Loose Cruise Linkage #2

[Rave Racer 2000]

        I beleive the experience of my past saved me in my case, and many
others.  I looked closely at the ball and the socket that is supposed to
stay on the ball, and both had considerable rust.  Both on the inside of the
socket and on the top of the ball.  The clamp that was supposed to be on the
bottom of the socket and/or the ball, was nowhere to be found.  I can't tell
if this had been messed with or not so can't place blame on shady mechanics
specifically.  The thing is that if I really had the motivation to fix it,
the one on my 89 Jetta GTX is almost identical.  The only thing that I would
need to check is the length of the rod.
                                        RR

From: Chris Dyer <chrisdyer at hotmail.com>
To: <quattro at audifans.com>


> Mine did the same thing. Didn't know it, however, so I forced pedal to
floor
> to pass someone. Mistake. Accel. cable broke, no more go. (trombone music
> here)
>
> >From: "Dave Aukerman" <aukdav at wcoil.com>
> >To: "james accordino" <ssgacc at yahoo.com>
> >
> >It's usually not the ball end that pops off.  The platice grommet gets
> >brittle and breaks, which allow the rod to drop and jam.  BTDT.  Not a
> >healthy feeling at all.  Mine happened while accelerating about half
> >throttle.
> >
> >To: "Al Powell" <powellae at home.com>
> >
> > > >
> > > > Problem:  The bar that connects the vacuum plunger
> > > > of the Cruise
> > > > Control to the trottle body came off of the ball
> > > > joint and jammed itself
> > >
> > > --- Al Powell <powellae at home.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Interesting.  The linkage also fell off the cruise
> > > > in my 200 during a trip
> > > > and caused the throttle to hang open slightly - not
> > > > as drastic as Brett's
> > > > experience.  Perhaps this is something to cast the
> > > > odd look at now and
> > > > then??
> > >
> > > This seems very odd to me.  I'm NOT saying it didn't
> > > happen to you.  What I mean is I think Audi did a real
> > > good job to ensure the ball end won't fall off.  There
> > > is a locking spring wire in each ball end that acts as
> > > a safety wire.  This safety wire is wound so that the
> > > tab that retains it is "loaded" into the ball end.  It
> > > is literally impossible for this thing to fall off.  I
> > > wonder if in your cases they were either buggered
> > > (ripped off without removing the safety wires-common)
> > > or missing completely.  The ball ends will still stay
> > > on and function without them, but obviously then they
> > > are liable to fall off.  Same with a buggered one.  I
> > > once tried to remove a ball end with a known good
> > > safety wire, and it is ALMOST impossible to GET it
> > > off, let alone have it fall off.
> > >
> > > My $.02
> > > Jim Accordino
> > >
> > > p.s.-Many of Audis' "problems" are caused by "repairs"
> > >
> > >      made by others ignorant of their special
> > >      requirements.