JRMclemore
Member
- Joined
- September 3, 2019
- Messages
- 21
- Reaction score
- 8
- City, State
- El dorado
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2007 Mercury Mountaineer
Ever feel like you are being punished or curse with frustration, failure and financial stress every time you start a DIY project.
If I were borderlines superstitious, I would be full-on-superstitious right now.
I started my first post with the idea of turning my mountaineer into a custom sports car. Both time and money were a expected to restore the suspension and make a few modifications. Likewise , the transformation from SUV to car would not be cheap. But since I started this , it seems like problems are popping up and eating money before I can even get the project started.
The transmission has started to engage hard into reverse, Down shift prematurely when stopping and now a slight jarring when shifting. Since I will be swapping from automatic to manual, I just have to do is keep it going til the project starts.
Noticed tire wear on the front driver's wheel, clunking and creaking sounds and will not drive a straight line. Yeah, ball joint. No problem. Just get disconnect the tie rod and spindle, press out the ball joint, press in the new one, reassemble spindle and tie rod, check the alignment and enjoy your work.....
I had to replace the ball joint and the $30 ball joint from O'Riley's would have gotten me to project day with the least cost. So far this has been a frustrating string of struggles. Seriously , everything came loose without much effort until I came to the lower Ball joint. Okay, this was expected. Everything I have read to prepare myself warned of the effort the lower Ball joint would likely require.
Long story short,
Every step after that has been frustrating and time consuming.
Multiple trips back to the auto parts store to barrow tools. Starting with the pickle fork. After reading several posts from others who had removed it without a pickle fork, I quickly found out that I would not be one of them.
Next the ball joint press. Ball joint came out without much of a fight. However, putting it back in was challenge by the lack of clearance to get the c-lamp 2 inserts and 2 sleeves lined up to press it back in. So I went back to O'RILEY'S to get another (mid sized) sleeve. I really thought it's shorter length would gain me enough clearance to setup and press. uh, no such luck. I literally has to improvise with some metal pieces from my garage that were never intended or design for what I was doing with them. However, I was able to move the ball joint just enough to get the upper set of sleeve and insert pieces started. From there I have to hammer the prices until the were center and could receive the pressing screw/bolt. Finally got the ball joint seated, nut tightened , cotter pin attached and grease fitting inserted.
From that minute forward it has been a fight every inch of the way.
I am finally down to an upper ball joint and a tie rod end that spins freely while tightening. Although I know how to get the tightened , I am tired, sore and exhausted. It will wait til Tomorrow.
Should be done just in time to leave for work.......
If I were borderlines superstitious, I would be full-on-superstitious right now.
I started my first post with the idea of turning my mountaineer into a custom sports car. Both time and money were a expected to restore the suspension and make a few modifications. Likewise , the transformation from SUV to car would not be cheap. But since I started this , it seems like problems are popping up and eating money before I can even get the project started.
The transmission has started to engage hard into reverse, Down shift prematurely when stopping and now a slight jarring when shifting. Since I will be swapping from automatic to manual, I just have to do is keep it going til the project starts.
Noticed tire wear on the front driver's wheel, clunking and creaking sounds and will not drive a straight line. Yeah, ball joint. No problem. Just get disconnect the tie rod and spindle, press out the ball joint, press in the new one, reassemble spindle and tie rod, check the alignment and enjoy your work.....
I had to replace the ball joint and the $30 ball joint from O'Riley's would have gotten me to project day with the least cost. So far this has been a frustrating string of struggles. Seriously , everything came loose without much effort until I came to the lower Ball joint. Okay, this was expected. Everything I have read to prepare myself warned of the effort the lower Ball joint would likely require.
Long story short,
Every step after that has been frustrating and time consuming.
Multiple trips back to the auto parts store to barrow tools. Starting with the pickle fork. After reading several posts from others who had removed it without a pickle fork, I quickly found out that I would not be one of them.
Next the ball joint press. Ball joint came out without much of a fight. However, putting it back in was challenge by the lack of clearance to get the c-lamp 2 inserts and 2 sleeves lined up to press it back in. So I went back to O'RILEY'S to get another (mid sized) sleeve. I really thought it's shorter length would gain me enough clearance to setup and press. uh, no such luck. I literally has to improvise with some metal pieces from my garage that were never intended or design for what I was doing with them. However, I was able to move the ball joint just enough to get the upper set of sleeve and insert pieces started. From there I have to hammer the prices until the were center and could receive the pressing screw/bolt. Finally got the ball joint seated, nut tightened , cotter pin attached and grease fitting inserted.
From that minute forward it has been a fight every inch of the way.
I am finally down to an upper ball joint and a tie rod end that spins freely while tightening. Although I know how to get the tightened , I am tired, sore and exhausted. It will wait til Tomorrow.
Should be done just in time to leave for work.......