Two tracking rod ball joints in 6 months?

[shroomz]

Had an mot fail on the Volvo in November last year for:

• Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Got it fixed, car needed tracking done though because that guy doesn't have a machine. Didn't have much time and didn't get round to it for a while assuming the tracking wouldn't be too bad and could wait.

2 weeks ago finally got round to doing the tracking because one day I saw I'd got through the front tyres in 10k miles, tracking was pretty bad (I could see the offside front tyre toeing out enough to tell by eye). Went to ATS euromaster, to do both at the same time. They said the rods were seized and they didn't have any blowtorches or anything, all they could do was replace both pairs (they wanted £380+VAT). I cancelled that and took it to a third garage.

Third garage took a look and say the rods move fine, but there's play (I didn't catch if it was the ball joint or some other part again). It'll be fixed by changing the rods in any case which they'd ordered in just in case they couldn't free the existing rod ends. £220 for the two pairs which I've agreed to get done, I just remembered after the call that "wasn't that what the first garage were meant to have just done last year?".

My questions are:
Is it feasible to go through 2 sets of ends in 6 months?
Is someone having me on? Obviously euromaster decided to take advantage of Mrs shroomz who dropped the car off with them, but what would ocuk do? Owner of the third garage lives in my village so I can't very delivery poop but it does seem a bit sus if they usually all get changed out together, and they didn't seem to need this done before 6 months ago, but now I'm apparently getting through whole sets of them in 6 months.

 

[Sinbad2000]

I would imagine that if the wheel alignment was visibly out for 6 months, then the excess strain put on the rod ends could indeed cause premature wear.


/edit isn't wheel alignment/tracking checked as part of an MoT out of interest?

/editedit - nope, guess not

 

[shroomz]

Yeah so the first place did the rod ends (or at least the ball joints) together with a shock absorber seal on the mot, they just didn't do the tracking because, as I think you note, the tracking itself doesn't seem to be a requirement, just that theres no play

 

[JonRGV250]

Sounds like there's play in the tie rods (they screw into the steering rack, and the track rod ends (ball joints) screw onto them), it's not at all uncommon and isn't a MOT failure.
I have a feeling that the place that did the MOT failed the track rod end instead of advising the tie rod for play.
A track rod end most certainly shouldn't wear out in 6 months, not even some of the cheap crap that some places fit.

 

[decto]

Yeah so the first place did the rod ends (or at least the ball joints) together with a shock absorber seal on the mot, they just didn't do the tracking because, as I think you note, the tracking itself doesn't seem to be a requirement, just that theres no play

You don't say which Volvo but most cars have a joint on the inner part of the rod where it connects to the steering rack and the track rod end which connects to the wheel hub.
Often a garage will replace just a track rod end if there is wear and the rack end is good as it's more work (and cost) to do it all.

If you then need the inner joint and rod, it's usually little difference in parts cost replacing the inner rod and track rod end vs just the inner rod (if it's even available on it's own).
Any decent garage which needed to replace the rod would replace it all rather than refit a £5 gaiter and £10 track rod end of unknown age.
Also makes it easier for them as parts can be damaged removing them with a large hammer.

So can't say I'm surprised they are just replacing it all.