98 Mercury Grand Marquis Worn Ball Joints Again

Refinish King wrote:
> A short arm/long arm Ford product?
>
> It must be ancient, and they did have all kinds of front suspension part
> wear problems.
>
> I'm sure your mechanic used a second or third rate front end part, because
> the Moog and TRW ball joints were warranted, no questions asked.
>
> RK

WOW there's a name I ain't seen in a while.


--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

Hi Steve:

After a few bad health scares, and a stroke on top of it all.

I might start making some sense one day.

RK
"Steve W." > wrote in message
...
> Refinish King wrote:
>> A short arm/long arm Ford product?
>>
>> It must be ancient, and they did have all kinds of front suspension part
>> wear problems.
>>
>> I'm sure your mechanic used a second or third rate front end part,
>> because the Moog and TRW ball joints were warranted, no questions asked.
>>
>> RK
>
> WOW there's a name I ain't seen in a while.
>
>
> --
> Steve W.
> Near Cooperstown, New York

"m" > wrote in message
...
> Three years ago (60,000 miles ago) I had my upper, and lower ball
> joints and outer tie rod ends replaced. Very expensiv job $750.00. I
> went back to my mechanic today to get snow tires and he told me that
> (1) Pitnam Arm is no good
> (2) Upper Ball Joints are worn and need to be replaced again
> (3) Tie Rods are also no good.
> I told him that he replaced the ball joints and tie rods 3 years
> ago.
> He said that the parts have a lifetime warrany so I would pay for
> labor only.
>
> I would only need to pay for the pitnam arm. He also mentioned that
> the car is unsafe to drive with a worn pitnam arm and the ball
> socket
> could break.
>
> My question is why should these parts that were replced 3 years ago
> wear out so quick?

They probably haven't worn out at all. Ball joint replacement is an
area where mechanics frequently take advantage of Customers. You need
to find someone you trust who understands that different
manufacturer's have different performance specifications for ball
joints. It is very easy for mechanics to either deliberately or
inadvertently apply the wrong specs and checking techniques to ball
joints, making it seem as it they need replacement, when in reality
they don't.

Take a look at
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billav...spec_chart.pdf .

Ed


Ed

"m" > wrote in message
...

> The parts do have a grease fitting and I gease them when I do an oil
> change. The mechanic said that the fittng were dry and maybe the
> warranty would be voided by the parts company. I'm not
> particularly
> hard on the car. My dauhter has been driving it to school every day
> and she will have to top using it unti I get itfixed. I'm
> particularly
> concerned abut the pitnam arm. It isan original part and the
> steering
> does felel sloppy.

The sterring probably felt sloppy when the car was knew (at least the
ones I drove always felt that way - it was just the nature of the
car).

> I've never owned a car before that had such lousey suspension
> componennts.
> I've head from other poeple that they have had suspension problems
> on
> this type of car.

My parents owned two Grand Marquis (a 1992 and a 2000), which have the
identical suspension. Neither ever had the ball joints replaced and
neither had grease fittings on the ball joints. So I have to wonder
why you are having so much trouble. I suggest finding a different
mechanic.

Ed

C. E. White wrote:

> My parents owned two Grand Marquis (a 1992 and a 2000), which have the
> identical suspension. Neither ever had the ball joints replaced and
> neither had grease fittings on the ball joints. So I have to wonder why
> you are having so much trouble. I suggest finding a different mechanic.
>


Yeah, there are plenty of gripes to be had about the handling and
suspension of the old Ford Panther platform, but ruggedness and
durability are NOT on the list. The cars are tanks, and the suspension
lasts forever. Even when cops and cab drivers pound on them around the
clock for a few hundred thousand miles.

Refinish King wrote:
> Hi Steve:
>
> After a few bad health scares, and a stroke on top of it all.
>
> I might start making some sense one day.
>
> RK

That sucks. Hope things are getting back to normal. Strokes can be a
VERY nasty thing.

Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York