Car Dealer Forums - View Single Post - Is it easy to replace Durango ball joints?

06-20-2007, 01:38 AM

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?