Go back and read my post again then tell me if you think what you wrote makes any sense.
Sorry for being abrupt.
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2nd gen IFS interchangeability...?
Root question: For IFS trucks, are the upper and lower control arms interchangeable between early 2nd gen ('94 thru '99) 3500's and later 2nd gens ('00-'02)?
I have an '01 with IFS and it has the original riveted in ball joints. I have a friend that has a '97 with IFS that's his donor truck for another project and it has press in ball joints.
Seems the early 2500 and 3500 trucks had the same IFS with press in ball joints then in '00 they went to the riveted ball joints. What was the reason for this? Is there something better about the riveted in setup than the press in?
I don't think there's a difference dimensionally between the 2 setups but would like to know for certain if they can be swapped. There are a few reasons for swapping but mostly I don't want to fuss around with cutting out the rivets for my old bj's.
I have an '01 with IFS and it has the original riveted in ball joints. I have a friend that has a '97 with IFS that's his donor truck for another project and it has press in ball joints.
Seems the early 2500 and 3500 trucks had the same IFS with press in ball joints then in '00 they went to the riveted ball joints. What was the reason for this? Is there something better about the riveted in setup than the press in?
I don't think there's a difference dimensionally between the 2 setups but would like to know for certain if they can be swapped. There are a few reasons for swapping but mostly I don't want to fuss around with cutting out the rivets for my old bj's.
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Sorry for being abrupt.
@bigfish95971 Maybe you're just not understanding what I'm asking.
1994-1999 2500 and 3500 IFS is identical and have pressed in ball joints
2000-2002 2500 and 3500 IFS is identical and have riveted ball joints
Visually, except for the balljoints, the control arms are the same between all years to the point that the take the same bushings, mounting hardware, shocks, etc.
I don't care about brands or with/without bj's or prices.
Will the '94-'99 control arms fit '00-'02? I believe they will but would like confirmation before tearing apart 2 trucks.
Why did Dodge go to the riveted in bj's? Are they better? Why?
1994-1999 2500 and 3500 IFS is identical and have pressed in ball joints
2000-2002 2500 and 3500 IFS is identical and have riveted ball joints
Visually, except for the balljoints, the control arms are the same between all years to the point that the take the same bushings, mounting hardware, shocks, etc.
I don't care about brands or with/without bj's or prices.
Will the '94-'99 control arms fit '00-'02? I believe they will but would like confirmation before tearing apart 2 trucks.
Why did Dodge go to the riveted in bj's? Are they better? Why?
25 yo OEM control arms are better than new chinesium control arms (verified during the front end rebuild of my '94 2500 RWD) and I would like to get away from the riveted ball joints. I know the replacements utilize bolts in the place of rivets (I have a replacement set of Moog's in hand) but I'm still struggling to see the benefits of them over pressed in.May I ask why you want 25 year old control arms, is it just because the you want the press in ball joints?
Another potential issue is correcting roll center. The truck is lowered 3" in the front and I don't know if it's solely from lowering it or if the bad ball joints (127k miles, original) accentuate it but I don't like some of the angles that have resulted. However, I don't believe that Belltech would sell a kit that put components on the suspension in a position to catastrophically fail without having a solution.
Belltech is literally the only place I was able to find the lowering parts. The front is just shorter springs. Nothing else was changed so fitment of the control arms is no different.Well looks like you are experimenting with any way you go because of the lowering. I guess nobody makes anything specialized for 2x4 lowering like they do for 4x4 lifting with dozens of choices. If everything measures out the same exactly I can not see a problem what ever you do. With new ball joints and bushings they are just forged steel. But they are different part numbers so I do not know if the is one difference in something like thickness or something. I assume the "friends" parts are free, or I would use new.
Yeah, the '97 parts are free. He's making a dually out of his SRW 2500 for fun so once he has what he needs for his project it's going to the wrecking yard.
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