Mark VIII upper Ball Joint lets loose crossing Rail Road tracks

0

Let the Hate Out

So my Mark VIII upper Ball Joint lets loose crossing Rail Road tracks and it wasn’t like I was jumping over the intersection or anything like that. Just mellow and all of a sudden it starts pulling…

Fail picture
The next morning
Mark VIII spindle
Greasy upper

Get out to see if it was a lower Ball Joint even though it did not feel like it? So after sitting for over 4 hours waiting for AAA to show up, after calling them back to make sure the call was not forgotten by the shift change or something. They finally showed and way after nightfall it finally arrived home.

Not broken
Greasy from servicing

I see the upper Ball Joint has pulled out of the top of the front spindle upright! So have to think to myself how the hell could this happen because it is captured by the bolt that pinches it shut to hold it in. Unlike all the other manufacturers that use a threaded stud and a castellated nut with a cotter pin.

Threads got hurt
Damaged cross bolt
Nope, Fomoco has to do it whatever way they feel is fitting it would seem 🙁

Not damaged
Cleaned top to inspect
Undamaged stud
Stud looks fine

Next day I lifted the car to take the wheel and tire off to get a closer look. I see the cross bolt is still there and the now covered with grease stud is there unbroken. Clean it all up with some brake clean and again nothing looks too out of place except the cross bolts threads intersect with the stud. Then I see the threads have been mashed by the stud pulling out past them.

This is my 4th Mark VIII and all have had uppers done by me except for one. I do remember them having a different cross bolt because this one had a typical bolt head and not a square head like the others had. However, this bold did have the knurling behind the head to stop it from spinning when you draw it in with the nut.

Also, I know the cars entire history from new as I purchased it from the deceased owners’ son who had it stored in a garage with 53k on the clock. He gave me all the service receipts and there was no Upper Ball joints service done. So it would seem there are factor bolts that are just incorrect that are used for some reason?

Installed
So I can check for movement
On ground
Sitting repaired

I will have to make some correct bolts at my machine shop to replace these if I cannot find the right ones someplace else…

Fixed
Pinned Saftey

225 total views, 2 views today

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *