Dakota Loose Front End

From : oac

Q: newbie to groups and dodge trucks with 97 dakota club cab 4x4 with 115000 on 5.2l i recently got this truck and brought it to an independent mech. for an alignment due to improper wear on the front tires. i was introduced to the world of dodge ball joints and had the uppers and lowers replaced. i have since been reading of many folks woes out there. this is unbelievable. well my problem is that i thought replacing the ball joints would get rid of a knocking that i have in the front end felt through the steering wheel and accelerator when driving slow in parking lot manuvers and when accelerating from a dead stop. also when coming to a stop. i seems to get worse after warming up for 10 miles or so. does anyone have any suggestions thank you. i tried posting this yesterday so im sorry if it comes up twice. .

Replies:

From : angela g lyons

they have a bad habit of doing that. i think it is an imperfection from dodge. newbie to groups and dodge trucks with 97 dakota club cab 4x4 with 115000 on 5.2l i recently got this truck and brought it to an independent mech. for an alignment due to improper wear on the front tires. i was introduced to the world of dodge ball joints and had the uppers and lowers replaced. i have since been reading of many folks woes out there. this is unbelievable. well my problem is that i thought replacing the ball joints would get rid of a knocking that i have in the front end felt through the steering wheel and accelerator when driving slow in parking lot manuvers and when accelerating from a dead stop. also when coming to a stop. i seems to get worse after warming up for 10 miles or so. does anyone have any suggestions thank you. i tried posting this yesterday so im sorry if it comes up twice. .

From : tom lawrence

does anyone have any suggestions thank you. eliminate the simple stuff first - check for a loose shock mount. .

From : mopar jenny

this is happening to my fathers truck just recently. getting the tie-rod replaced helped some as his was loose. but there is still some of that klunking noise there. im thinking it is suspension-wise... - jenny .

From : weisserer

trade it in on a ford.. that is my plan next year with my dakota!! my ping was intake plenum.. at 20k then at 43 k miles.. at 66 k now it was pinging on 87 octane when going up hills switched to 89octane and all is quiet.. sad thing it at 13mpg this 5.2 should not be able to taste what it is burning.. .

From : pete

i have a 96 1500 slt with 95k on it. i too had the knocking and assumed that it was the shocks that had the problem. replaced them and sound still there. got annoyed with the sound and investigated a bit more. found that the rubber on the upper ball joints was torn open and the grease was escaping from the hole. replaced both of them upper ball joints and the sound still persisted. got a couple of beers put them back and then crawled under the truck again and started to violently wiggle the steering components. just got a mouthful of greasy sand in my mouth after cursing at it for a while. then i started to rotate the inner tie rods a little bit at a time and then wiggle them. found out that the joint between the inner tie rod and the centre link is worn out in a specific spot and not all the way around. i have done a lot of highway driving and can only assume that after such prolonged periods of movements without proper lubrication this problem arose. i relied on the dealership staff to lubricate as well as change the oil in the truck noticing that after some visits the grease nipples werent even touched . have yet to replace them as now it is damned cold and it isnt much fun working outside. newbie to groups and dodge trucks with 97 dakota club cab 4x4 with 115000 on 5.2l i recently got this truck and brought it to an independent mech. for an alignment due to improper wear on the front tires. i was introduced to the world of dodge ball joints and had the uppers and lowers replaced. i have since been reading of many folks woes out there. this is unbelievable. well my problem is that i thought replacing the ball joints would get rid of a knocking that i have in the front end felt through the steering wheel and accelerator when driving slow in parking lot manuvers and when accelerating from a dead stop. also when coming to a stop. i seems to get worse after warming up for 10 miles or so. does anyone have any suggestions thank you. i tried posting this yesterday so im sorry if it comes up twice. .

From : john b

pete peterj@nospammts.net wrote in thanks pete that sounds extremely promising...ill look at the tie rods...i just put new tires on last night to replace the set damaged by the bad ball joints and the ride is a lot better. if i could just get rid of that knocking! .

From : mike mcclelland

pete peterj@nospammts.net wrote in thanks pete that sounds extremely promising...ill look at the tie rods...i just put new tires on last night to replace the set damaged by the bad ball joints and the ride is a lot better. if i could just get rid of that knocking! try greasing the slip joint on the steering rod that goes into the steering box. my 98 4x4 dak does the same thing until i grease it. .

From : don wilson

i had the same problem. technical service bulletins summary make dodge model dakota year 1998 service bulletin number 191297 summary description concerns with clunk/rattle felt in steering column/wheel. *nlm i had to have the lower section of the steering column replaced. took about 1.5 hr. they covered it under warranty after some complaining. but i only had 40k on it now @ 70k it is back. newbie to groups and dodge trucks with 97 dakota club cab 4x4 with 115000 on 5.2l i recently got this truck and brought it to an independent mech. for an alignment due to improper wear on the front tires. i was introduced to the world of dodge ball joints and had the uppers and lowers replaced. i have since been reading of many folks woes out there. this is unbelievable. well my problem is that i thought replacing the ball joints would get rid of a knocking that i have in the front end felt through the steering wheel and accelerator when driving slow in parking lot manuvers and when accelerating from a dead stop. also when coming to a stop. i seems to get worse after warming up for 10 miles or so. does anyone have any suggestions thank you. i tried posting this yesterday so im sorry if it comes up twice. .