I said, only want to tear it apart once.

Unless you find a local distributor for the dynatracks they are going to be $659. A local guy may take less in cash.

I just did a quick internet search, Amazon has the Spicer's for $72, and the precisions for $45.

I`m gonna save a few bucks, and deal with the free universal press one more time. I still remember having this overwhelming desire to break out the torch last time:banghead: cooler heads prevailed.

As far as the Ujoints.. I`m thinking with the Spintec hubs they are not going to see very much wear n tear because I rarely need the 4wheel drive anyway.

If the Oreilly ball joints are decent, and greaseable I will do it religiously everytime I rotate tires.

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The universal ball joint presses do not work well on the AAM front axles as they have a goofy offset and have a bigger gap between the 2 joints, You can get them apart but getting the upper one in with the universal kit can be done but it takes some inginuity, There are specific ball joint presses for the AAM ball joints for Dodge and Jeep products but they are expensive.

I had to disassemble my upper ball joints from Carli to install them with the universal ball joint kit as I couldn't get any of the parts in the kit to work right.

Man I remeber the same frustration Bill, The adaptors were close but sometimes not close enough. So you have keep being creative with various things around the shop.

That Miller press, and the specific Dodge Ram adaptors looks really sweet:drool: ... I rationalize to my wife sometimes that I am buying certain tools with the money I`m saving doing it myself.

I usually get this raised ebrow look LOL !!

You'll probably be fine out there with sealed ones.

The sealed ones are actually preferred in the rust belt, because the seal better than the greasable kind. At least that's what I am finding in research.

Have you looked at XRF ball joints? Supposedly lifetime warranty

I've read they are low quality and the warranty is against defects and not normal wear.. Meaning they can wear out in 5K miles and not be covered.