Bill, a ball joint failing while you are driving would be so very rare. I
remember a conversation on the list from Bernd and he said he had never even
heard of such a thing. I told him that I had a ball joint break on a
Corvette while I was driving it and it was very exciting...but that is the
only one I have ever heard of as well. Usually they get so bad you cannot
stand driving it, but my 72 Vette felt so bad already that I didn't know
what I was feeling as I drove it, after all I rode Harleys so most any car
felt weird to me.
Rascal
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of Bill Day
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 6:56 AM
To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
Subject: DML: What do you think...
Went in to get my oil changed friday at my local mech, he says my upper left
ball joint(driver side) is separating from the cup(while suspended you can
see it has alot more space then the passenger side one). So since I just
got
it back from the dealer witha clean bill of health, I called them up and
the
wanted it in monday bright and earlier, so away we go, me and the Dak, back
to her caregiver.
I'm in the waiting room and the service manager comes and asks me to come
and
show him and the alignment tech whats wrong. Well they have it suspended on
a 4 post(lower a-arms in front and axle in rear) on an alignment rack. so
he
has the wheel off and starts prying around no movement.. well no wonder,
its
all under load at that position. So I explain to them how we noticed it and
they don't bother checking it that way, just slaps it together and we go for
a test drive.
Another thing he done under there that we noticed was that the nex
driveshafts
weight had been hitting the exhaust, so he simply pries the exhaust away
from
the driveshaft(no more clunking when I hit a bump). Anyway test drive and
of
course no clanking. As for my squeaking he says its the hard rubber
bushings(I think we determined that a few years ago).
Anyway they give me a clean bill, say the ball-joints are solid and send me
on
my way.
Do you think they should have checked them with the truck suspended on the
four post or with the suspension completely loose?
I am off to my local mechs to take some good 35MM pics of it and get them
developed just in case.
What is the worse thing that can happen if that upper driver ball-joint
comes
loose at say 65 MPH, rollover? Would it have behooved them to check it
differently?
Who do I trust. My local has been servicing vehicles for many years
compared
to any one of the tech in that garage. He does not do alignments or
ball-joints so he stands to make no momey off if anyway.
TIA
--Bill Day
"A rich man isn't always wealthy, he just has all the love he can give and ever wanted.." http://counter.li.org #384146 284016
. . .------------------------------------------------------------------. | Make your plans NOW to attend the National DML Meet in Colorado! | | Date: July 15-23, 2006 - More info: http://meet.dakota-truck.net | `------------------------------------------------------------------'
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