2019 1500 Limited 4x4 ball joint failure @ 52K???

[TX_JDubya]

Recently purchased a use 2019 Ram 1500 4x4 Limited w/ air suspension. Took it in to the dealer because it was making a popping sound when you turned the wheel. Dealer is claiming both the upper and lower ball joints are bad on the passenger side. The truck as 52K miles and is 100% stock. I do not have an extended warranty and they are claiming is not a covered component under the powertrain warranty. But they are quoting me $1,900 to replace both the UCA & LCA on the passenger side. They are claiming parts alone are ~$800

Just wanting to know if anyone has experienced what I would call a premature failure of the ball joints. I have had 5 dodge rams over the last 20 years and never seem any fail before 90K. Also if this price seems to be in the ballpark for the repair (also includes an alignment and oil change).

 

[mikeru82]

If you don't want to replace them yourself, take it to an alignment shop and see what they will charge. Definitely shop around. There's no reason to pay inflated dealership repair costs if your truck is no longer under warranty.

 

[Kaderast]

Seems maybe a bit early for ball joint failure, but if it was driven off road much before you purchased it, that will kill them faster. I replaced them at 90,000 miles on my 2014 Silverado last year, uppers were definitely pretty sloppy, probably should've been replaced at 80,000 miles.

But $800 for just the cost of 4 ball joints is absurd. What the previous guy said though, alignment or tire shop is generally a much cheaper option for basic work like that. Also, popping noises can be a lot more things than just ball joints, a second opinion can never hurt.

 

[TX_JDubya]

I've done ball joints before on my 2nd and 3rd gens, just never this early. I don't have the time anymore these days with two kids in sports to do the work myself...and they are a PITA without a lift. The dealer is saying the ball joints aren't serviceable on the 5th gen so the UCA and LCA have to be replaced which is why it's so expensive. This is my 5th Ram, driven nothing but them for 22 years, never had the ball joints fail this early.

The truck was not driven off road that I can tell, but roads suck up here in the NE so I am thinking the combination of $hitty roads, high mileage contributed heavily. In addition the previous owner was a young kid who bought a 70k truck he couldn't afford, so he probably rode her hard and put her up wet would my guess (rims are beat to **** from curb rash too). Got a great price so I'm OK with the investment to fix it, mainly curious if anyone else has experience a similar failure. Best I can tell, I'm the 1% exception.


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[mikeru82]

The dealer is saying the ball joints aren't serviceable on the 5th gen so the UCA and LCA have to be replaced which is why it's so expensive. This is my 5th Ram, driven nothing but them for 22 years, never had the ball joints fail this early.

I would make sure of this if I were you. I know you can buy aftermarket ball joints for 5th gens separately from the control arm. I don't see the aftermarket making them if they aren't serviceable. Just because you can't buy Mopar ball joints separately doesn't mean they aren't serviceable. Could your dealer possibly be stretching the truth to get your business?

 

[TX_JDubya]

I would make sure of this if I were you. I know you can buy ball joints for 5th gens separately from the control arm. I don't see the aftermarket making them if they aren't serviceable. Could your dealer possibly be lying to you to get your business?

Dealers being deceptive...say it ain't so.

Parts will take a few days so it's back in my driveway while I wait. I'll definitely be getting some 2nd opinions from other shops in town and take a look myself. It makes the sound on the ground and in the air so they might be right. Just need to get under there with a stethoscope and confirm.

I believe since the CA's are aluminum the FCA engineers thinking is that pressing the BJs out and new ones in it could potentially damage the CA or potentially change the geometry. The UCAs are also coated in plastic and would definitely be marred by a press. Pesky engineers!

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[Richard320]

I just browsed one of the big online mopar sites, and 4 control arms for $800 is not outrageous for the parts. But if the aftermarket makes just ball joints, go for them instead. The dealer isn't supposed to use anything but factory parts, so you'll have to go to an independent.

 

[TX_JDubya]

I just browsed one of the big online mopar sites, and 4 control arms for $800 is not outrageous for the parts. But if the aftermarket makes just ball joints, go for them instead. The dealer isn't supposed to use anything but factory parts, so you'll have to go to an independent.

I did the same and agree, just seems like a odd issue to have this early. Might have just got a bad lot of ball joints that didn't have lube, or somthing since this truck hasn't seen any off road.

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[mikeru82]

I'm wondering if the previous owner had improperly lifted the truck. That can easily stress ball joints if it's not done right.

 

[TX_JDubya]

I'm wondering if the previous owner had improperly lifted the truck. That can easily stress ball joints if it's not done right.

It's bone stock with air suspension and the factory 22s so its not very likely.

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[BowDown]

It's bone stock with air suspension and the factory 22s so its not very likely.

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He could have hit something and damaged them, if your front wheels are pointed straight, the passenger front wheel looks pushed back about an inch, its not centered in the wheel well which suggest a bent lower control arm of which the impact could damage the ball joints

 

[cevans6318]

Dealers being deceptive...say it ain't so.

Parts will take a few days so it's back in my driveway while I wait. I'll definitely be getting some 2nd opinions from other shops in town and take a look myself. It makes the sound on the ground and in the air so they might be right. Just need to get under there with a stethoscope and confirm.

I believe since the CA's are aluminum the FCA engineers thinking is that pressing the BJs out and new ones in it could potentially damage the CA or potentially change the geometry. The UCAs are also coated in plastic and would definitely be marred by a press. Pesky engineers!

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I hate when people always assume the dealer is being deceptive. If you question anything they say, drive up to the dealer and make them show you the problem. I have been a tech for 15 yrs and can't stand when a customer thinks we are trying to BS them by selling them something. You have every right to come see what is being recommended or what has failed. If the dealer is lying to you, it will be caught when you have them show you the car. Plenty of parts out there are not serviceable when it comes to factory OEM parts. This is why the dealer gave you the price for the entire arm. There may be aftermarket joints available but don't expect the dealer to replace them. But understand parts fail at any time. I have seen cars go 50 miles when a rod bearing failed. I have seen the same cars go 250k miles with no engine issues.

 

[TX_JDubya]

I hate when people always assume the dealer is being deceptive. If you question anything they say, drive up to the dealer and make them show you the problem. I have been a tech for 15 yrs and can't stand when a customer thinks we are trying to BS them by selling them something. You have every right to come see what is being recommended or what has failed. If the dealer is lying to you, it will be caught when you have them show you the car. Plenty of parts out there are not serviceable when it comes to factory OEM parts. This is why the dealer gave you the price for the entire arm. There may be aftermarket joints available but don't expect the dealer to replace them. But understand parts fail at any time. I have seen cars go 50 miles when a rod bearing failed. I have seen the same cars go 250k miles with no engine issues.

Didn't say the shop was lying necessarily just wanted a second opinion as to the root cause of the failure. Having worked at a FCA dealership I have seen techs make a best guess and others advise work when they aren't fully confident of the solution. Sometimes they throw darts. I'll admit they should be more qualified to "guess" than I am, but mistakes can be made and solutions can be over-engineered to hit their billable hours. I've seen it first hand.

Anyways, we put it on an alignment lift this weekend with a buddy who IS a certified mechanic. We isolated the sound to the steering knuckle. Our "guess" is that the ball joints is not seated right in the knuckle and the popping is some minute movement of the ball joint in the knuckle.

We confirmed this by (1) adding a zerk fitting to the existing ball joint and adding grease which resulted in no change.

(2) Next we tightened the nut on the lower ball joint and confirmed the sound could be replicated as we tightened the nut with a wrench. You could feel it in the steering knuckle assembly but not in the actual LCA if you put a wrench on the lower ball joint shift and applied pressure it would make the popping noise (although there was no actual discernible movement in the ball joints shaft)

We tightening the lower ball joint nut and after some repeated movement in the steering wheel lock to lock it was quiet. I put 100+miles on this weekend since and have not heard the noise.

It could be the mating surface of the control arm or ball joint were out of spec or damaged at some point previously, but we found nothing in our visual inspection.

I plan to drive it for a week or two and see if the sound returns. If it does I plan to replace the LCA assembly, but my opinion is that just because it makes a sound doesn't mean anything is necessarily "broken" or functioning improperly this case. But I expect it will return soon and that replacing the lower control arm would resolve the issue as we found nothing wrong with the upper and feel we have isolated the source of the sound to the lower ball joint/LCA.

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