Re: Clunks

[David Weiss <dzweiss@worldnet.att.net>]

Igor Kessel wrote:

>Also, there is a 50% chance that your mechanic will tear at least one 
>ball joint boot, while trying to remove the ball joint from the strut. 

If your mechanic tears the boot, it might be because he didn't take the
time to let the penetrant work.  I had two frozen so bad the 5-ft pipe
bent!  The only boot I tore (out of seven) was when intending to replace
the control arm anyway, and just used a fork to separate the arm from
the bearing housing.  On the subject of the Bentley/factory 5-ft pipe
procedure, I found it easier to pry from the front (per the procedure)
part of the way, and then pry from the back.  Heavy shop towels wrapped
around the bar at the two points of contact go a long way toward
preserving the finish and undercoating.

Now a dumb question-- Bentley says don't spread the wheel bearing
housing, no matter what.  A certain mechanic in the frozen north says
BS, he always does it that way, but only just enough to break the joint
loose.  What's the consequence of coldworking that part of the wheel
bearing housing-- that it could end up like an overstressed battery
terminal?  (Whenever the manual has something in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS, I
always obey.)