(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd24/Redneck8688/DSC00035.jpg)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd24/Redneck8688/DSC00034.jpg)
Ball joint let go 2 hrs from home. I had just checked everything two weeks ago and all seemed well. My friend and I decided to go on a little road trip since we had some extra cash for once and on the way back some thing just didnt feel right, turned a corner and got a nasty grinding sound that almost sounded like a well worn wheel bearing. Well wasnt the wheel bearing. The ball joint was wore enough that the control arm was rubbing the inside of my wheel. Well I got it off the road and looked under the car saw what it was and needless to say I wasnt happy. Anyway while I was on the phone with the towtruck driver the ball joint decided to let go the rest of the way and tore up my inner fender some.
All in all my weekend sucked but the ball joint didnt break while I was driving, and the tow bill was only $200 instead of the 3-400 like I was expecting. I was gonna wait until the car was parked for the winter to redo the front and rear suspension(better shocks, springs, CHE arms, ect..) but looks like its gonna happen earlier than I wanted.
It could have been worse. Usually the ball joints go with slow speed turns and such because it puts more stress on the ball joint than say driving 70 mph on the highway.
I was just glad it broke sitting still lol. I dont know if anybody here is familiar with route 800 in ohio or not but lets just say if you like curvy hilly roads with good straightaways you'd have fun. I had just passed a couple curves that had a rather steep embankment just on the other side right before the ball joint let go. Needless to say I got lucky.
First mod on any old fox should be the front end, Gives you the motivation to do it right now.
I had just got done putting an electric fan and underdrive pulleys on it two weeks ago too. Yeah I was planning on redoing the entire suspension that way I knew exactly what kind of condition everything was in. I've been thinking about a quicker rack too but I'm not sure yet.
And yes thats a license plate under the front wheel, it was the only way we could get it of the flatbed without killing the fender.
I feel your pain. I had the same thing happen to a Lincoln Mark VIII that I had. I just sold my beater car for a good price, and I was happy. I backed the lincoln out to let the new owner back the beater out. He drove away, and when I pulled the lincoln back in, crunch! the ball joint seperated. Worst part, it did it right behind my cougar in a 1 car garage, trapping it inside. So my beater was gone, and my other car was pinned in the garage.... Here's what it looked like:
Do you guys ever grease anything?
Yes I grease everything I can and thats just a habit I got from taking my truck 4wheeling all the time. But for some reason theres no grease fittings on these ball joints, hence why I was wanting to redo everything.
That wasn't meant just for you. Good luck with it.
I didnt take it that way was just simply stating that, no harm done. I still gotta get the 'Bird out of the garage so I can put the Cougar in, then I have to put a new timing belt on the Ranger so I have a way to get to work. I hate it when everything goes at once. Oh well, off to the garage.
Fellas be sure to replace with Moog ball joints. They often make "problem solver" replacement parts. They all are metal with grease fittings.
Some cars might still have the factory "sealed for life" ball joints and tie rods. By now, most everyone
should have had them replaced with new parts that have grease fittings. But my '84 still has the factory ones and hopefully I can keep it that way a little longer. They're okay until they get old and let go. Same thing happened to me once, with the ball joint. It's a screeching sound that you never quite forget. ;)
I have greaseable tie rod ends but SN95 non greaseable ball joints :hick:
Seeing those pics and hearing all the stories makes me bound and determined to put new ball joints, tie rod ends, and bearings/seals in.
Be just my luck to finally get my 5.0HO powered-Bird out for the maiden flight, and crunch! There went a ball joint-hello ditch.
Think I'll play it safe. ;)
Yup factory sealed for life on mine. Got a pair of Moogs greasable now!
For me it was about 1990-ish, so my first '84 was a mere 6 years old...probably about 90K on the odometer. There was a squeaking sound from the front end that got worse over a period of just a few days. I vowed to look at the issue the next day. Well...the car didn't wait and I dropped the ball joint right in the middle of a small town. Made one hell of a screaming sound. The fix was about $120 at the time and it was a Moog greaseable replacement. About a year later, both tie rods did the same thing (good thing I had a wire coat hanger in the trunk, that helped get me home). I had those fixed and the other ball joint at the same time.
I still don't know why they all failed so relatively soon. Granted, the car was driven every day in the winter but it also was washed frequently and kept in a garage. I believe all the original ball joints and tie rods are still on the current '84.
Guess the moral is that sometimes the "sealed for life" parts work great, sometimes they don't...
I just popped my factory ones out early this year. Boots were collapsed and things didnt look so good. Fornt end on that car still needs a lot of work...
I can tell you this: If you replace all the front bushings, ball joints, struts, and strut mounts (like I did) the car will ride great again :D