Big Disaster: I reently had suspension work doen to my Grand Marquis, about 3 months ago. Yesterd my 18 year old daughter tells me that the car steers terrible. I crawled underneath the car and couldn't believe what I saw. The bolt that goes thru the center link was loose and no longer in the idler arm. That big lock nut was missing. This is a new part and the bolt had surfac rust indicating that the nut was missing for a long time Borught it back to the mechanic and he couldn't believe it either. He assumed all responsibility. After thinking about this for a while, I remebered that after this work was done, the car was in a serious accident where the driver's side upper controll arm bracket was bent. A body shop had to straighten the frame in that area. I'm thinking that the nuckle head discontected the idler arm from the center link (by removing the bolt) so that he could straighen the frame without damaging the steering linkage. He probably forgot to install the lock nut. Does this seem like a reasonalbe scenerio?
- posted
15 years ago