Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 14:07:05 -0400
Reply-To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: Ball Joints and Tie-Rod Ends -- Squeaking suspension [was Re:
Nice 84 California Westy for sale in Seattle/Vancouver]
In-Reply-To: <b3a1e7ad04101910169978c43@mail.gmail.com>
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At 13:16 10/19/2004, Craig Oda wrote:
>This van looks to be in great shape. I notice one picture that says
>that the Ball Joints and Tie-rod ends were recently replaced. What do
>these do?
The steering knuckle is suspended between the upper control arm (wishbone)
and lower control arm by means of two ball-shaped sliding joints in rubber
covers. It's attached to the tie-rod from the steering gear by another
smaller variation on the principle. This allows it to be rigidly
constrained in X and Y and angle of inclination (caster and camber), while
being controlled in azimuth by the steering and allowed to move in Z
subject to the balance between the road and the spring and shock. If your
spacial imagination doesn't make sense of that don't worry, there are good
exploded diagrams in the Haynes and Bentley books that will make it clear.
>My van makes a lot of squeaks both from the front and rear at
>low-speed driving. It's fine on the highway. I've been wondering
>what parts I need to replace, grease or clean to get the squeaks out
>of the front and rear suspension. I've been thinking of just heading
>in there with a wrench and start taking apart and reassembling parts
>until I stumble across something.
Bad idea, grasshopper. IMO. This stuff is what's keeping your wheels
rolling and pointing the same way and your van not rolling down the road
spraying bits in all directions and smush-churning everything inside. Pays
to understand it and work by the book -- bolt grade, specified torque,
specified single-use parts etc. You'll need some comparatively large
wrenches (22/24/27mm IIRC, maybe others) and will have to lift the van
comparatively high for some things. Parts have noticeable price tags. Get
a Haynes or Bentley or both. You do *not* have to use a spring compressor
to work with the springs, so one major source of danger is alleviated.
Groaning/squeaking from in front tends to be the rubber/steel bushings at
the inner end of the upper control arm. Doesn't matter but sure sets your
teeth on edge, changes with humidity and splash. May be able to work some
rubber lube in there for limited effect. New bushings are ?$50-75? per
side, two each side. Replacing them isn't horrendous but it's by no means
trivial, not a casual job. If one actually fails and becomes loose you'll
get a marked and dangerous uncertainty in handling, but they can groan for
years with no harm.
david
--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage," '85 GL "Poor Relation"