Hello all! I just took her in to Lincoln for her 36K mile service. (Original Tires were replaced with Michelins at Discount Tire) It is a California new, Life in Phoenix auto. She is pristine. Everything at the Dealer Checked out, including the suspension. (wow) .... Except they say: Replace rear sway bar bushings, Front Sway bar bushings, Both Front Sway bar links, Replace control arm bushings & both lower ball joints. What are your thoughts? Low miles, but desert garage kept. Could it be so???
Hi! New VIII LSC owner 37K miles - A question or few
- Thread starter Vettlas
- Start date
Sway bar bushings are rubber and may appear dry rotted? Front sway bar links are easy/cheap enough to replace. Control arms/ball joints could be debatable, but for the peace of mind...
Does the car clunk or rattle over bumps? With 36K miles, most of those parts should still be good. Like Driller said, the rubber might be dry rotted though. Even if the lower ball joints have rotted rubber, as long as there has been grease in them, they are still good. I would take a look at them and see if they still look sealed. before just throwing parts at them. Same for the upper control arms, they are one of the first thing to clunk if they go bad at the bushings, and the ball joints don't often go on those before the bushings do (both upper and lower control arms come with the ball joints and bushings and are replaced when you replace the complete control arm). Same with the front stabilizer links, I would wait until those rattle/clunk, I've rarely replaced the rear links, usually a good tightening will do. If the air ride is still good, I would think a dessert garage has taken good care of all that rubber and I wouldn't jump at the opportunity to spend all that money. Maybe take it to a good local mechanic, have him look at it and ask him if he see's anything that needs immediate attention, then compare the 2 estimates?
Thanks Much for the support, advice and expertise! She does make a slight, light clunk every once in a while (nothing critical). The bushing switch-out make sense with this dry heat, I was surprised about the ball joints though. I am waiting an estimate from the Lincoln Dealer, ugh. This car was originally purchased in Fresno California, then brought to Mesa AZ, then to Yuma, now to Phoenix. She is clean and the air suspension is surprisingly good, for now. Has all options, but the phone is missing. I have the cord & cradle. Would love to find the car phone. She is Opal Opalescent with the Graphite perforated interior. I am trying to upload photos, but what the heck?! I have tried dragging, entering a link etc. nothing works! Where can I throw them, that I can share or link? I do not have these pics on Social Media, is there any other way to share them on here? Thank you all!!!!
Cheryl
1961 Ranchero
1972 Pantera
1997 VIII LSC
2011 MDX Advance
Thank you all!!!!Cheryl
1961 Ranchero
1972 Pantera
1997 VIII LSC
2011 MDX Advance
I am trying to upload photos, but what the heck?! I have tried dragging, entering a link etc. nothing works! Where can I throw them, that I can share or link? I do not have these pics on Social Media, is there any other way to share them on here?
You're going to be limited if you are not a paid member and the pics are not hosted online... (but if you email them to me, driller@lincolnsofdistinction.org, I would be happy to post them here).
Posting Pics
My '96 is Opal Opalescent/Graphite... a lovely combo.