2003 dodge cummins front end ??

[hilpulr]

I took my 2003 dodge 3/4 ton cummins in to have my front end looked at because I thought it needed an alignment. Well I go to pick it up and they tell me I need $1800 dollars of repairs. They say it needs new ball joints, u joints, tie rods and other stuff I can't remember. The truck has 72k on it. I am no mechanic I am just wondering if other people have run into this and what they did to try and keep it from happening again. Thanks

 

[rmkMatt]

Same thing on my 02 Dodge diesel at 60k miles. The front ends were not tough enough for the weight on them.

 

[mtsummitx]

Ball joints I can believe, I did mine at 80k on my 05. The problem is they switched to American Axle in 03 and the ball joints are at offset angles from each other which as I understand it causes them to wear out faster. It also makes them a bi$%h to change!!! I have a hardtime beliving the tie rod ends and u-joints unless you absolutely beat the hell outta your truck and never greased your tie rods. I have a 100K on mine and only have changed ball jonts and shocks, I have not had it since it was new so I don't know the full history of the truck but given the condition the interior was in when I got it I'm pretty sure the prior owner was a "jump in and drive it" and thats all.

 

[TrailRebel]

I believe that those Dodges didn't have greaseable front tie rod ends. They are probably putting in a track bar as well. If I were you, I'd ask them to install the lifetime warranty components... The parts will more than likely go bad in another 60 to 80k miles.
Good luck!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[mtsummitx]

hilpulr, are your tierod ends greasable??? My 05 is, but maybe they had been replaced. I know nothing else on the front end of mine had been replaced when i got it, but maybe the tie rods were.

 

[mtsummitx]

I know my u-joints are still factory and still going good at 100k. I had the front shafts out at 80 when I did my ball joints and they were still tight, and my rear driveline was out at 95k when I had a clutch done and the mechanic that did the clutch said the rears were still in great shape, no slop or play, all factory non greaseables. My brakes are still factory at 100k, this I know because the retaining rings that go on a wheel stud to hold the disks in place on the assembly line were all still in place when I got it. And being a former mechanic, I know that these never get put back on as you ruin them taking them off to get the disks off. My truck is a manual though, so that has probably really extended my brake life as I use the transmission more for braking than the brakes.

 

[Jaynelson]

That sounds about right for that vintage of Dodge.

Most of them I took in trade needed roughly that same list (or some combination of it) anywhere north of 100,000 kms (60K miles). Some guys get lucky, but if I had one I would count on that. Not sure what you can do to improve, just letting you know it's not out of the ordinary by any means.

 

[hilpulr]

Tie rods

They are not greasable. I bought the truck when it had 25k on it. The more people I talk to the more it seems this is about average. Oh well just part of doing business. Thanks

 

[mtsummitx]

Ok, I guess my tie rod ends must have been replaced at some point then. Make sure the shop uses high quality parts like Moog, that are greaseable.

 

[summitboy]

Save yourself some grief. Install Carli ball joints, Timken wheel bearings, Spicer triple seal ujoints, 2008+ updated steering. That's the best you can make it ! Moog have a bad rep in these Dodge front ends unless they have made them better. A few years ago no one had anything good to say about them in the Dodge forums.

 

[robertyoke]

I took my 2003 dodge 3/4 ton cummins in to have my front end looked at because I thought it needed an alignment. Well I go to pick it up and they tell me I need $1800 dollars of repairs. They say it needs new ball joints, u joints, tie rods and other stuff I can't remember. The truck has 72k on it. I am no mechanic I am just wondering if other people have run into this and what they did to try and keep it from happening again. Thanks

Does it wear tires irregular? Does it wonder or not track straight down the road or have some other unwanted trait?

So many mechanics (parts changers) want to put ball joints in dodge and ford trucks and they just don’t need them. They say that they have play in them, well guess what they are supposed to have play in them and there’s a spec for them, unfortunately most cant read.
Ive seen many aam equiped trucks with well over 200k on them and they still have the stock front end and go straight down the road and don’t eat tires.

 

[mtsummitx]

That is true, up to .090" vertical play allowed if memory serves me correct, which is a ton!! Big problem with the AAM design is the lowers bear all the load.

 

[derekn]

Had mine done as well, was $1,600 upgraded to the '09 steering/tie bar style. Mine made it about 180,000 miles tho. Guess I was lucky.

 

[frog]

Save yourself some grief. Install Carli ball joints, Timken wheel bearings, Spicer triple seal ujoints, 2008+ updated steering. That's the best you can make it ! Moog have a bad rep in these Dodge front ends unless they have made them better. A few years ago no one had anything good to say about them in the Dodge forums.

Like he said. A little more money now will save you more later. Thuren track bar is a good idea as well.

 

[Xrider]

Brothers Silverado with only 50,000 highway miles just had ball joints replaced. Tires were wearing bad on front.