Re: Expensive lesson: punctured front ball joint

[Avi <Avi@cosmoslink.net>]

At 09:38 PM 9/3/97 -0400, you wrote:
>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
>
>

On some of the 5K you can get just a rubber boot (with a spring clamp),
about $15,
Avi