It's not real easy to notice. That slightly vague center feel in the steering
gets a little worse, and you may start to hear some popping sounds from the
front end when turning off a road into an elevated parking lot. As far as why
they go, must be poor design or crappy joints to begin with. My truck hasn't
been beat off road. I usually take it slow and easy (doesn't work with a two
wheeler, ya'll just have to bash your way over the bumps : ) ). If you want
to check yours, just lift one front wheel at a time by the lower control arm.
Grab the top and bottom of the tire and try to wiggle it in and out. If you
feel a popping or clicking, you probably have a problem. It may help to have
a buddy wiggle the wheel while you look at the joints to see which one is
moving. I'm not sure what a Dak would do if one separated while driving, but
when the lower one on the EXP (2 seat Escort, and no I didn't pick the car, I
was stuck with it!) went, It let the wheel move out a couple of inches at the
bottom before the propshaft and tie rod caught it. It just happened to do it
on a rebound after crossing a small bridge, and since the suspension was
already light, the car turned 180 and moved from the left to the center lane
of the interstate. I hit the clutch as the car went around, and then down
shifted to 3rd, gave the wheel a twitch and put a little pressure on the
parking brake handle at the same time I floored it and dumped the clutch.
Managed to get the car pointed the right direction, the joint popped back
together as the car came around (could hear loud pop) and best of all the
semi I had just passed didn't run over me. After I limped home and put on
clean underwear, I called a tire shop and got it fixed! Somehow I don't think
that foot pedal parking brake on the Dak would work as well for this
maneuver, and the much higher center of gravity would probably be a major
factor too. I just hope I don't have to find out.
Chris from CVille
n a message dated 10/4/99 7:18:34 PM Central Daylight Time, Mst29@aol.com
writes:
> why would a truck with 23,000 ,iles need new balljoints? Maybe your trucks
> were built on the same day,same hour? Do you guys drive hard? When the
ball
>
> joints go bad, what does it feel like? Maybe its a stupid question, but
iv'e
>
> never experienced it.
> If it does happen i'd like to have an Idesa what it could be.
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