wrong diagnosis

[bowlofturtle]

Figured a had to post about this... my fault, i'm a little [censored] at myself. Its a learning experience. Hopefully help/remind others as well.

So the GF's DD is the lancer in sig. Overall its a rusty POS but it works. During last oil change, i found passenger side wheel a little loose at 3 and 9. Moved it around and looked for what had play. Clear as day it there was a tie rod end with a busted boot and it had play in there. I didn't bother going on after i saw the bust boot and all grease leaked out.

So i ordered up 2 moog tie rod ends. Figure i'll get them done as a pair and get an alignment done on my only day off this month. So friday night after work(today) i go ahead knock out the tie rods. Annoying cotter pins didn't work with me had to smash them. All said and done, i check the play and OH POOP still a little play but not as much as prior.

Problem being BALL JOINTS! So now i have to do more work at a later time because i jumped the gun, saw a broken part and thought that was the ONLY thing wrong with the car. Now i might have to wait another few weeks before i can address this. So just a reminder for you guys to look beyond the single broken part.

The kicker now for me is... since i did the tie rods, alignment (toe) could be off, should i risk no getting the alignment until i get the ball joints done too. Shop might not want to do an alignment with bad joints, might just suck it up and pay to have this done.

BIG FAIL on my part.

 

[pbm]

Instead of paying for an alignment now and again when you replace the ball joints I would probably just have the alignment shop replace the ball joints.

 

[KD0AXS]

I wouldn't say that's a wrong diagnosis. There was more than one problem and you didn't notice the second problem until the first one was fixed.


I would check the wheel bearings too. They can also have play when they get worn. Might not hurt to just replace them preemptively while you have it torn apart, unless they're super expensive for that car or they've previously been replaced.

 

[CourierDriver]

Originally Posted By: bowlofturtle
Figured a had to post about this... my fault, i'm a little [censored] at myself. Its a learning experience. Hopefully help/remind others as well.

So the GF's DD is the lancer in sig. Overall its a rusty POS but it works. During last oil change, i found passenger side wheel a little loose at 3 and 9. Moved it around and looked for what had play. Clear as day it there was a tie rod end with a busted boot and it had play in there. I didn't bother going on after i saw the bust boot and all grease leaked out.

So i ordered up 2 moog tie rod ends. Figure i'll get them done as a pair and get an alignment done on my only day off this month. So friday night after work(today) i go ahead knock out the tie rods. Annoying cotter pins didn't work with me had to smash them. All said and done, i check the play and OH POOP still a little play but not as much as prior.

Problem being BALL JOINTS! So now i have to do more work at a later time because i jumped the gun, saw a broken part and thought that was the ONLY thing wrong with the car. Now i might have to wait another few weeks before i can address this. So just a reminder for you guys to look beyond the single broken part.

The kicker now for me is... since i did the tie rods, alignment (toe) could be off, should i risk no getting the alignment until i get the ball joints done too. Shop might not want to do an alignment with bad joints, might just suck it up and pay to have this done.

BIG FAIL on my part.
what is a double D lancer in sig? Its early and Im short one cup of coffee,,,

 

[Highboy]

Daily driver.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: bowlofturtle
Problem being BALL JOINTS! So now i have to do more work at a later time because i jumped the gun, saw a broken part and thought that was the ONLY thing wrong with the car. Now i might have to wait another few weeks before i can address this. So just a reminder for you guys to look beyond the single broken part.

The kicker now for me is... since i did the tie rods, alignment (toe) could be off, should i risk no getting the alignment until i get the ball joints done too. Shop might not want to do an alignment with bad joints, might just suck it up and pay to have this done.

BIG FAIL on my part.


It's not a big fail, it's called learning from experience. Next time you have this issue, you'll do an even better job. You'll learn with old clunkers that you'll start chasing issues to find noises and problems. Do the ball joints yourself and learn even more.

 

[CourierDriver]

Originally Posted By: Highboy
Daily driver.
thanks, I needed some relief, but I know its Saturday,,that counts..doesn't it?

 

[WobblyElvis]

Park the car on level ground with the steering wheel set straight ahead. Get your eyes down close to the ground in front of the car and look across the outside of the front tires towards the rear of the car. Does the outside edge of the front tires point at the outside edge of the rear tires? If this lines up pretty well, you can drive the car until you get the ball joints done.

 

[CourierDriver]

Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
Park the car on level ground with the steering wheel set straight ahead. Get your eyes down close to the ground in front of the car and look across the outside of the front tires towards the rear of the car. Does the outside edge of the front tires point at the outside edge of the rear tires? If this lines up pretty well, you can drive the car until you get the ball joints done.
I have to laugh, thats good Elvis, never heard that before...

 

[eljefino]

Been there, done that with a saturn s-series. The suspension geometry can allow this mistake fairly easily.

Best check is to get a gloved hand down in the works where it can feel both the knuckle and the stud/castle nut while "someone" cranks on it. If you can draft a helper you can do it on pavement at ride height and have them run the wheel. Just communicate to them to go back and forth six inches on the wheel so they don't trap your hand. Sometimes ball joints tighten up on the jack because they're in an unusual position and wearing "virgin territory."

 

[bowlofturtle]

Well i consider it wrong because problem isn't fixed. If i was a paying customer i think i would be angry.


Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
Park the car on level ground with the steering wheel set straight ahead. Get your eyes down close to the ground in front of the car and look across the outside of the front tires towards the rear of the car. Does the outside edge of the front tires point at the outside edge of the rear tires? If this lines up pretty well, you can drive the car until you get the ball joints done.


i did this on my intial test drive. Counted the turns and didn't mess with the jam nut too much. Car goes straight decently and is a little going outward. By little i mean most likely 1/4 rotation if i was to make a guess.

Originally Posted By: pbm
Instead of paying for an alignment now and again when you replace the ball joints I would probably just have the alignment shop replace the ball joints.


i gave the GF the options list. 1. get alignment now (shop might not do it cause ball joints) and i'll do them later 2. pay shop the $150 or w/e to do ball joints and then alignment. 3. drive very little and wait for me to get parts/time to get it done.


How are the tool rental versions of the ball joint press? Never used one before.

 

[berniedd]

You could get an alignment with a shop that will provide free check up and redo the job if it's off the specs. Though this might be hard to do, as a competent shop checks for loose suspension parts first before doing the alignment.

 

[bowlofturtle]

Originally Posted By: berniedd
You could get an alignment with a shop that will provide free check up and redo the job if it's off the specs. Though this might be hard to do, as a competent shop checks for loose suspension parts first before doing the alignment.



I would agree, i wouldn't want to go to a shop that didn't check.

Either way Moog balljoints were ordered from Rockauto last night. I might just try to get out work early and take care of this.