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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Trucks / May 2006How can we get a recall going
Iam a owner of a1997 F-150 extended cab. I have been informed I need upper- lower ball joints, inner-outer tie-rod ends a iddler arm and pitman arm. I have been told by serveral auto shops that this is a common problem with Ford trucks and SUVs from 1997 till present. A recent one was a 2005 F150 needing this work. I have been to several shops that say they do not understand why there has not been a recall for this since its a common problem. I have always had Fords but I can not afford them at this price. Does anyone know how to go about getting a recall started? Iam a single parent with 2 children and this is way out of my expense range and I am sure I am not alone. Those parts don't go bad all at the same time. Usually one at the time, then the next part down the line and so on. Most folks don't have the alignment checked often enough on their vehicles often enough to catch things before it gets pricey, and pricey it is. But, if you can do the work yourself, the parts you mentioned can be had for about $475.00 all with lifetime warranties. If you're mechanically inclined, supply your own labor, then have a good alignment shop do the alignment for you. Spdloader > Iam a owner of a1997 F-150 extended cab. I have been informed I need > upper- [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > children > and this is way out of my expense range and I am sure I am not alone. Forgot to address the recall issue. It would surprise me if any manufacturer ever issued a recall on wearable suspension items. GM never did it either, and they had one of the worst front-end ever on their S10/S15 line, and the AstroVans too. They literally destroyed suspension parts. Spdloader > Those parts don't go bad all at the same time. Usually one at the time, > then the next part down the line and so on. Most folks don't have the [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] >> children >> and this is way out of my expense range and I am sure I am not alone. As a PA Safety Inspection Mechanic, I can second that. An idler brand new has almost no play, but 200 miles of driving and they wobble around like nothing. On the other side of that, they are allowed an 1/8 inch play on the lower ball joints. (the chevy/gm S series) Also, those lifetime parts.. I would recommend MOOG brand. No arguments on returns. >Forgot to address the recall issue. >It would surprise me if any manufacturer ever issued a recall on wearable [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] >>> children >>> and this is way out of my expense range and I am sure I am not alone. Agreed on the MOOG stuff. Spdloader > As a PA Safety Inspection Mechanic, I can second that. An idler brand > new has almost no play, but 200 miles of driving and they wobble [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] >>>> children >>>> and this is way out of my expense range and I am sure I am not alone. >As a PA Safety Inspection Mechanic, I can second that. An idler brand >new has almost no play, but 200 miles of driving and they wobble [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >>>> children >>>> and this is way out of my expense range and I am sure I am not alone. Makes me glad I have never owned a chevy. Thinking of going Toyota ----- Original Message ----- From: "ford or not to ford" <u21660@uwe> Newsgroups: alt.trucks.ford Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 10:10 PM Subject: Re: How can we get a recall going > >As a PA Safety Inspection Mechanic, I can second that. An idler brand > >new has almost no play, but 200 miles of driving and they wobble [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >>>> and this is way out of my expense range and I am sure I am not alone. > Makes me glad I have never owned a chevy. Thinking of going Toyota Not so fast my friend - Toyota trucks have a history of ball joint failures also. NHTSA finally forced them to recall theirs (see http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0505/23/C01-186791.htm ). I also wonder about some shop's methods for checking ball joints. Different manufacturers have different procedures. I've seen cases where perfectly good ball joints were replaced because the shop didn't understand the proper methods for checking them. References: http://autos.yahoo.com/maintain/repairqa/steering_suspension/ques109_4.html http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PDFs/Moog_Ball_joint_spec_chart.pdf http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PDFs/ Ed > I also wonder about some shop's methods for checking ball joints. > Different > manufacturers have different procedures. I've seen cases where perfectly > good ball joints were replaced because the shop didn't understand the > proper > methods for checking them. Good point. The thing to remember, is not so much the manufacturer brand, but the "type" of ball joint. If it's a loaded ball joint, you check it loaded. If it's an unloaded ball joint, you check it unloaded. Then you check for the vehicle manufacturers tolerances if available. Some are quite liberal. Most better alignment machines have tolerances listed in their vehicle info. Hunter P211, FMC, and up. Spdloader > Forgot to address the recall issue. > It would surprise me if any manufacturer ever issued a recall on wearable [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Spdloader You know I hear that all the time about S-10s and have never personally experienced it. And I have owned three of them all gone to the 300,000 mile mark. The current one did get upper ball joints at 160,000 miles Nor do I remember changing that many front end parts on them when I made a living as a mechanic. A little grease gun action on the ball joints, tie rod ends and idler arm goes a long way to preventing the issue. Will agree the stock idler arms (there are two) on the Astro/Safari vans wore out too fast, but a replacement with moog parts solved the problem. Now then Fords wonderful rubber encapsulated tie rod ends are another story, other than that the rest of the front end was pretty good. on the newer ones. The older twin "I-Beam" set up like to eat strut rod bushings on the right side, too close to the cat on that side. She is also ranting about a 10 year old vehicle. Whitelightning >> Forgot to address the recall issue. >> It would surprise me if any manufacturer ever issued a recall on wearable [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > >Whitelightning I have also had Fords go over 200,000 mile and would never drive anything else. But the reports I have had were on 1997 and newer. Like everything else they just dont make them like they used to. lol Back in the day 10 years were nothing and cars cost less than $10,000. And this lady did her own work on them before the dealers made it almost impossible. I guess Iam telling my age alittle. > I have also had Fords go over 200,000 mile and would never drive anything > else. But the reports I have had were on 1997 and newer. Like everything else > they just dont make them like they used to. lol Back in the day 10 years were > nothing and cars cost less than $10,000. And this lady did her own work on > them before the dealers made it almost impossible. I guess Iam telling my age > alittle. Back in the day no one kept a car past 30,000 miles, which really dates me. I find its all matter of maintenance, mostly the preventative type that determines how long a vehicle lasts. One of my fondest vehicles was one I didn't care about. I did everything it was supposed to get, but just didn't care about the car, and really beat on it. When it went, driven no less, to the wrecking yard with over 300,000 on the odometer, dang 71 Ford Pinto wagon just wouldn't quite running. Alas it had terminal cancer every where.in the main body. The roof was gone (I hate roof racks) and the floor was giving out on it. Whitelightning >> I have also had Fords go over 200,000 mile and would never drive anything >> else. But the reports I have had were on 1997 and newer. Like everything else [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > >Whitelightning LOL. I am a firm believer in regular maintenance. One of my old Ford Pick ups would never stop running but there was no were to put your feet and you could see the frame through the bed but that was back home in Indiana were mr. salt didnt help >> I have also had Fords go over 200,000 mile and would never drive anything >> else. But the reports I have had were on 1997 and newer. Like everything [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Whitelightning Hey, I had one of those. Same story. Would not quite running. Finally came to an end when we were attacked by a large doe. She was doing about 20 mph and impacted the wagon right over the right rear wheel well. Honest! Would have cost much more to replace the glass and do the body work than the old girl was worth. Did yours have the simulated wood panel on the side? Cool right? Dave D >>> I have also had Fords go over 200,000 mile and would never drive anything >>> else. But the reports I have had were on 1997 and newer. Like everything [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >Dave D No Mine went from blue to speckled rust.lol But had a Ford Wagon that did. > You know I hear that all the time about S-10s and have never personally > experienced it. And I have owned three of them all gone to the 300,000 [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > as > a mechanic. There are exceptions just like my Bronco >A little grease gun action on the ball joints, tie rod ends > and idler arm goes a long way to preventing the issue. Preventive maintenance. Amen to that. >The older twin "I-Beam" set up like to eat strut rod bushings on the > right side, too close to the cat on that side. If you are talking about the rear bushings on the radius arms, I completely agree. Spdloader > You know I hear that all the time about S-10s and have never personally > experienced it. The 1990's S-10's were well known for front end suspension problems. However, thats only with the 4x4 models from what I've heard. > Forgot to address the recall issue. > It would surprise me if any manufacturer ever issued a recall on wearable > suspension items. > GM never did it either, and they had one of the worst front-end ever on > their S10/S15 line, and the AstroVans too. They literally destroyed > suspension parts. Dodge did but only after pressure from the NHTSA regarding pre-2003 Durango's. They issued a recall to replace the ball joints. Independent shops will routinely tell a non-car type person they need work that really isn't needed. Most notable is the decades old trick with the pitman arm. They lift the vehicle up and then call the owner over. They then grab the pitman arm and show considerable play in it. Ya, there will be on most vehicles when there is no weight on the suspension. I had 4 out of round Firestone tires on my Pontiac Firebird. The dealer measured the out of roundness but stated the warranty is with Firestone and not the dealer. Firestone promptly put my Firebird on the lift and tried to explain my problems were with the pitman arm and how much play it had. One of the oldest tricks in the book. I never did get any resolve out of Firestone. Ended up tossing tires that only had 4,000 miles on them. Bought new tires and problem was solved (not Firestone!). >> Forgot to address the recall issue. >> It would surprise me if any manufacturer ever issued a recall on wearable [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >resolve out of Firestone. Ended up tossing tires that only had 4,000 >miles on them. Bought new tires and problem was solved (not Firestone!). Oh this is really bad you can hear my truck coming for miles and I checked it out myself. My girls have a 2 mile warning before I get home. lol > Forgot to address the recall issue. > It would surprise me if any manufacturer ever issued a recall on wearable > suspension items. Especially after 9 years. I think it's waaaaaaaaaay too late for the O.P. >Those parts don't go bad all at the same time. Usually one at the time, then >the next part down the line and so on. Most folks don't have the alignment [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >> children >> and this is way out of my expense range and I am sure I am not alone. >>Spdloader >>Boy, I wish I could do the labor, my parts alone here is Arkansas is $700 >>. I have owned Fords all my life. Not sure what I will drive for the rest >>of mine. Thank you for your reply and advice. >>> Iam a owner of a1997 F-150 extended cab. I have been informed I need >>> upper- Just for some contrast, I have a 1992 Bronco with an all original front end. It has over 260,000 miles on it. Toyotas are fine, I worked for 'em in the mid '80's while in school, but they ALL have their problems. Whatever you do, good luck with it. Spdloader >>>Spdloader >>>Boy, I wish I could do the labor, my parts alone here is Arkansas is $700 [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >Spdloader Thanks Alot I need it I would like to know what the mileage is on your truck. I have a 1999 Extended cab F-150 and have just replaced the upper and lower control arms on both sides. I have also replaced the tie rod ends on both sides. My truck has 135,000 miles on it, and I just consider this to be normal maintenance. I wouldn't own any other truck. My last Ford F-150 was a 1995, which had 475,000 miles on it when I sold it. It still ran great.......... Ron........... > Iam a owner of a1997 F-150 extended cab. I have been informed I need upper- > lower ball joints, inner-outer tie-rod ends a iddler arm and pitman arm. I [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > how to go about getting a recall started? Iam a single parent with 2 children > and this is way out of my expense range and I am sure I am not alone. >I would like to know what the mileage is on your truck. > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >> how to go about getting a recall started? Iam a single parent with 2 children >> and this is way out of my expense range and I am sure I am not alone. > Iam a owner of a1997 F-150 extended cab. I have been informed I need > upper- [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > children > and this is way out of my expense range and I am sure I am not alone. Son-in-law's 2002 Expedition snapped a tie rod last summer. Fortunately it happened just as he was getting on the entrance ramp for a highway and he was not going fast. Wife and two little kids in the vehicle. Left front tire turned almost 90 degrees as they came to a sudden, unexpected stop sideways. Hauled it to the dealership and the mechanics told them they basically needed a whole new front end .... inner and outer tie rods plus ball joints. All this on a 3 year old vehicle that had 52,000 miles on it. Part of the problem is the industry went to "life time" lubrication and did away with zerk or grease fittings. I guess "life time" means a few years nowadays. RCE >> Iam a owner of a1997 F-150 extended cab. I have been informed I need >> upper- [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > >RCE Or maybe your lifetime with these vechiles. NOT LONG I agree with spdloader,I have worked for ford and the f series truck and expiditions have had some issues with front end parts, but 99% of the time its because of lack of regular wear and tear and people not having the alignment checked at least one time each year, and if i had a dollar for every person that wanted to know why there was no recall I would be rich, and by the way, I have a 98 Exoidition with almost 200k and I have not put one part on the front end, good tires and alignment checks can save alot of money. |
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