Help with lower control arms

[HAMRDWN]

I am hoping someone on here could point me in the right direction. The lower ball joints on my truck need to be replaced so I ordered a set of Moogs from rockauto along with UCA and outer tie rod ends. The problem I ran into is that I cannot find an adapter kit that will work for me to press the old ball joints out. I have done ball joints before and never had this many issues. So I eventually decide to change the entire LCA but the part number that I found and ordered are no longer sold by dodge (5290614AE/5290615AE). By the way it is a 2006 Quad cab. Can someone confirm whether or not the LCA from the 2005's are the same? Or if anyone has done this before, what was the part number on the press kit that you used and from which auto part store? I also found that the outer tie rod ends i ordered (Moog) were too small. They were M17x1.5 and I think I need M18x1.5 which would be the same ones from the mega cabs. Any useful advice would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Chuck B]

My understanding is 2006 front suspension is completely different. Early last year I picked up nearly every front suspension part new from Dodge for my 05 along with a set of lower ball joints for down the road. Dodge was selling everything dirt cheap...guess they were clearing inventory out. I figured FCA had run out of money and was selling everything to get cash flow back. Sorry not much help to you. There's a couple knowledgeable folks here who can confirm for you.

 

[sinus19]

alright alright.. I just recently did a complete front end replacement and i ran into the same issue with pressing in and out the LCA Ball Joint. However! i managed to make it work. I was using Oreilly's Ball Joint Press kit (rent Tool) and it wasnt quite big enough to fit the tool with the cups in there. I dont remember exactly what i did but i some how jimmy rigged the tool with its own cups and was able to pop em out and pop em back in.
Now that i think of it i think i used the bigger cup to pop them out partially and then used a hammer to pop them out the rest of the way?? i dont remember exactly what i did sorry. but i know its do-able with the rent tool... then again mine is an 04'...damn.

 

[HAMRDWN]

I appreciate the advice. I have ordered some new LCA's that are suppose to be compatible but I'm not holding my breath. If they aren't going to fit then I will try the rental press one more time before taking them to a shop to have pressed out for me. My intention was to change the ball joints without removing the control arms but if I did have to take them off then I was just going to replace them. At this point I'm willing to settle for whatever will work.

 

[10-1=9]

Years ago I bought a nice ball joint tool from Snap On. Never met a joint it would not press. Sometimes you have to give it a little "love tap" to get things moving. Lol

To be honest I had Andy's guy do the left lower just before I sold my truck.
Just diddent have the time with working or any place to do it other then the street.