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I got the car out of the shop yesterday and put about 50 miles on it. The car drives so much better, like new! I am now glad I had the work done now even at the high costs. Money well spent. And as George said, should be good for several more years if not the rest of my time driving the bird.
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All my boots were rotted at 25,000 miles. Kept all the joints greased, like the old days, and everything looks find.Comment
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Don't feel bad, all my suspension rubbers were rotted at 12,000 miles on one Bird, and 13,000 miles on the other.
Both cars suspension most likely had been rotted for a while.
Both cars stay in a climate controlled garage, figured they would have lasted longer this way, but no.
Just like your car, both drove like new, makes you feel like money well spent.
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Sad thing is I can remember when, if U hunted around U could find things like Just replacement boots for tie rod ends and ball joint boots only. While they do sell boots for CV joints, I haven't seen any of the others for at least 20-25 years.
Many of my boots are cracked etc, but I'm going to just ignore them. I drive maybe 2500 or 3000 miles a year and not in the winter. When they don't work right any more I'll take care of them.Comment
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I really wish I was wired like you, Al...my personality is such that if I see something cracked or broken (anywhere: house, car, etc.), I HAVE to get it fixed...a little OCD I suspect. I've only put a little under 4000 miles on the current IG since I bought her last January, but there are things on her I want fixed - they're not broken, but they are not "right" either.Originally posted by Elky64 View PostComment
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That's fine. I have a good friend who has to have everything perfect. He's a bachelor and when I go over for a coffee its like the cleaning lady just left. He just bought (for nostalgia sake, I guess) a new Honda Cub. This little step thru is a deluxe and I mean DEEluxe, version of the old" you meet the nicest people" bike from the '60's. Fuel Inj, digital dash, ABS, cat- converter, led H/l, on and on. so much stuff that I'm sure there is a low ball Indian version w/o all the stuff would sell for $1500 less... Any way he found out it didn't have an o-ring type drive chain. Couldn't stand his new baby didn't have the most up to date kit, so ordered an o-ring chain from the dealer, even tho he has only 400 miles on this bike. It was a mechanical obsession for him. I still have coffee with him. Its just how he's wired.Comment
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I must admit I am in the club with AZTB. If I see something that I deem "needs fixing" I will not rest until I address the issue. Especially with the bird. All my repairs have been done as preventative maintenance before failure. I struggled with the suspension work for over a year while deciding to drive it as is until there was a mechanical problem. Never had the problem, but very glad I went ahead with the repairs. Peace of mind and a great driving car!!Comment
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Very wise Elky. I have a number of friends with Ford dealerships and we have often discussed the wimpy rubber boots on the various suspension points. The answer I get is always the same they are dust boots. The rubber boots around CV joints contain grease, and if they break the grease washes away and the joint fails, those boots do something! These boots people keep mentioning do not hold any lubricant that is needed to extend the life of one of these joints. At 9000 miles when I bought my 2005 the boots were already cracked. At 104,000 miles when I sold the car the suspension parts worked just like they did when I got the car 11 years earlier. I never noticed one change in the way the car cornered or handled in any way.Originally posted by Elky64 View PostsigpicComment
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Do any of you that have replaced the suspension parts still have the old ones? I found a company that can provide a higher quality dust cover (boots) for our birds if given the right measurements taken from the old parts. If I could get those measurements and buy new boots from them I will gladly share the information here on the nest after I prove weather they indeed work or not.Comment
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Sorry Jim, I did not ask the shop to keep the old parts for me.Comment
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So I did a little digging and it turns out various rubber boots and bushings are still out there. As close as RockAuto. Go to their site and click on Tools and Universal Parts on the opening page. Click and go down the list and click on Steering. on the next drop down click on Tie rod ends and that will open upon assortment of replacement boots.
A bit tedious, but you would have to crawl under your bird and take measurements on the diameter of the "end" that you'll need. That may entail breaking it free, temporarily. Anyway it looks like various sizes are avail. I noticed 1 of the Mfg. is Dorman. This is good news because that is a large aftermarket supplier that many, many local parts stores carry. At one time all any one who knew this would have to do is walk in and ask to look at the Dorman catalog with the counterman. you'd see every thing for example on rubber boots in a few pages. Today, however more than a few parts stores have thrown away the books. And depending on the line some computer look ups are easier to do than others. this is where a really experienced parts guy is useful.
I know this is not for everyone....I can't crawl under so easily anymore myself. But consider it FYI.
BTW, further down in Suspension they list 1 size of Ball Joint boot. No Idea if its even close.....but shows the stuff might be out there somewhere.
AlComment
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