Oops!

[mvusse]

Went wheeling at a friend's private property near Powhatan Point, OH.

 

The morning started out good. Making a third vehicle fit meant I had to move the truck over closer to the garbage cans. This also means I can only pull out toward the left. Was not awake enough to remember and drove right over top of one of my garbage cans:

 

At the property I came across this waterfall before I broke down:

 

And then the end of my wheeling this weekend:

 

Upper ball joint failed, lower dropped out. In the process I also lost a 3 week old axle shaft and u joint. This was a bit after noon on Saturday.

 

The truck ended up parked there for ~27 hours. Nearest parts store (Advance) was 1 hour from here. Got new ball joints and a press, but they did not have any axle shafts in stock. Upper ball joint did not want to cooperate and I proceeded to break it. Ran out of daylight. Got up Sunday, had breakfast, helped a friend attempting to fix a leaking gas tank, spend another 2 hours (1 hour each way) to get another ball joint, but it turns out I bought the last one the day before. Continue on to Autozone a ways down the road, and get a new ball joint. They also had a CV shaft in stock, so I got it too. About 3:30 I finally had the truck back on 4 wheels and moving.

 

In the process I fixed my recent death wobble, which evidently was caused by a bad ball joint and not the torn axle end bushing on the track bar.

[Automan2164]

Good thing you broke down somewhere high and dry, out of the elements.

 

:rotfl2:

 

Glad to hear you got it rolling on all four again. :cheers:

Rob L.

[1990 Pioneer 4x4]

not good, but at least ya got er fixed

[500 MJ]

The passenger side of your front axle does not like you very much. ;)

[mvusse]

I have a feeling the ball joint got damaged when the wheel came off on the freeway. I've had DW since then, and the steering wheel has been off ~15 degrees. Now the truck is rock solid on the road again, and the steering wheel is lined up straight as well.

 

I did a visual inspection of the joint back then, and in my non-expert opinion, it seemed fine. But what do I know?

[CWLONGSHOT]

Chalk it up to experience... Live and learn as they say...

 

CW

[89eliminator]

Good thing you broke down somewhere high and dry, out of the elements.

 

:rotfl2:

 

Glad to hear you got it rolling on all four again. :cheers:

Rob L.

 

haha, i thought the same thing.

[mvusse]

Between a floor jack to get it up and a winch to make sure it didn't fall over, we got it up high enough to stick one log under the frame and another one under the axle. That at least got it to where I could get the wheel out from under it and work on it.

 

But working in 35 degree water when the air temp is about 50 sucks dead donkeys.

[dakal]

owwwww

[Akula69]

Between a floor jack to get it up and a winch to make sure it didn't fall over, we got it up high enough to stick one log under the frame and another one under the axle. That at least got it to where I could get the wheel out from under it and work on it.

 

But working in 35 degree water when the air temp is about 50 sucks dead donkeys.

 

I hate dead donkeys.... :roll:

 

gj on the repair...

[-600JeepMJ]

Just Expect Every Problem!!

[Darren]

You mean you couldn't drive it out like that?

[one_bad_MJ]

dam... owned ....