wheel fell off

[Dean Bredenbeck]

Did the control arm separate from the bearing housing? Happened to me in 
the middle of nowhere Northern Canada. Previous owner had bodywork done 
and the body shop put in the wrong control arm (maybe from a 5000 or 
regular 200) with slightly narrower ball joint shaft. Pinch bolt 
appeared to snug up correctly but doesn't really hold the narrower 
shaft. I think the correct control arm has a small groove at the top of 
the ball joint shaft to indicate the larger size.

Another failure mode is to install a fully threaded pinch bolt in the 
bearing housing instead of a shouldered bolt. Less material in threads 
than shoulder. Ball joint shaft moves a little, eventually wears down 
pinch bolt threads and then passes the now de-threaded section of the 
pinch bolt on its way out...

Looking forward to a cozy z-e-r-o degrees tonight in Cleveland......Dean

Bryan Foster wrote:

>Well not exactly but close.  Driving home from work. Almost home and the
>driver's front tire locks up and is making the sweet noise of rubbing
>against the wheel well. Get out and look - the wheel is shifted rearward
>in the wheel well.
>
>Procedure: 1)kick car and curse 2)walk home in 16degrees F
>
>Diagnosis: I am thinking the stabilizer bar fell.  The wheel still turned
>left and right and the axel didnt pull out because I could still drive it.
>Only warning signs were yesterday.  The car would make a single loud
>clunking noise when turning sharp left.  Too cold to check it out.
>
>Ever heard of this happening?
>
>Bryan
>_______________________________________________
>200q20v mailing list
>200q20v at audifans.com
>http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/200q20v
>
>  
>

-- 

-------------    Dean Bredenbeck    216-251-6835    ---------------