Expensive lesson: punctured front ball joint

[Dave Brady <brady@fas.harvard.edu>]

While changing out the front struts and springs on my '92 S4, the pry bar
I was using to release the ball joint pin from the wheel hub slipped,
cutting the grease boot on the driver's side ball joint:

"No problem, I'll just get another ball joint.  $20 - $25."

"Umm, wait a minute.  The ball joint is PART of the control arm!  I
have to replace the WHOLE thing!"  (Insert much swearing here.)

Linda at Carlsen:  "Your price is $215.  Retail $287."

I felt a little better when I found out that Porsche uses the same
arrangement on the 951, and new it's almost $600.

So, if you're going to change the springs on your '92 - '97 100/S4/S6, be
*really* careful around those silly ball joints!

Dave Brady                    FAS Computer Services
Sr UNIX Sys Admin/Programmer  Harvard University
brady@fas.harvard.edu         LL1A Science Center
Phone: (617) 495-1273         1 Oxford Street
FAX:   (617) 495-1210         Cambridge, MA 02138