- Today I was informed that I need to spend the present-day cost of an AR-15 to replace the ball joints and control arms on my truck. I’m investigating how much of that is parts and how much is labor and how hard it is to do it myself.
- It doesn’t look that bad. I will need a couple of tools and a floor jack, and it looks like a good opportunity to replace the shocks at the same time.
- I know, famous last words.
- It is amazing how big a difference in handling there was after putting new tires on the truck.
- I went into the hardware store to pick up some basic things, but came out after buying $300 worth of stuff.
- I need to go to the hardware store alone.
- Going to the big warehouse store on a Saturday afternoon does a lot to destroy my faith in humanity.
- Quote from one of the people who entered the store at the same time as we did: “OK, kids! Let’s go start hitting all of the free samples for lunch!”
- If I can smell your perfume from an aisle over, maybe you used a tad too much.
- I don’t care how old you are, it never hurts to have good manners.
- Knocking fenders with Irish Woman’s cart because you want to get past her without saying “Excuse me, please.” is the opposite of good manners.
- Yes, I stared a hole in your forehead over it. No, I’m not afraid of your death stare.
- Your powers are weak, old man. When last we met, I was but the learner. Now I am the master.
- I won the “Who can guess closest to our total at the checkout lane?” game today by being within $2. Oddly, I felt a great sense of accomplishment in doing that and getting out of the store without having to liquidate assets.
- The womanization of Girlie Bear continues. I was stared down by Irish Woman after telling Girlie Bear that she was dressed too nicely to go to the movies with her girlfriends.
- Apparently I’m supposed to just sit back and watch. I’m going to counter that argument by looking into cloistered convent schools for the lass.
- Apparently we’re going to be planting more grape vines and putting in cranberry bushes this year in addition to the new raised beds and hanging planters I’ll be building.
- A few more plantings and I might have to get crop insurance.
-
Join the NRA
Thoughts on the Day
Posted by daddybear71 on March 2, 2013
https://daddybearsden.com/2013/03/02/thoughts-on-the-day-101/
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6 Comments
DaddyBear
DaddyBear’s Den 
Drang
/ March 3, 2013Mmmm, cranberries…
Maybe next time you’re down at Jihadistan you can chat up a Motor Sergeant and get some free help…
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Mad Jack
/ March 3, 2013If it’s only one AR-15, consider yourself blessed and pay it. The amount of work and the frustration factor associated with ball joints is almost without peer. Ball joints are not designed to be replaced; they are designed to go bad right after the warranty runs out or just before you sell the truck.
For girlie bear, fashion and the generalities of raising a female child, I advise you to:
1. Stay out of the women’s tent.
2. Before you make any world shattering pronouncements, have your significant other put her official seal of approval on both the pronouncement and the delivery.
3. When your significant other tells you that you should go and explain to Romeo that it’s time to go home, do so in as gentle and civilized a manner as possible while still getting the point across to the average teenage male. You don’t have to shoot him, but you do have to make him understand that you’re a gun owner and a father taking a concerned interest in the thoughts he has about your little girl.
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Frank
/ March 4, 2013Ball joints aren’t necessarily the worst job in auto work, but they can be close. I replaced mine last spring, and although there were a lot of steps, it’s pretty easy. Depending on what you’re working on, it might be a breeze.
My truck is a 84 F-150 with eleventy billion miles on it, and the joints came right out. Pay attention to what position the shims/adjusters are in so you get them back in place when it goes back together.
Also, buy (Harbor Freight) or rent a ball joint press. You can sell the press for most of the buy price on CL if you decide to be rid of it.
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Six
/ March 4, 2013I did the ball joints and control arms on the Corvette last year. Yeah, they’re a massive pain but well within the skill set of a backyard mechanic. Heck, if I can do it you certainly can.
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Frank
/ March 5, 2013And another piece of advice for you if you decide to do the job:Install the grease fittings into the ball joints BEFORE you install them, and mark the direction the fitting(s) point so you know which way to install the joint. Remove the fitting, install the joint, then install the fitting.
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daddybear71
/ March 5, 2013Thanks! It looks like I have to replace the upper and lower control arms to do this.
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