Re: Wheel Fell Off 65 Rambler.... EEEEkkkk....!

[farna@xxxxxxx]

Jim, the "problem" lower joints were the 1950-61 (63 American) lower trunnions. The problem really isn't the joint, it's the car owner! The joints need to be greased regularly, no more so than any other joint. Don't grease it for a long time or very often, and it will fail. The "design flaw" is that the steering knuckle is just threaded on the end. That end screws into the trunnion. The knuckle turns on the threads, the threads hold the knuckle in the trunnion. The threaded section is around 7/8" diameter and standard threads. Can you imagine how much wear a 7/8" nut would have before it pulled off a bolt? The knuckle is obviously a little harder material than the trunnion, but both are pretty solid steel. It doesn't take many 1,000 miles to wear it down if there is little or no lubricant though. So it's user error, but gets blamed on the part. If a ball joint breaks or wears really bad (and it will if not lubricated!) it will come apart also. The thing is, if it happened to!
  you, you'd spend the extra money to buy a part guaranteed not put pull apart again almost no matter how you abused it, right? 

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