Re: More ball joint stuff.....

From: Josh Battles (jbattles@bankfinancial.com)
Date: Thu Nov 14 2002 - 10:02:01 EST


3/4" play in a ball joint?!?!?
that's a pretty sick joke.
moog here we come.

"Ed McCarrick" <edmccarrick@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:20021114132528.35642.qmail@web13005.mail.yahoo.com...
>
> Ray,
>
> I believe that was meant as a joke, I hope :-)
>
> Ed
> --- raymond.irons@gm.com wrote:
> >
> >
> > Is this for real? I certainly hope not........
> >
> > <snip> First, all service department
> > >literature pertaining to these components shall be
> > >updated from 1/4" allowable measured play in the
> > joint
> > >to a radical new 3/4" allowable measured
> > play, effective immediately. This will allay all
> > >customer concerns, and most importantly, reduce
> > cost!
> >
> > Hmmm, increasing allowable play from 1/4 inch to 3/4
> > inch. That's a awfully
> > large increase. And it certainly won't allay this
> > customers concerns. I
> > wonder if DC is taking into consideration, referring
> > to cost reduction, the
> > increase in legal fees stemming from lawsuits
> > against the company after
> > vehicles start having accidents due to, IMHO,
> > excessive play in the ball
> > joints.
> >
> > >The next step is the complete redesign of the ball
> > >joints for upcoming models, with the earliest
> > target
> > >date projected to be around the fall of 2010.
> >
> > 2010???!!!! This seems to be way too much time to
> > re-design a ball joint
> > when Moog has a ball joint set up that "fixes" this
> > problem. Seems DC just
> > doesn't want to spend the cash to fix this problem
> > right the first time,
> > even if they have to pass the cost along to the
> > consumer.
> >
> > >Although some ideas for this redesign are still
> > pending, one of
> > >the more promising concepts involves the use of a
> > >lubed-for-life copper/glass composite bushing, with
> > a
> > >high-strength flexible plastic dowel pin, to
> > provide
> > >the torsional dynamic, and to a much lesser
> > degree, structural integrity and durability.
> >
> >
> > I'm from the old school and I still don't agree with
> > the theory of "Lubed
> > for life" joints and bushings. And I don't know
> > about anyone else, but the
> > idea of a plastic dowel pin being used in a critical
> > suspension component
> > would cause me concern.
> >
> >
> > >One of the more daunting challenges with this
> > particular design
> > >will be the actual retention of the wheel assembly
> > on
> > >the vehicle, even in a standstill condition.
> >
> > They are seriously considering a design that has
> > problems with wheel
> > staying on the vehicle while not even moving? Lord
> > help me I might have to
> > start looking at Fords!
> >
> > Nevertheless, the main goal is to greatly reduce
> > cost
> > >from our vendors, while at the same time, ensure
> > that
> > >the quality and dependability of all of our
> > suspension
> > >components meet some of the less stringent legal
> > >requirements.
> >
> > Same old bullsh**. The company is looking to reduce
> > costs any way possible,
> > even if it means compromising the safety of the
> > owner and skirts the
> > legality of the vehicle design. To me this means
> > build it cheap and hope
> > there aren't enough accidents to cause the NTSB to
> > force us to issue a
> > recall and another re-design of the suspension.
> >
> > Just my 3 cents worth. Inflation catches up with all
> > of us.....except major
> > corporations, that is.
> >
> >
> > Ray Irons
> > Dover, DE
> >
>
>
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