What is the lifespan of your steering parts?

[745 turbogreasel]

I think too that no matter who makes it, nothing is made decently anymore..  Proof is in the pudding here, all the old 20+ year old vehicles with WELL over 100K I've had all had original suspension parts that were fine..  Yet now I see 4 year old cars with 50K on them in the shop for all sorts of ball joints, tie rods, etc... Some have been in for the SECOND time around by 100K...

I'm going to go with deteriorating infrastructure as part of a slide to 3rd world status.

[rabbitman]

The first time I changed the steering parts I think I had one wore out part (ball joint or tie rod end, can't remember) and I was gonna get an alignment afterwards so I changed everything. The whole tie rods, ball joints and new rack boots.

I had to drill the rivets out of at least one ball joint (maybe both, I remember drilling rivets but I can't remember how many) and one of the tie rods was nonadjustable meaning it was original. That was in march '07, the next winter both rack boots ripped which is weird 'cause they haven't gone since.

Both ball joints have been replaced since then a couple times and both tie rod ends. Surprisingly, the inner tie rods have been fine all along.

One rear tranny mount failed within a year of install, I changed it and have been good for a couple years. It's sad how low quality parts have gotten, like a couple years ago I had an original-to-me front brake hose pop. So I change it out and within a year the new one had cracks in it just like the 25 year old one did.

I've changed the rear wheel bearings twice in almost 70,000 miles. Part of that is probably due to the "chocolate" axle stubs though.........

[RabbitJockey]

i agree newer parts do seem to be crappy, i bought an overflow tank for my rabbit brand new from my usual parts source(almost all oem stuff he always has best prices), a year later it was cracked and pissing coolant out the side, my dad has replaced axle boots on his 85 jetta multiple times

[rabbitman]

i agree newer parts do seem to be crappy, i bought an overflow tank for my rabbit brand new from my usual parts source(almost all oem stuff he always has best prices), a year later it was cracked and pissing coolant out the side, my dad has replaced axle boots on his 85 jetta multiple times

Yup, I bought a new coolant tank few years back for my gasser rabbit but I put the new tank on my daily and it's old tank on the other rabbit thinking I might as well use the new part. A month or two ago it got a crack around the edge so the old tank is back in.........pitiful

[clbanman]

While we are ranting:  In large part this is due to the stupid focus almost all industry has on getting the lowest cost part in the door.  Low initial purchase price does not save anyone any money if it results in higher production, rework, quality and warranty costs.   I don't get the whole "maximizing shareholder return" philosophy.   So what if you can make an extra 2% by building garbage that will barely get out the door?   What is wrong with building something good but affordable?   Where is this generation's Henry Ford?  I will also admit that the consumer must take some of the blame.   If the only thing we look at is the cheapest price - that's exactly what we will get.   I learned years ago when I bought my first socket/wrench set that the best price at the local C.T. store didn't save me any money - it actually cost me more when I had to buy a good set after all.

As far as suspension parts, I agree that older OEM parts are far superior to both much of current OEM and most aftermarket parts.   My personal record on ball joint failure was less than one month.   I just replaced an original balljoint on my Golf after 522K Km.  I don't expect the replacement to last nearly that long.

[BigVWman]

Some of the failures are definitely weather and road condition related. I came to nc from michigan and i have seen first hand my ball joints, tie rod ends inner and outer all rubber boots in and out on driveshafts goo bad very premature.Changing a few pieces every fall. Even on old oem stuff, west german meistersatz etc before i even knew who meyle was. The rubber in use now is supposedly better than it was back when! I have purchased cars here in nc with 300,000 on them 14 years old with original suspension, driveshafts, exhausts everything. So i now figure that they design for a moderate climate and some folks like the northerners just seem to get the shaft!

[rabbitman]

I just remembered that I also got a new master cylinder a couple years back and about a year later the rubber grommets for where the reservior snaps in cracked up and started leaking so I pulled 'em off my '80 parts rabbit and they've been fine for 3-4 years since.

[theman53]

What about having Gee Bee make some rack boots

[rabbitman]

What about having Gee Bee make some rack boots

That is a good idea , hopefully flexible down to at least -50F.........

Also outer CV boots, good down to at least -50F.

and priced similar to regular stuff

Just dreamin' here..........