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So I was supposed to be at the drags today running the Nova but last minute plans left me with the intrepid companion all day with no other options. Taking a 20 month old to the drags for a while to see friends is one thing (we've done that twice) taking him there and trying to run the car was going to be a disaster, so we scratched that.
With idle time on my hands I realized my wife's car was ready for the ol' oil and lube. I hopped in the car with my son to go grab the oil and filter and two seconds out of the driveway realized that something was really weird with the suspension.
I called my wife and she confirmed that the car had been "driving weird" for a week or so (I always drive my truck...because it's a company rig with a gas card). Glad she said something... :
So we get the oil and filter, all the while I'm trying to figure out if it's a bad strut or what. Me and Tom (OK, I while yelling at Tom to stay where I could see him) changed the oil and then proceeded to root around under the car to see what was up.
Then my hand landed on the offending piece that was flopping in the breeze.
That end link didn't come from Chrysler in pieces. This is a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica (I KNOW...my wife loved the thing, what the hell do you want me to do?) It's a porcine, underpowered, station wagony thing that come with autostick (akin to having paddle shifters on a Bluebird school bus)
So this car is 3 years old and this end link came apart seemingly because the rubber boot did not seal it properly allowing grit and crap to get in the socket that the ball rides in and it hogged itself out. Why did it happen so quick? It's f'n plastic.
If my wife had to make some emergency manuver on the highway there's not telling what would have happened, the thing was skittish and weird at low speed, let alone the highway. How much was saved per part with plastic VS a greaseable metal alternative? The replacements (I did both) were TRW pieces and could be used to bludgeon someone to death with.
It's amazing the areas that manufacturers decide to cut costs in. Delete the fake f'n wood in the cabin. That won't kill my wife and son.
Brian
With idle time on my hands I realized my wife's car was ready for the ol' oil and lube. I hopped in the car with my son to go grab the oil and filter and two seconds out of the driveway realized that something was really weird with the suspension.
I called my wife and she confirmed that the car had been "driving weird" for a week or so (I always drive my truck...because it's a company rig with a gas card). Glad she said something... :
So we get the oil and filter, all the while I'm trying to figure out if it's a bad strut or what. Me and Tom (OK, I while yelling at Tom to stay where I could see him) changed the oil and then proceeded to root around under the car to see what was up.
Then my hand landed on the offending piece that was flopping in the breeze.
That end link didn't come from Chrysler in pieces. This is a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica (I KNOW...my wife loved the thing, what the hell do you want me to do?) It's a porcine, underpowered, station wagony thing that come with autostick (akin to having paddle shifters on a Bluebird school bus)
So this car is 3 years old and this end link came apart seemingly because the rubber boot did not seal it properly allowing grit and crap to get in the socket that the ball rides in and it hogged itself out. Why did it happen so quick? It's f'n plastic.
If my wife had to make some emergency manuver on the highway there's not telling what would have happened, the thing was skittish and weird at low speed, let alone the highway. How much was saved per part with plastic VS a greaseable metal alternative? The replacements (I did both) were TRW pieces and could be used to bludgeon someone to death with.
It's amazing the areas that manufacturers decide to cut costs in. Delete the fake f'n wood in the cabin. That won't kill my wife and son.
Brian
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