[mavstang73]

So today I put a ej22 in a 98 Foz and let me tell you it was a bit**
Nothing seemed to go right. Oh and it was 90+ all day.

So then I think well I'm driving to NH on Weds so I should replace the balljoint in my 04FXT before we leave and get started on that.

That did not got well.
The bolt holding the ball joint snapped. I had to remove the knuckle and started to drill the bolt out.

Needless to say most of my drill bits are toast but I managed to drill a slightly off center hole straight through.
Still... I am screwed thus far.
The balljoint is stuck in there and the bolt still will not come out.
I've tried lots of pb blaster some heat and my next step is too take it too a machine shop.

I've got 100 dollars to my name and 1 day to get the old ball-joint out while saving the knuckle and getting it all done in time to leave for NH Wednesday morning.
Before you say cancel the trip the hotel is non-refundable so hell or high water we're going.

I'm not religious but man if someone out there could give me a break I would appreciate it.

 

[Duderotomy]

I'm not religious but man if someone out there could give me a break I would appreciate it.

what would you like broken? :lol:

 

[mavstang73]

what would you like broken? :lol:

Your car instead of mine. :lol:

 

[Duderotomy]

Your car instead of mine. :lol:

it already is... it gets dropped at the dealership tonight.

 

[ferret]

You know ... we ALL have days like that ..... and whether you get to your vacation or not ... maybe borrowing a car, yes that has happened also.

Sometimes I used to think it was payback for all the times things worked out well. What I discovered, and it was a HARD lesson for me, was to give myself MORE TIME and more LEAD TIME when working on cars. ...... Plumbing is a similar lesson I learned the hard way, Never start a repair LATE at night ..... or when tired ...... or when the local hardware store is closed !!!! I always need more after I start when doing plumbing.

P.S. .... my experience and $.02 only ... liquid wrench for me is still better than PB blaster.

 

[mavstang73]

I really should have known better given the way the week has been going.

First and foremost Grandma was diagnosed with a brain tumor and given 4 months to live.
The bulb in my projection screen tv blew.
The washing machine isnt working correctly.
The vacuum died last night.

So thinking I was doing the right thing by replacing a suspect balljoint 2 days before I need to leave on vk was clearly a bad idea.
I didnt want to wait though. All I could think about was that balljoint failing while going up Mt. Washington.

 

[Canonshooter]

That is truly a run of BFL with the mechanical stuff. Tackle it one problem at a time and you'll get through. Good advice on leaving plenty of time, too.

Sorry to hear about your grandma. Make sure to visit her as much as possible, hold her hand and tell her how much you love her.

 

[TC2000]

Make sure to visit her as much as possible, hold her hand and tell her how much you love her

+100 on this

Sorry to hear about your grandmother, mine died from the same thing last year. :icon_frown: Cancer sucks!

Hope you get that ball joint fixed in time.

 

[jgrote]

Sorry about your grandma man. It just sucks and there is no way around it. Spend every moment you can with her. (If she wants you to)

Here is some advice I was given to get a ball joint out. Seems like it would work. Also, I was prepared to drill out the whole bolt, threads and all. Then flatten the back end of the knuckle where bolt would come through. Then just use a nut and lock washer. I got the idea because my Sorento was this way from the factory.
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f70/ball-joint-help-73744/
See post #4

 

[mavstang73]

Sorry about your grandma man. It just sucks and there is no way around it. Spend every moment you can with her. (If she wants you to)

Here is some advice I was given to get a ball joint out. Seems like it would work. Also, I was prepared to drill out the whole bolt, threads and all. Then flatten the back end of the knuckle where bolt would come through. Then just use a nut and lock washer. I got the idea because my Sorento was this way from the factory.
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f70/ball-joint-help-73744/
See post #4

Man I wish I had read this earlier today :lol:

I managed to get the ball joint out without breaking the knuckle but there was some heat, grinder, prybar, hammer, drills, and 1 gallon of water consumed by me during the 100 degree weather involved.
I can't believe the amount of rust that was in the ball joint cavitity. My 96 imp was way easier.
Since I destroyed the threads for the ball joint hold down I'm going to use a nut and bolt. The moog kit I bought came with a grade 10.9 bolt and my local ace hardware rocks when it comes to metric stuff.
So longer bolt and tons of antiseize on everything and I should be good.
I just hope I don't break a strut bolt. I managed to break a rear strut bolt last year and this time the fronts were torqued down way too tight.
The idiot that torqued then down (me) needs to remember what drawer his torque wrench is in now and then.

Thanks to everyone for your well wishes. I'm going to visit grandma before heading up to nh tomorrow (unless the day has more fail in store).

 

[JBX]

I'm very sorry to hear about your grandma. Take time to tell her how much you care for her.

FYI Kano Aero Kroil is an excellent penetrating oil; it's better than anything else I've used in industrial applications over the years.

KanoLabs.com