Clickity click BANG AAAHHH!!!

[boxdogracing]

I have been steady working on my 83 spider (almost all under the hood). The last week or so I heard a click from the front end when turning slowly like into parking spots. I thought once I get the engine straight, I'll rebuild the front end.. Well yesterday while going around a corner briskly about 45mph BANG!!! The car shot off to the left into the oncoming lane dragging the right front , luckily no one was there. I wrestled it to the right shoulder and got out. I found the right front wheel laid over and jammed in the wheel well. Well a $200 tow and a closer look at the house showed both ball joints, brake line, inner fender, and front tire wasted. Also miner damage to fender and rocker. It could have been way worse, had some one been in the oncoming lane I'd have been lucky to walk away. So parts on order and still counting my lucky stars. The moral of the story: if something doesn't seem right find it and fix it. Failure to do so could be catastrophic.

[So Cal Mark]

those broken ball joints have sent many a Spider to the scrap yard. Glad to hear you didn't hit anyone or anything

[Foster48x]

Your right that could have been a really bad situation if there was oncoming traffic. Good to hear that nothing came of it.

Rick

[Fiat88]

Whoa! Glad no one got hurt. I remember when I first went to get an inspection last year, my mechanic had to replace the ball joints.

What's the deal with ball joints going bad on these, I remember reading an article?

[kmead]

Whoa! Glad no one got hurt. I remember when I first went to get an inspection last year, my mechanic had to replace the ball joints.

What's the deal with ball joints going bad on these, I remember reading an article?

Any car that uses ball joints can have this type of failure as the ball joints wear. Unfortunately there have been several runs of crap ball joints sold to unsuspecting owners where they wear early or are just too weak for the job at hand. The negative about the design of 124 front suspension has the lower ball joint in considerable tension as the spring is pushing down on the lower arm with the ball joint being the connection between the arm and the steering knuckle.

A worn ball joint can give some warning but being proactive in checking them regularly is critical to one's safety and avoiding damage to the car. There is a simple check procedure in the Haynes manual which does require jacking up the car, supporting it and then using a bar to lever the knuckle upward relative to the lower arm.

To the OP, glad you are OK and very sorry for the damage to your vehicle.

[Fiat88]

Thanks for clarification Karl.

[azygoustoyou]

Wow! Sure glad you weren't hurt. It's a shame about the car. That's one lesson no one wants to have. Thanks for sharing. That's a good check to remember.