On 11 Apr 2004 14:45:06 -0700, adrew@frontiernet.net (Adam Drew) wrote:

>George Macdonald <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> wrote in message news:<qv1i70dh0hd1133ruqpbgk3utbtmf1usi8@4ax.com>. ..
>> On 10 Apr 2004 16:31:17 -0700, adrew@frontiernet.net (Adam Drew) wrote:
>>
>> >Hey, y'all.
>> >
>> >I was at the dealer this morning getting an oil change/tire rotation
>> >when they called me and said that both of my lower ball joints were
>> >blown, there was grease all over the inside of both front rims, and
>> >that I should come in Monday to get it fixed.
>> >
>> >It only has about 9000 miles on it. I drive pretty gently and don't
>> >drag race or go mud boggin' or anyhting like that. Most of the miles
>> >are interstate.
>> >
>> >Any ideas what could've caused BOTH of 'em to go? I've never had ANY
>> >suspension problems on my old cars, and neither has anyone in my
>> >family.
>>
>> Is this a U.S. Civic Si - made in Swindon England? Gawd, I hope it's not a
>> sign of English car disease. I thought Honda was on top of the U.K. OE
>> suppliers but maybe not - this was typical of quality issues back in the
>> bad old days, when Rubery Owen supplied the U.K car industry with atrocious
>> junk. What does "blown" mean?... rubber boot tore open or came off?
>>
>> AFAICT from the parts list here http://tinyurl.com/36ggw the ball joint is
>> not a separate part from the knuckle assembly so you want to be sure what
>> "fixed" means. If the boots are busted there's dirt & water in the ball
>> joint so you don't want just a new boot fitted.
>
>Thanks for writing back. Yeah, it's a UK-built, US-market Si
>hatchback. Apart from this issue, I have no complaints about it at
>all--seems very well built.
>
>I believe the tech's actual words were that they had both "collapsed."
> I'm really pretty ignorant regarding suspension components, never
>having had to work on them before. I took the wheel off when I got
>home and didn't really see anything that looked out of the
>ordinary....just a lot of grease everywhere--especially all over the
>rims and brake caliper.

Hmmm, I didn't think there'd be that much grease in a ball joint. Are you
sure it isn't the C/V joint boots that are torn?

>Would you mind checking out a few pictures if I post them online?

Sure - post the URL.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??