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Author Topic:   Failed Ball Joint !! Major BS !
prowling alaska
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From:alaska
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted 07-11-2005 11:43 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for prowling alaska     send a private message to prowling alaska   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by prowling alaska
Last night while driving w/ my son (who is visiting ). Coming to a intersection while braking the left lower joint failed .Several parts were mangled . Then I made it worse moving the cat . This after almost a year of work on the car . At least no one was hurt . Can't even look at it this am .Any suggestions as to who I should contact .Right now I'm pretty sore about this .
I know there is a recall and I hope everyone gets it done.
The local dealers do not have anyone capable of working on it .
All for now
Bruce , ALASKA
dpena




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posted 07-11-2005 12:02 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dpena     send a private message to dpena   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by dpena
Prowlin Alaska,

I have alot of info on my site regarding this ball joint. When I had mine done I decided to keep a journal.

You can find alot of pictures on my site "Select Link Below" http://www.prowlerexcitement.com/CurtisProwlerTech/IntroPage.htm


Here is the Service Instruction Manual http://www.prowlerexcitement.com/BallJointRecall/ServiceInstructions/Page001.htm

Ball Joint Recall
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM


Image capture http://www.prowlerexcitement.com/ProwlerBallJoint/ImageVersion.htm


Some Animations I put together


Some Ball Joint Image Renderings I did



Hope this helps..

This message has been edited by dpena on 07-11-2005 at 12:05 PM

obi-wan
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From:Los Altos, CA, USA
Registered: Feb 2003
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posted 07-11-2005 12:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for obi-wan     send a private message to obi-wan   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by obi-wan
Great job Dan. I have personally seen the damage that NOT having the lower ball joints upgraded done can cause. Your graphics really show the story. The new ones are much larger at the base of the taper segment just before the ball segment. This extra metal(mass) keeps the fracture from taking place. I highly recommend to everyone that if you haven't had them done yet, PLEASE get them done NOW. I hope this gets through to everyone, Obi-Wan
dpena




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posted 07-11-2005 12:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dpena     send a private message to dpena   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by dpena
To the extreme left and right are the old ball joints. In the center left is the old ball joint exposed and

center right is the upgraded ball joint. The differences are the thickness of the neck at the ball joint.

dpena




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posted 07-11-2005 12:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dpena     send a private message to dpena   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by dpena
Now here is some valuable information. The ball joint to the left of this image is the original ball joint.

The ball joint to the right is the upgraded ball joint. If you notice the neck is thicker on the one

on the right versus the left. So it appears the fix was to thicken the necks. All this is courtesy of Scott Curtis and

Dick OsGood.


dpena




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posted 07-11-2005 12:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dpena     send a private message to dpena   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by dpena
prowling alaska
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posted 07-11-2005 01:54 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for prowling alaska     send a private message to prowling alaska   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by prowling alaska
Do I have any recourse w/ Chrysler ??
The joint did not Break , the ball came out of the socket .
Thanx , Bruce , ALASKA
RPL




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posted 07-11-2005 02:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for RPL     send a private message to RPL   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by RPL
Was the recall completed on your car? Any dealer can check this with the VIN.
dpena




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posted 07-11-2005 02:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dpena     send a private message to dpena   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by dpena
The ball coming out of the socket!!!

OH MAN! This is a new one...

I hope all the 11 thousand plus prowlers did not read this. I hate for the Prowler Borg to communicate this breakdown now.

LAter...

BeWare





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posted 07-11-2005 04:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for BeWare     send a private message to BeWare   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by BeWare
I hate to bring this up. Wasn't this Prowler previously wrecked? Isn't it possible that this particular and thus far unique ball joint failure was a result of same?
Gene



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posted 07-11-2005 05:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gene     send a private message to Gene   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by Gene
I am sorry you have had a problem with the ball joint.If it was due to a recall not being done ,whoes fault is this since you knew Chrysler gave everone a warning.If it was due to a accident car shouldn't be blamed.And to say Dealer does not have a mechanic that knows how to do a ball joint,how do you know that since a ball joint replacement is something that any decend mechanic can do.Sorry to come down so hard but I hate to hear people blame someone else for there own mistakes.
pumpkin


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posted 07-11-2005 05:53 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for pumpkin     send a private message to pumpkin   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by pumpkin
quote:
Originally posted by BeWare:
I hate to bring this up. Wasn't this Prowler previously wrecked? Isn't it possible that this particular and thus far unique ball joint failure was a result of same?


Yes, you are right about this prowler being wrecked.Maybe it wasn't put back together right.

This message has been edited by pumpkin on 07-11-2005 at 05:57 PM

Marty Usher



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posted 07-11-2005 07:24 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Marty Usher     send a private message to Marty Usher   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by Marty Usher
Bruce - sorry to hear about the accident. I guess ll you can do is have the dealer determine if the reason for the recall is the same thing that broke. I have no idea if there is a time limit on the manufacturers liability if it was the cause but doubt they will do much if the problem was the ball joint "popping out" and the recall was for the balljoint breaking.
prowling alaska
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From:alaska
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posted 07-11-2005 07:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for prowling alaska     send a private message to prowling alaska   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by prowling alaska
I do not mind any comments !! I just want to get @ the truth . I did not know how the part was failing and getting this education is part of the experience . Appreciate the feedback .
Bruce , ALASKA
I guess I'll call the guy in SC tomorrow and order parts.
Will have the trashiest Cat in existence
blackcat


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posted 07-11-2005 09:25 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for blackcat     send a private message to blackcat   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by blackcat
quote:
Originally posted by Gene:
I am sorry you have had a problem with the ball joint.If it was due to a recall not being done ,whoes fault is this since you knew Chrysler gave everone a warning.If it was due to a accident car shouldn't be blamed.And to say Dealer does not have a mechanic that knows how to do a ball joint,how do you know that since a ball joint replacement is something that any decend mechanic can do.Sorry to come down so hard but I hate to hear people blame someone else for there own mistakes.

Gene I've got to disagree with part of your statement. Go back through some of the threads and you will find that some severe damage was done to our cats during this recall process. I'm fortunate in that I have one of the best Prowler tech's in the country and he spent over 6 hours on this recall. I don't think that just any decent mechanic can pull this off. IMHO!

Blackcat

quincy



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posted 07-11-2005 09:53 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for quincy     send a private message to quincy   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by quincy
Dpena,
Is there a visual way to determine if the ball joint recall was really performed. According to records on mine, it was performed in another state, but now I have my doubts. Nice presentation of the 'bad' and 'good' parts!
ed monahan





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posted 07-11-2005 11:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ed monahan     send a private message to ed monahan   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by ed monahan
You should be able to see the reflection in the chrome on the back of your wheels. If you can see shiny brass/copper, it was probably done. That would be UNDER the ball joint, the new seal should still be shiny.
Dan P, EXCELLENT work.
dpena




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posted 07-12-2005 12:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for dpena     send a private message to dpena   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by dpena
quincy,

No I do not know of a solid it way to determine if it has changed or not. You can try checking the rubber boot color.

Here is what a new ball joint boot looked like..

Here is what the old might look like..


RPL




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posted 07-12-2005 08:30 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for RPL     send a private message to RPL   Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote   Search for more posts by RPL
The quickest way to determine if the recall was done was to have your local dealer run your VIN through their computer. This will show if the recall was completed or not. Because of the safety nature of the recall, no one would be stupid enough to complete the paperwork without changing the parts.

The failure mode that you describe is consistent with the reason for the recall in the first place. I'm sorry that you experienced the failure but what's important now is to get your vehicle back on the road. The first step is to understand where you're beginning.

Any qualified mechanic can complete the ball joint replacement. It does require some Prowler specific special tools. Your local dealer should have those tools if he ever sold a Prowler.

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