OMFG!!!!!! I could've been killed!!!!!!

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

So, me and my buddy Joe are driving around filming the sequel to our racing video (https://www.thegalantcenter.org/viewt...pic.php?t=41904) and take into mind that we were not going fast or doing anything out-of-ordinary. So, I'm following Joe, and he goes around a turn and I do the same. As I'm turning I hear <span style='font-size:25pt;line-height:100%'>~CRACK~</span> and I'm like WTF?!? Then, like a second later, my steering wheel jerks all the way to the left and I feel the car thump down to the ground and the car comes to a screeching halt, dead in the middle of the road. I get out and look, only to see my wheel nearly completely detached from my car!!!!!!

Turns out the lower control arm ball joint gave out and all hell broke loose. Hopefully, that's the only thing wrong because a new control arm and ball joint only set me back $90 and my father claims it's somewhat of an easy fix. We're going to head out there 7am tomorrow morning and fix the car where it sits (it's sitting on the side of the road in front of my school as we speak ). The cop who patrols the parking lot over there says it'll be no problem, but I guarantee when I get there tomorrow I will either find A: A nice ticket on the window B: No car at all (towed) or C: Broken into, or any combo of the three

From the sound of it, does my diagnosis sound accurate? Is it an easy fix and does it sound like that's the only problem?

Poor, poor G

[Kalamidad]

good thing you wheren't going fast....

Sorry to hear about it man.
Good luck in them morning...let us know how it went.

[GOOSEY2099]

Dam bro, yeah good thing you weren't going fast

[DOHCstunr]

did your car get the mitsubishi recal performed?

the lower control arm ball joints fail on the 7g.
happens to a lot of people. happened to seth back in the spring.

call your dealer and have them run the vin to see if its been done.

[ChikagoGTZ]

Did you get it on video???

[seth98esT]

Can almost gaurantee that your CV boot on the axles ripped. Cost me $600 to get it all repaired. New ball joint, axle, 2 new tires(giant flat spots from skidding the fronts) and some other crap. I would have done it myself for half that price but I needed it done asap haha.

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

Well, here's the scoop:

Woke up 7am this morning, got the tools in hand, bundled up as much as possible and headed out there. We got there at about 8am, and luckily the car was still there untouched. We immediately got to work, and man, let me tell you, this was a JOB AND A HALF. We spent six, yes six, I repeat SIX HOURS in the damn snow, sleet, rain, wind and blistering cold trying to simply get the existing control arm off. Finally, we beat the rusted-in-place stubborn bolt and everything else was fairly easy from there on. The axle actually popped out of the transmission too, but that simply popped right back in no problem. Finally, at a little after 3 o' clock, we bolted the wheel back on, started the car, crossed our fingers, put the car in gear and.......



LOCOMOTION BABY WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So now, everything seems to be alright. Let's hope nothing else was damaged and is waiting to show it's wrath.

As for the recall, I'll have to get that checked out. Is it possible that this could've all been done for me at no cost? Also, now that I've done it myself, they wouldn't compensate me for it, would they? It only ended up costing me ~$100, but still, thats a few filled gas tanks, ya know?

And......yes........it's caught on tape. I'll post the video monday.





By the way, just to add a little tidbit of the wonderful society we live in:

My father and I are on the side of the road in a college campus. We have tools everywhere, the G all jacked up, wheel off the car and both of us and shivering under the car trying to fix the problem. NOT ONE FREAKIN' PERSON had the damn decency to stop, roll down the window, and offer a hand. NOT ONE. Two cop cars passed right by us, a security patrol car passed us, and countless passenger cars rolled up, slowed down to take a good look at the mess, and then drove away, without one single person at least asking if everything was alright. I mean man, there's two guys in the side of the road desperately trying to fix their car in the middle of a friggin' blizzard, can't you at least pull over and ask them if they'd care for some hot chocolate or a coffee or something? Anything? Nothing at all! Like, even the cops just rolled right by us! Twice! :x

[/rant]

[bronxbombr]

ya, had that happen to me once too, better believe that the axle is done, or if not you were lucky. Make sure you torque the ball joints the right way or your problem will return very quickly.

[manybrews]

I hate to tell you this, but if one of your lateral arms seperated, that would have all been (probably) covered under warranty. Since you did it yourself, it probably cant be now.
there was a recall on the lateral arms. They should have been replaced years ago.



on a personal note, next time you hear "banging" and "thuds" from the front of your car, go get it checked out. there was no way your front end wasnt making noises like that for at least half a year before finally seperating.

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

Well, I never noticed any serious noises, but my father SWEARS he heard it. I'd be driving him somewhere and he'd be like, "See, hear that?" and I'd be like "Hear what?". See, when I got the car inspected (September) the guy told us the control arm would need replacing soon. I kindasorta ignored it because I heard no noises, but like I said, my father swore he did. Then, one day I had a little mishap in the rain in Jersey, where I was on a sharply-curved onramp, and I slid into the curb, slamming that same wheel hard enough to bend the rim. I had to get a new rim, but when I did, all was well again, or at least it seemed. So, I could imagine that the control arm had the crap beaten out of it and was just a ticking time bomb. Hopefully this newly replaced one will hold up. It seems to be hanging in there just fine as I drove home rom Jersey, and then to and from work today. No odd noises or abnormalities.

Also, that wheel seems to be pulling just fine because I got on some ice with just that wheel, and it went spinning like mad, so I guess it seperating from the tranny didn't cause too much harm.

I've decided I will baby the car from this point on, as in, not race it around or play with it too much, because it's just got a lot of miles on it and I shouldn't be beating it up like I do. I mean, I take good care of it, but I sure as hell put more wear on it than your average driver. It hasn't given me too many major problems and I'm thankful for that, but with 140K miles on it, and counting, things are going to start breaking down sooner or later.


I have begun searching for a suitable 8G :twisted:

I still love my 7G though.

[MBowen574]

how many miles does your car have? also id be interested in finding out if yours had the recall done (just take your VIN to a mitsu dealer and tell them to look it up on the comp... takes 3 minutes). mine had the recall done in '00 i think... im hoping its fixed for good! if not i need to take it a little easier on it.

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

I will find out as soon as I can.

[mrjaydeeone]

wow that was crazy and the weather was all sorts of crap yesterday..what campus is this that you speak of?

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

The Technology Center of New Jersey, better known as the DeVry campus. It's in North Brunswick New Jersey, right off of route 1.

Yeah, the part of NJ that go the 10 inches of snow :x

[mrjaydeeone]

The Technology Center of New Jersey, better known as the DeVry campus. It's in North Brunswick New Jersey, right off of route 1.

Yeah, the part of NJ that go the 10 inches of snow :x

oh i know that area pretty well, I was at a car show on that campus back in April.

[manybrews]

if you wanna post your VIN here (just the last 8 numbers) I can tell you if there is an open recall on your car.

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

There was a car show there in April???? And I missed it!!???

If it was on the weekend, yes, I missed it. If during the week, I should've seen it.

Last 8 numbers of VIN:

VE196510

Thanks for the help.

[mrjaydeeone]

yeah man it was a Sunday. I forgot what it was called, something through the police department

[manybrews]

well, according to my information, the recall WAS done. HOWEVER... there are NOT new arms billed out, which means that at the time it was done they were not worn out. They were then mearly resealed.

You probably have a case against mitsu for this. You outta try calling their 1-800 number and discussing it. Mention the recall was done at dealer 35127 (not sure which one that is.. Probably somewhere in New York) at 84000 miles on 9/8/2001.

I cant garantee anything, though.

[MBowen574]

crap... this means even the recall-fixed ones are susceptible?

my dad keeps trying to get me to sell this car... maybe he has a point