I’m replacing the ball joints, rotors, brake pads, and installing the updated Mopar steering linkage on my 06 Ram 2500 diesel MegaCab truck. The truck has 220K miles on it (still with the original untouched transmission!!). My wife has complained a few times that she thought the steering was sloppy, I guess I drive it often enough to have become familiar with the worn parts.

My question, that nobody seems to be able to answer, is how these adjustable ball joints work? This is a obviously offset shaft ball joint, the joints I removed have the stud centered in the joint. I see no markings of how to position the joint during installation, or a way to make caster/camber adjustments if needed. I replaced a couple ball joints with NAPA parts a few years ago, along with axle joints. I decided since I ha e the truck thus far apart, I’m replacing all of them. I ordered these ball joints from Summit racing, these are supposed to be better than the factory or OEM replacement parts. Thr truck always drove and handled as expected. I’m not really eager to install these, only to find out the need to be removed and repositioned for proper alignment. I figured before I mess with these, I’m doing some more research.

Obviously offset design

Lower ball joint

How do I determine if it’s a Dans 60 axle??? I assume since it’s a Diesel engine, it would have been equipped with the best drivetrain. I can’t find a listing of what other axle the trick may have been equipped with. I’m really wondering if this is the right parts. What determines how to press the joint in so the caster/camber is correct?? Summit is no help, neither was the salesman at Proforge. Both places said, it’s the right part, put them in. No instructions??

 

You'd buy those ball joints AFTER having been to an alignment shop, where they told you that your truck is so far out of alignment that they can't fix it without "pulling the frame".

You find out which way the alignment needs to go--camber/caster too positive, or camber/caster too negative--and you install the ball joints in whichever position it takes to move the camber and/or caster the direction it needs to go. You're kinda screwed unless you already know what the alignment is, so you know which way to install the offset in the joint.

Here's the thing: It's more likely that the alignment is off, due to wasted control arm bushings or wiped-out ball joints or sacked wheel bearings; merely replacing ALL the worn-out parts with standard replacement items will return the vehicle to an alignable condition. In fact, just replacing all the worn stuff should return the vehicle to it's "as new" alignment (unless you've bent something between "new" and "now".)

The good news is that you could add positive caster with those joints beyond what the factory spec calls for, and that's generally helpful.

 

Its only a 1* correction, basically to overcome a difference between 1 side to the other on a straight axle. It does not matter how the body of the joint is installed, what matters is the where the stud is clocked. These are installed with the use of an alignment machine.

 

Give your truck another 19 years on the OE suspension parts to find out what sloppy steering feels like. That's how my 86 f250 drives.

x2

If you need parts for your truck check out LMC. They probably have suspension kits for your truck, the only problem would be that they're most likely Chinesium parts.
https://www.lmctruck.com/