No Prize Contest

[redidbull]

No prize but bragging rights. My Son borrowed my 02 Dakota. Calls me and says he heard a pop and the front end is wobbling. Got it homebut could drive over about 10mph. I won't get over to look at it for about a week. Not sure what the problem is. Had a grind kind of sound in the right front brake but I replace bot calipers, rotors, pads. The contest is.... what cha think happened? Truck has 165k on it. Ball joints have about 50k. I'm going with front wheel bearing. Quess away. I'll report when I find it. Thanks. Jim

 

[Bamamav]

Castle nut backed off, allowing bearing to walk out, causing wheel to wobble.

 

[Couper]

I have an earlier Dakota that's lowered and she's hard on ball joints but if it was the ball joint she'd fall down go boom. I'd say has to do with the spindle... I think Bama gona get the flowers.

 

[gene49]

2 wheel drive Dakota or 4x4 Dakota?

A 4x4 could have broken a ball joint and would still hang together but would allow the spindle to wobble around. in that case, its a good thing home wasn't too far away.
A broken ball joint on a 2 wheel drive Dakota puts that side of the front end on the ground and it isn't going anyplace without being towed.

The front wheel bearings on an 02 Dakota should be the sealed bearing set up (both 2 wd and 4x4), if that bearing failed, only the rotor and the center nut (or axle shaft) is holding the wheel onto the truck.

The last option is a lot of broken wheel studs with only one or two still holding the wheel on (probably side by side).

 

[smallfoot]

The best chinesium wheel bearing...were buying back all that scrap metal that left here!

 

[redidbull]

The pop sound does have me thinking ball joint. It is 4x4. Jim

 

[redidbull]

On another note, I was looking at truck last week. The prices are insane, at least around here. Trucks with 100k plus over $15k. It will take a lot for me to get rid of this truck. It is not a daily driver but could be. My Wife and I were talking about this very thing. I told her that even if the motor or trans went I'd consider changing them out. Truck prices ridiculous where you all are too? Jim

 

[smallfoot]

If a bearing actually breaks and I'm not talking about one that is just worn out but actually breaks one of the rings or one of the roller bearings, there will be a symphony of sounds and much grinding. I considered tie rod on the popping noise but the wheel would turn sideways and highly restrict forward movement. If there was further story on hitting something solid on the trip that would be responsible for snapping a ball joint, I'd like to know what it was for future avoidance...
All I know is what I've experienced. Had a bearing come apart once right after replacing the old ones. Thought I had done something wrong on install. Took the thing back to the dealer and found out there was a recall. Lost a tie rod end towing a boat home from about a 100 miles from here one day. My 72 C10 wore one out so bad that the ball end actually dislodged from the joint. Loud pop! Lemme tell ya, you can have 3 wheels running straight and 1 wheel goes sideways, that wheel just took your steering wheel away from you.
Interested in your findings!

 

[Old Iron]

Pop and grinding [S
I'm goin with wheel bearing [P

 

[05snopro440]

Loose wheel?

 

[redidbull]

If a bearing actually breaks and I'm not talking about one that is just worn out but actually breaks one of the rings or one of the roller bearings, there will be a symphony of sounds and much grinding. I considered tie rod on the popping noise but the wheel would turn sideways and highly restrict forward movement. If there was further story on hitting something solid on the trip that would be responsible for snapping a ball joint, I'd like to know what it was for future avoidance...
All I know is what I've experienced. Had a bearing come apart once right after replacing the old ones. Thought I had done something wrong on install. Took the thing back to the dealer and found out there was a recall. Lost a tie rod end towing a boat home from about a 100 miles from here one day. My 72 C10 wore one out so bad that the ball end actually dislodged from the joint. Loud pop! Lemme tell ya, you can have 3 wheels running straight and 1 wheel goes sideways, that wheel just took your steering wheel away from you.
Interested in your findings!

I too was thinking possibly tiered end too,but also thought it would have been harder or impossible to drive. I had an accident once when this girl ran past me as I was pulling into a parking lot and hit my tire bending the tie rod.a little. Couldn't drive at all. Jim

 

[Couper]

On another note, I was looking at truck last week. The prices are insane, at least around here. Trucks with 100k plus over $15k. It will take a lot for me to get rid of this truck. It is not a daily driver but could be. My Wife and I were talking about this very thing. I told her that even if the motor or trans went I'd consider changing them out. Truck prices ridiculous where you all are too? Jim

Truck prices are crazy here as well.

 

[Bamamav]

On another note, I was looking at truck last week. The prices are insane, at least around here. Trucks with 100k plus over $15k. It will take a lot for me to get rid of this truck. It is not a daily driver but could be. My Wife and I were talking about this very thing. I told her that even if the motor or trans went I'd consider changing them out. Truck prices ridiculous where you all are too? Jim

Prices are outrageous around here, too. I’ve been sorta halfhearted looking for a 99-2005 3/4 or 1 ton pickup, gas, extended cab, 4x4. Everything I’m seeing is $15,000 or more and has 200,000 or more miles on it! Diesels are even worse, they have 200,000 to 450,000 miles!

 

[gene49]

I had a car dealer recently tell me that a car in the $5,000 range was pretty much a junk car, and a truck in the $10,000 range was pretty much a junk truck.
I suppose with the new truck prices in the $100 grand range, that brings the price of everything up.

When I decided I needed a different truck, I built my own. Parts and pieces are still around (for now) and my labor doesn't cost me much. That $10,000 a junk used truck would cost can buy a lot of parts. If I build my own, I can get it the way I want it. If it lasts 10 years or more, I'll be 77. No male in my family has made it past 80.

 

[smallfoot]

^ well said!^

 

[Couper]

If it lasts 10 years or more, I'll be 77. No male in my family has made it past 80.

That's a **** thought Gene ..... My mind keeps going to the same thoughts. I might feel better once I have this last test done on Tuesday.... Gee Wiz. Stay positive...

 

[redidbull]

I have longevity in my family with my dad months short of 95 and mom 88. He had many in his family in their 90s and mom had near there. A few died young though but that was early 1900s. At 66 I often wish I had a crystal ball but try not to dwell on it.
I am pretty sure I will keep the Dakota unless a huge series of events of reliability happens. The bed is rusted through at the wheelwells and front cab mounts but that doesn't bother me. I have new cab mounts. A junkyard said about $1400 for a decent bed but mine still holds stuff OK and I have thought flat bed. A friend of my son just bout a 2 year old F150 for $ 50k. I would be reluctant to put dirt in the back. I also have a running $700 89 F150 that may get some love seeing prices are so crazy. Jim

 

[redidbull]

Just saw on the news that only 1 new car is below $20k. It is a economy Mitsubishi. The average new car price is $42k. Jim

 

[05snopro440]

I wish I could find a newer truck for $15K. My 2008 with 205,000 km's is around that price. Around here, anything with under 100,000 KM's is over $45K. Saw a new truck on the lot Saturday, leather, sunroof, buckets, crew cab short box half ton $85,000. It wasn't even the highest model, by a long shot.

 

[bruno]

My wife has a 2015 dodge ram dually, crew cab, diesel, 3500 with all the bells and whistles. Paid $63,000 for it new. Looked at a new one on the lot the other day........$99,000.