2008 Jeep Patriot ball joints shot

Started by NayPalm, May 24, 2011, 10:32:24 AM

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naypalm

Our 2008 Patriots ball joints are nearly gone at only 30k miles. I guess Chrysler dropped the ball on having the lower control arms and ball joints all-in-one and no zerks.

Heres a fun threadwith the countless patriot owners with the same problem.

Heres the cheapest and only solution: keep putting the same defective part on every 30k miles.  ::ouch::  $100 a side on ebay or $240 a side at Church and Sons Collision.

Left front lower control arm
Right front lower control arm

Paul Hittie

#1
Some bean counter probably thought eliminating the grease fitting would save a couple of bucks.  It's not a new story - most of the early '70s Ford unibody cars had no grease fittings on the upper control arms and no way to get to them.  Most creative mechanics (mine was a '74 Maverick) simply hacked a hole through the inner fender to install a greasable upper ball joint.
When you stumble in life, Make it Part of Your Dance

naypalm

#2
I suppose that's a good reason why the Patriots were a tad cheaper. Oh well, I'm sure after gas goes up some more it will take maybe 6 more years until the next "fix". I'm glad they aren't any more than 100 a piece.... That was a ripoff what the collision place was going to charge at $250 a side.