bunnymofo

i was taking out my steering rack today and noticed that the ball joints were gone. but i changed the wishbones a year ago not long before mot (due saturday) how come then have gone fucked already ? only done 7 or 8k miles since. and what could cause a steering rack to be fucked at just 71k miles ? its leaking and theres 1 1/2" of play in and out, and about 1/2" of play side to side where the trackrods go into the rack ? :w all::wal l: : angry: : angry:
: angry:
: angry:
: angry:
:wal l:

kosman

you ever thought its just englands wanky wanky roads?

Mk4 Lew

iTrader: (1)

yeah could just be the shite roads

LHD220Turbo

iTrader: (4)

what car & how old?

bunnymofo

yeah, i thought of the roads, but we had the van for a few years and it was fine. now its fucked new ones in a year. its a 01 escort van

phil_focus

did you buy cheap arms?

if so then thats why

bunnymofo

20odd quid each from dingbro, how much are they from ford ?

phil_focus

there we go.

always best to buy genuine lower arms. don't know how much they will be but more than Ł20 unless you like replacing them on a regular basis.

bunnymofo

fuck sake, wish i had known that when i got em. il see how much they are from ford. altho im just going to take a pair from scrap escort that iv got the rack from to get thru the MOT.

bunnymofo

would driving style affect it much ?

kosman

if you plough through every hole and bump and speedbump and shitty farm tracks then yeah id say so me man.

bunnymofo

i try not ti hit holes at speed. and dont very often go up farm tracks. weev got the disco for that. but its gets driven rather 'enthusiastically' for being a van :P

phil_focus

as with any car using any components, be them oem or aftermarket, the harder its driven and the the worse the roads are the quicker things wear out. if you then throw cheap inferior parts on then they will wear out a hell of a lot faster.

i'f you've got some good salvaged originals then just stick them on.

bunnymofo

ah, right last time i get stuff like that from dinngers then.
yeah, at college theres an escort thats getting scrapped, so il get em from there. already got the steering rack, bonnet, bumer, lights, doors, struts, hubs.................................

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

Do you have big wheels on it? They will accelerate wear on suspension components. As said though, cheap arms are cheap for a reason. Genuine Ford ones will last you a bit longer, but the mk6 escort commonly eats front arms so I doubt that helps much!

bunnymofo

i currently have 14" alloys. with 185/60/14 on em. but tomorrow im fitting 195/60/14
but it depends what tyres i can get cheap as to whats on it. had 165 standard ones, then couldnt get em, so went 175. just depends,i put on the 185/60/14's almost new 2 months ago, and one is down to the wear markers and one id 2.5mm already

phil_focus

i take it there is uneven wear?

this points to mistake number 2 i'm afraid...


after replacing the lower arms you NEED to ge the tracking checked and adjusted otherwise you will eat through your tyres as you have found.

bunnymofo

i think the uneven wear is becuase the brakes are dragging a bit on one side, and my clutch isnt too good, do i dont come off it slowly. and in teh wet one wheels spin, the left one. but they are evenly worn on both sides. just the middle is a but less worn as they were nto quite inflated enough. yes, i did the tracking once they were fitted. but still in 2-3k miles its eaten a pair of tyres.

phil_focus

hmm, very odd to eat a pair of tyres that fast even if a little under inflated!

unless they are toyo t1r's and you drive like a mad man

bunnymofo

these ones were enduro runway something. but yes, I may slightly possibly a little bit drive like a mad man haha. try and get the most out of the 1.8 asthmatic haha

kosman

ive solved your problem me man,put the right good parts on and stop driving it like a loon

bunnymofo

well....................... i have put on anther wishbone today, and got the 'new' steering rack in and subframe back on. just to put on track rods, drop lincs and weld exhaust and i can get it back
i only sometimes driver like a loon :P and anyway, wheres the fun in that ?