On Tue, February 14, 2006 6:55 am, Bill Day wrote:
>
> 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.
While you're not supposed to check them this way, that's a definate
indication of wear.
> 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.
That's the correct way to check them but it's weird that they didn't find any
movement. If the ball and cup were seperating that should have been almost
immediately apparent once they started prying on them.
> Do you think they should have checked them with the truck suspended on the
> four post or with the suspension completely loose?
The suspension should be at about half-load when you check them. (It
shouldn't be hanging but it shouldn't be under full load either.)
> 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?
Catastropic failure is just that. If that joint failed at highway speeds
you're in for a world of carnage. Most definately a wheel, control arm, and
some body panels.
> 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.
Follow your insticts. It sounds to me like the joint needs to be replaced.
If you can see any movement at all it's bad, it certainly shouldn't seperate
when the suspension hangs.
It may be worth replacing it yourself, it's not that bad of a job.
-- - Josh www.omg-stfu.comThis message has been brought to you by the American Kneejerk Coalition for Equality, Compassion, and the Restoration of Karmic Unity of Self And Other Silly Hippy Happy-Swell Gayness Bullshit, or AKCECRKUSAOSHHSGB for short.
. . .------------------------------------------------------------------. | Make your plans NOW to attend the National DML Meet in Colorado! | | Date: July 15-23, 2006 - More info: http://meet.dakota-truck.net | `------------------------------------------------------------------'
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Mar 20 2006 - 10:38:59 EST