cableguymn
Seasoned Expediter
Ball Joints that is. Since I bought my van in August of last year I've done nothing exciting. Replaced the trans when it failed, the radiator when it leaked and the front brakes when the calipers hung up.
I've been on the hunt for a new van but have come to the realization that I am not finding what I am looking for, and likely won't until Murphy's law kicks in. That means I have to fix up the one I have for the next one to come along. If I wait and let this one goes to pieces it'll do just that and I'll have to settle for something.
When I got the van it had new tires on it. Still had the blue on the white letters. Since then I have kept an eye on them because tires are expensive.
Past few weeks I have seen some edge wear on them so I got the trusty floor jack out and checked the front end. (let me qualify this, it's been checked and marked "ok" buy 4 'shops' "
What I found amazed me. Once unloaded there was 1" of side to side play in the left upper and 1/2" in the right upper.
What I found more shocking was the lowers where tight and good, as where all the rod ends. The upper and lower joints are OEM. This van just turned 265,000 miles.
Seems she went a long way on the OE ball joints. I suspect the uppers failed because they where dryer than a popcorn fart when the van was first brought in for maintenance. Quick lubes always ignore the zerks they are not easy to find.
Since I bought it I ask "how many fittings did you grease?" when they come up with the wrong number I tell um to keep looking. I never give them the right answer until they come up with it themselves.
I've been on the hunt for a new van but have come to the realization that I am not finding what I am looking for, and likely won't until Murphy's law kicks in. That means I have to fix up the one I have for the next one to come along. If I wait and let this one goes to pieces it'll do just that and I'll have to settle for something.
When I got the van it had new tires on it. Still had the blue on the white letters. Since then I have kept an eye on them because tires are expensive.
Past few weeks I have seen some edge wear on them so I got the trusty floor jack out and checked the front end. (let me qualify this, it's been checked and marked "ok" buy 4 'shops' "
What I found amazed me. Once unloaded there was 1" of side to side play in the left upper and 1/2" in the right upper.
What I found more shocking was the lowers where tight and good, as where all the rod ends. The upper and lower joints are OEM. This van just turned 265,000 miles.
Seems she went a long way on the OE ball joints. I suspect the uppers failed because they where dryer than a popcorn fart when the van was first brought in for maintenance. Quick lubes always ignore the zerks they are not easy to find.
Since I bought it I ask "how many fittings did you grease?" when they come up with the wrong number I tell um to keep looking. I never give them the right answer until they come up with it themselves.