Greetings,
Brief history: 95 Contour, 230 k miles. 12 k miles ago, put in left tie rod end. Had vehicle aligned. Drove well. 3 months and 2k mils later, would not pass inspection. Needed new ball joints. I saw them. they were VERY worn. At least 1/4 to 3/8 inch vertical play in them. I replaced them with a lower grade BJ from a local jobber. When I got the veh back together, the front tires were pointing inward (Excess toe in). The car handled like crap and if I turned too far in either direction, the car would just "motorboat" chatter and go straight regardless of turn. I had it aligned agoin by the first guy that aligned it. He said his tech should've found the bad ball joints before the alignment. He re-did it the alignment at no charge. Car has been driving perfect since. No tire wear, great handling etc.
While doing an LOF a month ago, I noticed when I greased one of the ball joints, that grease was coming out around the BOTTOM of the sealed metal bottom. IE the lower cover (where the grease fitting threads into, was loosened from the cast body of the ball joint). Clearly I am thinking it is a defective ball joint. I also noticed excessive vertical play again. After only a few 14 k miles or so. Seems like short life for a ball joint. The other ball joint was intact, but had excessive vertical play as well. Both were bad. The jobber allowed my to return them under warranty towards the purchase price of the next better quality ball joints. I put them in this weekend. The job was relatively easy and without incident.
When I got finished, the car runs and handles fine, but the almost any turns right or left, at any speed above 15 or so MPH, and it sounds like the tires are squealing. if I close the windows, it sounds like air/wind noise. It happens right or left. it is REALLY noticeable on a rotary (or roundabout) as some people call them.
Tire pressure is fine, and this is definitely a result of the replacement ball joints. The car was NOT making ANY such noise before hand. The parts were the correct replacements. They looked identical to the old ones, and I called another parts place to confirm the part number.
Could it be that it just needs an alignment? Again!!!.
How does this sound for a theory: (going out on a limb here). The frame or some other components in the front are bad/bent. With new ball joints, they are under stress. As the new ball joints wear, they compensate for the bad/bent part and find their "happy, un-stressful" point. I Know. Out on a limb, but I am at a loss. Chalk it up to a pair of defective ball joints?.. I could understand the originals wearing out after 215k miles. But the second set only after 14k?
Should I spring for an alignment?
Thoughts:
Thanks
P...
Brief history: 95 Contour, 230 k miles. 12 k miles ago, put in left tie rod end. Had vehicle aligned. Drove well. 3 months and 2k mils later, would not pass inspection. Needed new ball joints. I saw them. they were VERY worn. At least 1/4 to 3/8 inch vertical play in them. I replaced them with a lower grade BJ from a local jobber. When I got the veh back together, the front tires were pointing inward (Excess toe in). The car handled like crap and if I turned too far in either direction, the car would just "motorboat" chatter and go straight regardless of turn. I had it aligned agoin by the first guy that aligned it. He said his tech should've found the bad ball joints before the alignment. He re-did it the alignment at no charge. Car has been driving perfect since. No tire wear, great handling etc.
While doing an LOF a month ago, I noticed when I greased one of the ball joints, that grease was coming out around the BOTTOM of the sealed metal bottom. IE the lower cover (where the grease fitting threads into, was loosened from the cast body of the ball joint). Clearly I am thinking it is a defective ball joint. I also noticed excessive vertical play again. After only a few 14 k miles or so. Seems like short life for a ball joint. The other ball joint was intact, but had excessive vertical play as well. Both were bad. The jobber allowed my to return them under warranty towards the purchase price of the next better quality ball joints. I put them in this weekend. The job was relatively easy and without incident.
When I got finished, the car runs and handles fine, but the almost any turns right or left, at any speed above 15 or so MPH, and it sounds like the tires are squealing. if I close the windows, it sounds like air/wind noise. It happens right or left. it is REALLY noticeable on a rotary (or roundabout) as some people call them.
Tire pressure is fine, and this is definitely a result of the replacement ball joints. The car was NOT making ANY such noise before hand. The parts were the correct replacements. They looked identical to the old ones, and I called another parts place to confirm the part number.
Could it be that it just needs an alignment? Again!!!.
How does this sound for a theory: (going out on a limb here). The frame or some other components in the front are bad/bent. With new ball joints, they are under stress. As the new ball joints wear, they compensate for the bad/bent part and find their "happy, un-stressful" point. I Know. Out on a limb, but I am at a loss. Chalk it up to a pair of defective ball joints?.. I could understand the originals wearing out after 215k miles. But the second set only after 14k?
Should I spring for an alignment?
Thoughts:
Thanks
P...