'00-'02 Dodge Ram ball joint replacement: There aren't many truck projects that are as unpleasant. It is dirty, difficult and time consuming job.

The Turbo Diesel Register has covered the subject and the most recent article was in Issue 91, pages 16-18. The conclusion: Make your first ball joint replacement your last.

To accomplish that goal, you need a rebuildable ball joint. The folks at EMF (Evolution Machining and Fabrication) have developed "a better mousetrap." Here is the sales pitch: EMF is a small specialty shop. They make rebuildable Heim joints, rod ends, tie rods and ball joints.

The EMF Ball Joint has a removable race and pin (part of their patent). Competitive products have a removable pin, however the inside of the housing will wear as the pin wears resulting in the inevitable replacement of the entire unit. By having the internal race and pin set on the EMF ball joint, the race will act as the wear point instead of the housing body creating a long lasting unit.

Over time, the ball joint pin and races will wear and when it gets to the point where the play can't be removed by tightening it anymore - that's when you rebuild it. You don't have to remove the ball joint from the knuckle - you can rebuild them right on the truck.

Inlcuded in the EMF Ball Joint Kit:

1 Pair of Upper Ball Joints
1 Pair of Lower Ball Joints
Install Nuts
Install Washer & Cup (To avoid damaging the cap and the ring when pressing the ball joint into the knuckle)
Instructions

They are also greaseable so you can just pump a couple squirts of grease into it around every oil change and go.