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re-build most of the front end dana 44

Kain

Kain

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well the inner seals are throwing axle fluid all over the wheel whell. and i started checking to se what need changing and what doesn't. I found the upper and lower ball joint move alot. u-joints in the axles are starting to look like crap.might as well do wheel bearings and axle spindle bearing when i have it apart.

so wheel bearings axle spindle bearings u-joints and axle seals. and i thought i would paint the hubs when i have it apart. i have been reading other people threads about doing this and the only tools i dont have is the ball joint tool,and the axle nut socket. Wish me luck going to get the parts next Wednesday and start Thursday morning at about 7 am. its about 250 worth in just parts
 
Do you know what brand of ball joints you are going to use? I ask because I used Moog under my '90 Jimmy less than 4 years ago, and they are done already.
I looked around on Google, found lots of complaints about Moog joints lately. But no great solutions with other brands.
 
na moog has went down hill last couple years on ball joints,here its orielys brand master craft,auto zone duralast,
napas brand Proformer Chassis. the mechanic i know here use orielys because he had a bunch of moog break and since he bought em he had to fix a the torn up suspension out his pocket.

and i learned a long time ago you cant get the Greasable one for the upper it will hit the u-joint in the axle
 
have to read my book on the torque specs. i know the careir is 65 lb but i dont remember the ball joint weather you have to torque them or not
 
The Moog grease able joints cleared the axle , but....

Good to hear options.

And I don't remember the numbers, but the lower gets torqued, then the upper adjuster, then upper nut.
 
I recall only one pair of greaseable upper ball joints in one of my trucks,and you had to remove a threaded plug and install a 45 degree zerk fitting to grease them ,or use a needlepoint grease gun tip--then put that threaded plug back in..if you tried leaving the zerks in,they got sheared off the first time you locked the hubs..

It took me a good half hour to get that stupid threaded plug back in--I never greased the ball joints again as long as I owned the truck either..

Since most all chassis parts are likely coming out of the same plant in China now--you may as well shop around for price and buy the cheapest,quality is a crap shoot no matter who
s name is on the box now..
 
i was thinking summit cause they make em now and there cheaper than any others.
my buddy in vegas said get the cheapest with lifetime warranty as well
 
I keep hearing about Mevotech. http://www.mevotech.com/ Supposedly they are as good as the old Moogs or better. But I can't find anybody who has used them long enough to prove it.
Next time I need a TRE, I'm going to try one unless I hear something bad in the meantime.
 
I just bought Moog ball joints from NAPA , made in CHINA and paid the premium price what a rip off.
 
I found the spicer ones for $55 a side.
Then I found one comment in a Google search that said they had plastic bushings. But I would hope that Spicer would keep quality high.
 
nobody here sells spicer parts anymore. there is drive shaft shop that sell the u-joints but i dont like them. only driveshaft place i have heard of that dont pull driveshafts.
 
Well i ordered the ball joints from lmc, everything else i got local.

The ujoints are persision joints. The bearings and seals from oreilys. The spindle bearing kit is natinal. Inner and outer wheel bearings are oreilys house brand. Couldnt get other for 6 days. Something about backorder.
 
I got the ball joints from lmc. They are falcon brand. I would post pics but cant afford mebership due till next month. Spent all my money on parts and tools
 
I just got a set of ACDELCO professional series from Rockauto. They are made in USA! They have the grease hole for the uppers in the center, not off to the side like Moog, so you can't leave the zerk in.
I guess that I will hope for the best.
 
Wish i could afford em id order them but broke as i am ill have to hope these hold
 
diesel4me said:
I recall only one pair of greaseable upper ball joints in one of my trucks,and you had to remove a threaded plug and install a 45 degree zerk fitting to grease them ,or use a needlepoint grease gun tip--then put that threaded plug back in..if you tried leaving the zerks in,they got sheared off the first time you locked the hubs..

It took me a good half hour to get that stupid threaded plug back in--I never greased the ball joints again as long as I owned the truck either..

Since most all chassis parts are likely coming out of the same plant in China now--you may as well shop around for price and buy the cheapest,quality is a crap shoot no matter who
s name is on the box now..
Click to expand...
I got Moog from Orielys for my SD.they called it one and done..that was three years ago and they are still good.like you said the top joint has a grease fitting. The bottom i have to take out and replace with the BOLT that came with them??otherwise the axle u joint will break it off.it says life time warrenty, and i will hold them to it.
 
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