Struggling with 2003 Camry last night

[artbuc]

Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: KitaCam
failing ball joints and other suspension parts can fall off the car and dismount the wheel

This is quite true, and a failing balljoint should be replaced.

But let's be realistic and keep our alarm for situations where alarm is warranted. Your bolded and underlined insistences that engineer20 is endangering little kids by his failure to replace the balljoint just makes you look like you're irrationally angry that he's not listening to you.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but a balljoint that separates is not normally something that causes collisions or deaths. I have seen many failed balljoints, all of them of the load-bearing type. Damage ensued to the vehicles -- often expensive damage -- but nobody was ever hurt, just frightened.

Engineer20 is like Joseph: a lost cause. I also believe he is less than truthful. Much less.


1. Having personally experienced a wheel assembly literally fall of the axle I can testify the danger of not replacing failing suspension parts....this is NOT an irrational concern when someone has no clue how to maintain a car and refuses to take the advice from those who do, whether mechanics or forum members.
2. He claims that a Toyo PCV valve would cost him $13-14 in Michigan, so I fact-checked that and Spartan Toyota of East Lansing lists the valve @ $4.22....so yes I do believe E20 is much less than truthful....
3. The bold and underlined words was simply to identify what I was referring to in his paragraph of run-on sentences and ideas.


Kita, why are you letting E20 push your buttons? Just ignore him and let this stupid thread die.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Having personally experienced a wheel assembly literally fall of the axle

That is NOT what happens when a balljoint breaks. If the wheel "literally" falls off, then something else went seriously wrong, such as a wheel bearing that broke apart.

THIS is what happens when a balljoint breaks. This was my car. This happened at 50mph on a curve, and it was my decision to steer onto the shoulder rather than come to a stop in the lane. The vehicle was perfectly controllable, with barely a tug on the steering wheel at the moment of failure.

Link to the page here:
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/lowerballjoint/index.html

I have a number of more pictures of other incidents that I haven't put up.
I have noticed that failed balljoints which result in the above picture seem to happen mostly to Hondas, Mercedes, and certain GM models.

Engineer20 is an idiot about so many other things that you can let go about the balljoint.

 

[dlayman]

It looks like every one of the cars pictured in your link is Honda / Acura. What are the warning signs of a ball joint problem? It seems one common one is a pull to the side when you hit the brake pedal.

I saw what I suspect may have been a ball joint failure, and probably some other failure as well, a few months ago. A car in the right lane was driving very slowly, with a terrified look on the driver's face, and the left front wheel at about a 45 degree angle. Suddenly the wheel broke loose and flew across the highway.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Having personally experienced a wheel assembly literally fall of the axle

That is NOT what happens when a balljoint breaks. If the wheel "literally" falls off, then something else went seriously wrong, such as a wheel bearing that broke apart.

THIS is what happens when a balljoint breaks. This was my car. This happened at 50mph on a curve, and it was my decision to steer onto the shoulder rather than come to a stop in the lane. The vehicle was perfectly controllable, with barely a tug on the steering wheel at the moment of failure.

Link to the page here:
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/lowerballjoint/index.html



That was easy to steer&control? Not doubting you, just... surprised. I would have guessed otherwise.

 

[mk378]

Originally Posted By: dlayman

I saw what I suspect may have been a ball joint failure, and probably some other failure as well, a few months ago. A car in the right lane was driving very slowly, with a terrified look on the driver's face, and the left front wheel at about a 45 degree angle. Suddenly the wheel broke loose and flew across the highway.


That would be someone that we know, who has something major totally break on his car and rather than pull over and call a tow truck like a sane man would, decides to keep driving instead. Which of course is not just a menace to the public, but leads to costly further damage.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: dlayman
It looks like every one of the cars pictured in your link is Honda / Acura.

Well, yeah. It's a Honda/Acura Web page.

Originally Posted By: dlayman
What are the warning signs of a ball joint problem? It seems one common one is a pull to the side when you hit the brake pedal.

The pull to one side is what happens on a Honda (and probably other cars with similar designs) when the ball seizes in its socket. Other symptoms would be sloppy or loose-feeling steering, and knocking noises from the front end.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: supton
That was easy to steer&control? Not doubting you, just... surprised. I would have guessed otherwise.

Totally controllable. Just the barest of tugs on the wheel. Scary is the BANG, the sudden drop, the SCREECH and the smoke.

I've talked to others who have had similar failures and they all report the same thing: Total control and little effect at the steering wheel.

I believe that automakers design their suspensions to behave in this manner when there is such a catastrophic failure. I am especially convinced of this when I observe that the brake hoses are never torn, but remain intact.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: Quest
this guy (GHT?!) is playing us for a fool all along, yet 16+ pages of response/reply and you folks still not getting it?!

Enthusiasm aside: I refused to provide any help (I can sense the behaviour), and yet you posters still not getting it?!

Sheesh! no wonder BITOG is infested with GHT and the likes these days...

*wake up and smell da coffee!!*

Q.


I tried to stay out of this thread, but I gotta give this a huge +1!

 

[dlayman]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: dlayman
It looks like every one of the cars pictured in your link is Honda / Acura.

Well, yeah. It's a Honda/Acura Web page.

Ah, didn't notice that.

Originally Posted By: dlayman
What are the warning signs of a ball joint problem? It seems one common one is a pull to the side when you hit the brake pedal.

The pull to one side is what happens on a Honda (and probably other cars with similar designs) when the ball seizes in its socket. Other symptoms would be sloppy or loose-feeling steering, and knocking noises from the front end.


Well, that pertain to me since I drive two Hondas. Thanks for the info.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: supton
That was easy to steer&control? Not doubting you, just... surprised. I would have guessed otherwise.

Totally controllable. Just the barest of tugs on the wheel. Scary is the BANG, the sudden drop, the SCREECH and the smoke.

I've talked to others who have had similar failures and they all report the same thing: Total control and little effect at the steering wheel.

I believe that automakers design their suspensions to behave in this manner when there is such a catastrophic failure. I am especially convinced of this when I observe that the brake hoses are never torn, but remain intact.


Dawned on me: part of it is probably because the spring goes to full extension as the wheel moves out of the way--but because of weight distribution and car rigidity / something like that, the wheel is actually pretty unloaded. So while it's dragging, it's not really carrying any weight.

 

[engineer20]

ok, I know, a ball joint can go bad, I got the moog part with an advanced auto coupon, it's cheaper on amazon, but not by much, and advanced would honor the lifetime warranty

I'll try and diy it this weekend, if it doesn't work out, the mechanic only charges an hour of labor for it and that isn't that bad for only 75 dollars

Anyways, for the struts, apparently, I got them all done at 111 and 120k at this goodyear tire place, the labor has a 12 month guarantee but there is a lifetime warranty on the parts, so they'd be able to get me the parts for free but I'd have to pay for labor, which isn't that bad now

As for the ball joint, after the joint and the struts, I'll do an alignment

for the seatbelt though, I guess I could go to a junkyard and get it, but is there any replacement parts for it? Any lube, etc? Same with the power windows. I'll retorque the valve cover gasket, if that doesn't work, I"ll replace it again, DIY this time.

Another rquestion is why do calipers leak? And can you fix a caliper? I heard if ti's a brake hose, you can fix it, the Taurus has a caliper leak. Can you use sealer or fix the piston or some other components to a caliper and should you replace them in pairs? One person said yes, because even if the other isen't leaking, you might pull to the side when braking if you replace one, well if that's the case, if I get a used one from the junkyard, would that be better as i'd only need to replace one in that case and both would be "used" and evenly worn? Yet someone else said at a ford dealer service dept, you don't need to replace both, you could but one is ok. so what's your take on that? Thanks.

 

[supton]

Do they have to do undo the balljoint to do struts?

Honestly: if they are in there to do struts, they ought to be willing to do balljoints for cheap money, cost of the joint and some small amount for the extra labor.

 

[KrisZ]

All this will be easy to understand and clear as day once you realize that there is no camry, no ball joint and no shop doing any type of work.

 

[artbuc]

Originally Posted By: engineer20
Can you use sealer....


Yes! Get a can of Bars Leak. It is designed for radiators but works exceptionally well on brake calipers. You can get it on Amazon but sign-up for Prime so you get fast delivery and free shipping. Someone also told me Autozone often has it on sale which is a good deal especially if you have a coupon. I have a friend who knows a person who works in a parts store. He said if you go to a junkyard and look in the trunks, often you can find a can of Bars Leak with enough left to fix your caliper. They may give it to you for free but you may have to pay 50 cts. Good luck.

To answer your other question, calipers only leak if someone tampered with it. I suspect you have made some enemies along the way and they are hoping you take a long road trip down a steep windy mountain road.

http://barsleaks.com/

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: artbuc
Originally Posted By: engineer20
Can you use sealer....


Yes! Get a can of Bars Leak. It is designed for radiators but works exceptionally well on brake calipers. You can get it on Amazon but sign-up for Prime so you get fast delivery and free shipping. Someone also told me Autozone often has it on sale which is a good deal especially if you have a coupon. I have a friend who knows a person who works in a parts store. He said if you go to a junkyard and look in the trunks, often you can find a can of Bars Leak with enough left to fix your caliper. They may give it to you for free but you may have to pay 50 cts. Good luck.

To answer your other question, calipers only leak if someone tampered with it. I suspect you have made some enemies along the way and they are hoping you take a long road trip down a steep windy mountain road.


OP...DISREGARD THE ABOVE POST... WORST ADVICE I EVER HEARD.

 

[engineer20]

I know, that guy is trolling. I'm not a troll but ppl think I am, whatever. Regardless, the only part that is believable is the tampering part, you think they leaked because somebody tampered with them, or what would cause the leak?

 

[Vikas]

artbuc:- Wow, your writing style mimics E20 well but you need to show lot more ADHD and ask more questions. Don't stay on a subject for longer than eight words. Change the topic once you reach seven words and then immediately ask a question.

Looking forward to read more of your replies

 

[Nick1994]

I don't understand why you have so many issues with your Camry. The money you're spending on all these repairs, it might be cheaper to buy a new car. You can get a new Nissan Versa for less than $10k.

 

[artbuc]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
artbuc:- Wow, your writing style mimics E20 well but you need to show lot more ADHD and ask more questions. Don't stay on a subject for longer than eight words. Change the topic once you reach seven words and then immediately ask a question.

Looking forward to read more of your replies


Lol. I need to have a new "struggle" with my 16 year old Avalon to stay out of trouble.

 

[artbuc]

Originally Posted By: engineer20
I know, that guy is trolling. I'm not a troll but ppl think I am, whatever. Regardless, the only part that is believable is the tampering part, you think they leaked because somebody tampered with them...


I am not a troll. I am a fellow engineer. Have you learned our secret handshake yet? Yes, I think someone tampered with it. Just because you are not paranoid does not mean people are not out to get you.