I think someone forgot to torque something

[mitchv]

lol

So I got my car out of the shop about a month ago (a seal between the top and the bottom half of the motor+ rear main seal+ new clutch + new flywheel) I got it back and it drove great then I got really sick and spent the last 3 weeks in the hospital so the car hasn't really been driven except for a few times after the repair. Today on my way to school I hear a noise that sounds like I just hit the most massive pot hole on earth and the car snaps completely side ways. So now im sliding sideways down a main road at 45mph. I go to straighten it out and it snaps back to straight (felt like I was seriously on snow how fast it whipped back and forth) so I stomp the breaks down and the car lurches to the left into on the oncoming traffic lane and Im face to face with a brand new camero, I let up the breaks and whip the wheele as far right as possible. Started tappin the breaks (everytime I did the car lurched left) pulled the e break and skidded my way into someones front yard. The second I was over grass the car came to an abrubt stop. I got out and saw what you see above. If you cant make it out, My ball joint came out of the socket. The screw is still in place where it belongs not snapped or anything so im guesing the ball joint bolt was loose and thats what caused this. Also my drive shaft snapped in half (snapped at the part where it goes into the clamp for those that know).

So what do you guys think from the little info I gave and the cruddy picture. Loose ball joint bolt to blame? The place I had the work done did replace both ball joint bolts

[cyfocus01]

ouch. been there, done that. lost a ball joint on a Crapalier Z24 once. mine happend right in the middle of an intersection acceleration from a stop sign.
Hope nothing else major damaged.
Sorry to hear you were ill for 3 weeks, and better. I'm sure you feel a different ill now.

[mitchv]

Originally Posted by cyfocus01

ouch. been there, done that. lost a ball joint on a Crapalier Z24 once. mine happend right in the middle of an intersection acceleration from a stop sign.
Hope nothing else major damaged.
Sorry to hear you were ill for 3 weeks, and better. I'm sure you feel a different ill now.

Lol honestly after all the shit ive been through being sick making up college work looking for a new job, this didnt really btoher me lol. Im hopping the dealership takes the blame for it and repairs it no idea if they will, but im pretty sure it was the ball joint bolt not being torqued correctly causing this. I usually work on my car myself ive changed the clutch on it before, but I had such a crazy oil leak I couldnt track down and it ruined the new clutch kind of a nightmare but the engine had to be split apart and I certainly couldnt do that out in my garage, so into a shop it goes and then this happens

[emsvitil]

Did the driveshaft snap, or just pull out of the inner part (boot and all).

If it just pulled out, you can put it back together (after cleaning) with new lube)

[79mgb]

The first thing I would recommend changing is your pants.

I would have definitely needed a new pair after that experience.

[freemind]

I'm glad that you're okay Mitch.

Take lots of pictures and go to the shop and demand that they fix it and give you a loaner while it is in the shop.

If they refuse to fix it, ask them for the phone book so you can call the Ohio State Attorney General's Office, I bet that they will fix it then.

Just in case you need it,

http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/

Good luck to you!

[mitchv]

Originally Posted by emsvitil

Did the driveshaft snap, or just pull out of the inner part (boot and all).

If it just pulled out, you can put it back together (after cleaning) with new lube)

It didnt just pulll out its one big long connected piece with like a boot thing in the middle kind of hard to explain but it came apart there and Im almost sure that those parts arent supposed to seperate.

Originally Posted by 79mgb

The first thing I would recommend changing is your pants.

I would have definitely needed a new pair after that experience.

I was calm about the whole thing while it was happening, probably the reason Im still able to sit here and type this out. i didnt start flipping out untill afterwords when I was standing in these peoples front yard thinking o *, when i realized all the other ways this fiasco could of ended.

Originally Posted by freemind

I'm glad that you're okay Mitch.

Take lots of pictures and go to the shop and demand that they fix it and give you a loaner while it is in the shop.

If they refuse to fix it, ask them for the phone book so you can call the Ohio State Attorney General's Office, I bet that they will fix it then.

Just in case you need it,

http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/

Good luck to you!

I took a couple of snaps on my phone, should suffice, not sure if the dealership will warranty it and repair it. Im not entirely sure they are responsible, although when you do a repair job such as the one they did, you pretty much have to remove every single front end component (including the ball joint and replacing the ball joint bolt) Im assuming it was the ball joint that failed. like I said the bolt was still right where it belongs with no visible damage, it seems to me that the bolt was loose I hit a little bump in the road causing the suspension to compress and the tire to travel upwards and the ball joint poped out of the bottom.

The reason that worries me they wont warranty it or fix is that Its been a while since they did the repairs, but the car hasnt been driven since I was extremely sick or in the hospital for most of the time since.

[jinstall]

Your odometer will prove how much you have driven it.

[freemind]

Originally Posted by jinstall

Your odometer will prove how much you have driven it.

That is brillant!

[thenorm]

it almost as if they didnt push the ball joint all the way in, hence the bolt couldnt grab it, or the bolts were too small diameter.

Also, didnt some years of focus have different ball joints maybe they used the wrong part.