My cars been at the dealers trying to sort that CEL that's been a pain since I bought it. After 3 weeks they think it's due to a faulty spark plug, but who am I to judge. Apparantley the factory advised to try this. The code relates to running lean bla bla bla, so they changed the plugs and it hasn't come back on. IMO it will, about an hour after leaving no doubt. But it needs a front ball joint or something, and a rear tie rod or something. $425 for the front and $950 for the rear one, plus the plugs, plus there time, plus fitting. My guess is $3K. I've been waiting for this for 2 years. I'm Ok with it because she is 14 after all. Porsche would have cost the same.
Graham - There are Hill Engineering equivalents to the two items listed. Not sure if your car is already back from the shop, but they might want to consider these pieces if possible: Ferrari Parts : LBJ-360K LOWER BALL JOINT KIT : Ricambi America and Ferrari Parts : 181882 BALL TIE ROD : Ricambi America .
They had me snookered sadly because the car was already there. I know your prices will cost far less. That's the problem when you live 4 hours away. Ah well
They can be sneaky that way... Verrrrry sneaky. Common things to go at that age. BTW the ball joints can be done with the A-arm in the car to save time and labor as I understand.
Is this really typical for Ferrari? I thought ball joints or tie rod ends should not fail until fairly high mileage on the clock.
Short answer: Yes. Ferrari ball joints do fail at high mileage. Problem is, 5000 miles is high mileage for a Ferrari. It's all part of the Ferrari experience.
That's unfortunate. These are components that even on a supercar should be far more robust than a 5,000 mile service life. Thanks for that insight though!
don't when you get that fix... Drive it... then something else will happen... fix it....drive it... soon you will have it all done..
Is that at Forza? I think I'm in for a front ball joint next warrant too. Conti's said I had one on the way out.
Ferrari use rose joints for the suspension whereas most other production cars use ball joints - they are very different parts with different life spans.
Interesting as mine have not been changed in 27k miles (well according to all the maintenance records I have). They checked out fine at my last annual. Alan
I had never heard the term Rose Joint before! In aerospace we always called them spherical joints. (from wiki) ..."The spherical rod end bearing was developed by the Germans in World War II.[1] When one of the first German planes to be shot down by the British in early 1940 was examined, they found this joint in use in the aircraft's control systems. The H.G. Heim Company was given an exclusive patent to manufacture these joints in North America, while in the UK the patent passed to Rose Bearings Ltd.[2] The ubiquity of these manufacturers in their respective markets led to the terms heim joint and rose joint becoming synonymous with their product. After the patents ran out, the common names stuck although "rose joint" remains a registered trademark of Rose Bearings Ltd. Originally used in aircraft, the rod end bearing may be found in cars, trucks, race cars, motorcycles, lawn tractors, boats, industrial machines, go-karts, radio-control helicopters, and many more applications."...
Thanks for the history lesson Kevin...Cool! I learn something new everyday from here. People have the Iphone stuck to their hands, I got mind stuck to this forum. Awesome!!!! lol. So, speaking from plain english. Is this type of "rose joint" good or bad compare to what we have today as technologies has grown so rapidly???
Conti's. I'm OK with it because these cars are known to need these parts. It's not until it actually happens that you realise the price to owning a Ferrari. 8 Porsche over 15 years, and never once did I replace anything like that.
There are rebuildable, serviceable versions of much the same thing but as far as I know the primary reason to use a Rose-Joint or a Helms Joint is the the precision feel they deliver with their lack of play. Perhaps the alternatives have greater play and don't deliver that same precision. Rose-joints are also somewhat safer than regular ball-joints which can break off and shear away entirely, leaving the hub and wheel to flap about with dangerous consequences.
Now I know why I remember Rose joints while in England and why they are called Heim joints over here. Thanks Alan
Rose/Helm is just different name for same product. Rose/Helm has the ball secured in a more secure way than the typical ball-joint which is more like a human hip with a ball and socket. Those style ball-joints are surely more prone to total failure.
The real issue is bad quality. The Ferrari ones are plated steel. Moisture = plating falls off and flogs out. I believe the Hill ones are Stainless steel - much better. But for the $1 addition of a grease nipple to be squirted once per year they would virtually never wear out.
No it isn't. Not in my 40 years of experience but what do I know? Based on your last sentence it sure sounds like a guess on your part? I really try to avoid guessing. Too easy to be wrong.
