Excessive vertical play in new Dodge RAM front lower ball-joints

We have ordered two sets of Chrysler CHY74000760 and CHY74000451 Upper and Lower Ball Joints from RockAuto.

After mounting the ball-joints on this truck (2004 DODGE RAM 3500 PICKUP 5.9L L6 DIESEL Turbocharged) we discovered a serious noise coming from the front end when going over road bumps and creases.

Checking it in service we found a lot of axial (up and down) play in the new ball-joints we just installed on this truck. Questions:
1. is this normal for this type of ball-joints - how much vertical play is ok in this case?
2. have you experienced any similar behavior for these parts by now?
3. what is the recommended action/things to check in this case?

Looking forward to your reply.

2WD or 4WD?

4WD, Live Front Axle/Suspension

Wiki quote for the 2002-2008 generation: "The four-wheel-drive light trucks (1500 series) lost their live axles in favor of an independent front suspension, but the 2500 and 3500 series retained the live axles for maximum longevity and durability. This body style drew heavily from the previous generation."

Here's a downloadable 2004 Dodge Ram Service Manual. I understand you want the 89MB file.
I'm not sure how to complete the download.

http://www.mediafire.com/?575047x65cmkh