Does anyone make a front suspension that lasts anymore?

[sled_dog]

Inspected my Dad's 2004 2500HD 6.0L gas jobber the other day. Heres the list of what it needs(passed state inspection though):

-Idler arm and frame pivot(good bit of play, likely should have failed this)
-both lower balljoints(both within Gm spec though, which is 1/8th of an inch, I don't like any movement myself)
-rear has been locking up on his once in a while(it is a 14bolt ff with a limited slip, wtf?)
-Brake booster is leaking (hydroboost), took half a bottle of Power steering fluid to top it off. Again I probably should have technically failed that.

All this at 40k miles, just out of warranty


I work at a Ford dealer. Constantly see Super Duties in need of balljoints and unit bearings.

Dodges, everyone that we have come through the shop(granted usually the older body style ones) needs balljoints and a tracbar(panhard). Had a new one come through, 30k miles, that needed balljoints.

I just don't get it, no one builds anything to last anymore. Hell to replace the lower control arm on a new F150(guy in the bay next to me had to do a 20k mile one the other day), you have to replace the entire lower control arm. Thats is a LARGE hunk of cast aluminum. My mouth waters for when those things are out of warranty(I scrap aluminum).


I stand by the phrase I made up while I was at school to ward off the Diesel boys with their "Real Trucks Don't Have Spark Plugs".

REAL TRUCKS DON'T HAVE BALLJOINTS!!! (sorry to you 10bolt and 44 guys)

 

[CustomChevy]

REAL TRUCKS DON'T HAVE BALLJOINTS!!! (sorry to you 10bolt and 44 guys)

yeah .... and real men dont work for FORD



(sorry you made fun of my 10bolt)

 

[sled_dog]

haha, technically I work AT a Ford Dealer, and work for Mitsubishi... yea like thats better.

 

[miniwally]

I firmly belive that in the last fifteen or so years the auto manufacturers have decided that the useful life span of a vehicle should be 150,000 or less miles.
With this in mind how many things is the average customer willing to put up with. The way I see it for a vehicle to go 150,000 miles on average that is two sets of balljoints, two sets of tierod ends, an alternator, starter several sets of brakes, 1 set of unit bearings etc.

It sounds like a lot but in 150,000 miles it is really not that expensive.

Things just aren't built like they were 20 years ago.

 

[NateInChandler]

Do you want to know why the newer cars and trucks arent as strong and dependable as the old ones.. Its because of the CRAP metal that they are using to put these vehicles together.. I worked for GM For a year and did more freakin repairs due to metal fatigue than i have fingers and toes.... Just plain sucks, think of it this way though. If your a flat rate mechanic and your good at what you do you should be able to beat the system and make more money because of these problems. just my opinion. Nate

 

[blasterD]

I drove a 2005 Furd F350 crew cab that only had 10,000 miles on it. It had death wobble so bad I didn't dare take it over 55mph. The balljoints were completely gone from snowplow use.

 

[Drey]

Ive pretty much come to the conclusion no one makes a good pickup anymore they stopped in the Mid 90s I think...My company has Chevy, Ford and Dodge. Chevys all around 96 still running strong. One EXTREMEMELY beat up Dodge Cummins Early 90s old body style, runs like a champ and never broke down, one 99 or 00 Ram that the front end it JUNKED in. Death wobble, steering is loose, the ujoints in the front end click and bang when driving it. All the Fords 99 Superduty body style, with 5.4s. Most of them make ticking noise underacceleration, many wonder down the road a bit.


All of the dodges and Fords are 3/4 ton and the Chevys are all 3500 Chassis pickups with flatbeds.