Hello everyone, well, I had a bit of an incident friday night. I'm driving down the road about 40-45mph and all of the sudden, the right front of the car just drops and skids. So I jam the clutch in and work the car over to the side of the road and into the dirt and get out and my wheel is against the wheel well(toward passenger door) turned to the right and sitting at about a 60 degree angle toe out. (negative camber) So i pull out the flashlight and look underneath, lower straight control arm is not attached to hub assembly. The nut came off the top of the ball joint for that control arm so the arm dropped. I just figured that was it just the fucked balljoint that came loose. Today, I look at it more and notice the axle doesn't look like its sitting right, just laying there. I look up toward the tranny and the axle also snapped at the inner cv joint. You guys think there could possibly be any damage to the tranny? I know these transmissions are very strong and i doubt it fucked it up, but i just wanted to hear your guys' opinion. Only good news is accepted, just need some comfort, kinda stressed. Just kidding about the only good news part. If you think it messed something else up, feel free to ruin my night. Lol Thanks to you all in advance Cameron
Originally posted by bullettdsm Recommendations are that you get drunk and sit idly by to stare at your car while nothing happens to it. End results seem to be that you will be happy.
#7753, "RE: Tranny still ok you think?" In response to Reply # 0
depends on how much downtime you can afford. I would get a new axle installed and manually rotate it for any unusual signs. Drain the fluid & check for metal shavings or bearing parts. Worst case you put it back together now and drive it around a bit until something breaks.
Honestly you are lucky to be alive. The ball join dropping out of the knuckle could have ended up much worse for you... How did the nut back off? Have you ever removed it or done anything with that control arm?
#7754, "RE: Tranny still ok you think?" In response to Reply # 1
actually i changed the axles the day before but i know i got that nut tight. Would bet my life that it was tight. and it came loose in a day. that control arm and ball joint is only a year and a half old. So i went to carquest and got another one (better than vatozone shit only got autozone shit last time cuz i was short on money. I'm going to locktite the nut this time also and check it after everytime i drive for the next couple weeks. Downtime will probably be only through tomorrow. Would have been only today if i had noticed the axle sooner but i had to work today so i did not get to look at it til 9 or so. but ya I'm lucky i wasnt on the freeway cuz i was heading to the freeway. That could have been bad
Originally posted by bullettdsm Recommendations are that you get drunk and sit idly by to stare at your car while nothing happens to it. End results seem to be that you will be happy.
#7755, "RE: Tranny still ok you think?" In response to Reply # 2
Did you reuse the nut on that ball joint or buy a new one? According to the FSM that is not a re-usable nut. I know many do however, but it has something to do with its locking ability.
#7757, "RE: Tranny still ok you think?" In response to Reply # 4
Well thats good to hear mark. lol. Better to break axles than tranny's. lol. But I did reuse that nut which might have been why it fell off possibly. But i went to carquest and got a new lower control arm and i must say that the overall look of the arm and balljoint assembly look much better made than that damn vatozone shit. Old control arm was only a year and a half old. I do know that ball joint had a recall on it and had it replaced at satan when i got the car about 3.5 years ago. You may remember about a year and a half ago i made a post about my brother hitting a curb in my car while i was out of town and had to replace the new mitsu one since he bent it. So maybe autozone shit isn't up to date with that defect. wouldn't surprise me, their parts don't impress me at all. But anyway its back together, replaced the axle that was only one day old with a new one. Put axle in, turned the wheel and the other wheel went in the opposite direction so that was a sigh of relief. Drives fine like it used to now. Made marks on balljoint nuts and control arms. Will check everyday for the next couple weeks. Locktite those sons of bitches too. lol. All is good for now, crossing my fingers. Sorry to ramble on and on, i'm just happy now! lol Take care everyone and thanks for your input Cameron
Originally posted by bullettdsm Recommendations are that you get drunk and sit idly by to stare at your car while nothing happens to it. End results seem to be that you will be happy.
#7780, "RE: Tranny still ok you think?" In response to Reply # 5
I had a similar problem. I was driving down the road and all of the sudden it felt like my right front dropped and something was rubbing...The lower curved arm dropped.. the nut backed out and I even used a impact to put it on?? Not sure what happened. Glad to hear there was no major damage.
#8369, "RE: Tranny still ok you think?" In response to Reply # 1
Originally posted by CODE4 depends on how much downtime you can afford. I would get a new axle installed and manually rotate it for any unusual signs. Drain the fluid & check for metal shavings or bearing parts. Worst case you put it back together now and drive it around a bit until something breaks. Honestly you are lucky to be alive. The ball join dropping out of the knuckle could have ended up much worse for you... How did the nut back off? Have you ever removed it or done anything with that control arm?
Take care everyone and thanks for your input