Ball joints

erk !

One of mine has started squeeking. Hope this isn't a sign of impending failure...

The cost of replacing them is a lot less them having to come home on a hook. I found some for 7.45 each and complete tie rods for less then 25.00 each. Replacing all of that is still less then the tow truck if you can do the work yourself. Don't learn the hard way. I wish that I could find them with grease zerts.

I have found it very difficult to make some of my customers understand how important it is they change things like ball joints and tie rods for safety reasons. I I would also recommend useing quality parts, cheap sounds good at first but will wear much faster ( kill that clean ride fell) and nd replacing more often if you drive you VW alot.

Mario Vintage Werks Resto.

Glad you're OK. I can tell you it's no fun when they go at 70 km/h => that happened to me on the driver's side last fall. I too thought I'd had a blowout but frankly, I didn't have too much time to think about it as my '74 sunbug lurched across two lanes on traffic with me hauling on the steering wheel with all my might. I'm currently building up a new front end in my basement (we don't drive our aircooled cars in the winter up here in Canada) because the force of hitting the pavement at that speed bent the axle beam and tore off the shock tower => did some fender damage too. All in all I consider myself extremely lucky to have come out of it unscathed. I too, had recently checked my ball joints!!

Glad you're OK. I can tell you it's no fun when they go at 70 km/h => that happened to me on the driver's side last fall. I too thought I'd had a blowout but frankly, I didn't have too much time to think about it as my '74 sunbug lurched across two lanes on traffic with me hauling on the steering wheel with all my might. I'm currently building up a new front end in my basement (we don't drive our aircooled cars in the winter up here in Canada) because the force of hitting the pavement at that speed bent the axle beam and tore off the shock tower => did some fender damage too. All in all I consider myself extremely lucky to have come out of it unscathed. I too, had recently checked my ball joints!!

Wow. Good to hear you're both alive. Too bad one bad ball joint can create so much work. I saw a car lose a wheel on the freeway right in front of me once (It was a Minivan with kids in it). They were all ok thanks to the concrete dividing barrier, but man was it scary!!!!!

Wow. Good to hear you're both alive. Too bad one bad ball joint can create so much work. I saw a car lose a wheel on the freeway right in front of me once (It was a Minivan with kids in it). They were all ok thanks to the concrete dividing barrier, but man was it scary!!!!!

and don't forget to grease them, tie-rods ends too. Get a grease gun fitting that looks like a needle. inject some grease until the boot expands or leaks. If the pedal cluster has a grease fitting , hit that too. the emergency outer cable used to have a fitting. I think it was dropped.

Nice to know you got home OK.

However can you give us some more detail as to what actually failed? refer to these pics

thanks Grahame from Australia

The ball just came out of the socket. Not much more detail then that. I have seen it happen a few other time to other people and I have repaired them. I guess that my problem was wanting to get the car back on the road too fast and not checking them as I should have and that is not just looking at them but checking for loosness while jacked up. I am not taking any chances with any of the other front end parts as I am replacing them all while I have it up on the stands now. If you don't know how to check the ball joints and tie rods that have a good shop do it. These are parts that could distroy a nice car and maybe even you if they give out while driving down the hwy. at speeds over 20mph. Check them, fix them or else.

"Grahame Rumballe" wrote in message news:NEaKf.473$ snipped-for-privacy@news.optus.net.au...

Well I found the cause of the squeaking. Its the bottom tube, or more precisely, I think the outer bearings. It seems the grease nipples have vanished. Thats right. Gone. They were there last summer. Anyhow, more ordered, grease gun at the ready !

James