<Tubamirbls@aol.com> wrote in message news:a9.433668dd.2c2c64de@aol.com...
>
> Hi Josh
> I agree with you 100% on this sealed stuff regarding front suspension
> components and bearings. It appears to me the vendor supplying Chrysler's
ball
> jts and tierod ends doesn't pak enough grease to fill the rubber seals 50%
and
> from inspection of my wheel bearings they are even worse off. I think the
> decision to go sealed on all this stuff is strictly marketing-driven
within the
> company, so the sales people can crow about how little maintenance the
Dakota
> will require over time.
>
> Paul Sahlin
Personally I'd rather do the little maintenence over time than have to
replace these big ticket items fairly often. I've been through so many
front suspension parts with this truck it's not even funny. Some of my ball
joints have been replaced 3 or 4 times each, a few tie rod ends which ended
up getting me a new rack, wheel bearings, endlinks, bushings, (yes I know
endlinks and bushings are wearable, but I still shouldn't have to do them on
a vehicle with 47K miles on it!) and the list goes on. I'm just glad I'm
observant and able to do my own work and that warranty has covered a lot of
it, this has totalled up to be very expensive in parts alone! I can't
imagine having to do all of this work at once - especially now that I'm out
of warranty. I couldn't foot that bill.
I just don't see the reasoning to go sealed at all; if I remember correctly,
Ford tried to go sealed a few years back (93 or 94 I think) and decided to
go back to greasable parts. Yeah, so it's easier to change the parts and
less maintenence is required...big deal. I'd rather get stuck paying for
expensive rotors and bearing races then a whole hub unit. I've owned cars
in the past that I've had to pack bearings for and have never had one of
those go bad - the bearings on my mustang lasted in excess of 140K miles...
GM uses sealed bearing assemblies like the ones that Dodge uses now, but
they started using them back in the 80's so they've had the chance to
perfect them. My uncle is a Chevy mechanic and has been for 25 years...he
tells me that he very rarely hears of wheel bearings going bad on those
cars. I don't get it. And to make it all worse, these parts probably don't
go bad on all of the MB vehicles out there... Why not use some of that
"superior German engineering skill" to make our trucks better too??? Maybe
I'm asking too much.
-- - Josh Lowered 2000 Dakota CC 3.9L
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Feb 06 2004 - 11:46:30 EST