Are they Nuts!

[TooTall]

Got a GM reality check this morning.

Weather has been a bit cold this morning so I decided to put the top up for the first time. Noticed that something was just not right on the drivers side. A small curved rod about 12" long hanging down from the top with a busted adjustment screw. (Thread that goes into the ball joint section sheared off) I took the pieces apart and took off for the dealership.

Parts Guy could not identify and I could not recognize from the printout so he sent me out to Tech Guy. Sure enough he spots it as item #16 on the attached file. He said that I would have to buy the whole assembly as the screw in adjusted was not a seperate item.

By this time I'm starting to cover my wallet seeing major $$$ departing. Tech Guy was right have to buy whole assembly and remove top to install at $343.75 parts only.

Now this is an adjustment screw that phyically attaches two sections of this assembly together. Why would they force you to buy the entire assembly.

Anyone out there that can tell me if the dealership is looking to make a buck or just poor planning please let me know.

Thanks
Rob

 

[yellow_2002_germany]

Sounds about right. Rarely does the manufacturer make the small parts of an assembly separately available from the whole assembly. You might have better luck trying to get a used part.

 

[81LT4]

Got a GM reality check this morning.



I heard that same thing about the about the rear view door mirrors. owners would be cleaning their car, and as they wipe the mirror, the clip behind it would snap. A .35CENT PART, BUT YOU HAD TO BUY THW WHOLE ASSEMBLY. $ 100.00 THAT'S A RIPOFF.

 

[corvettecrazy]

try some local junk yards and see if anyone crashed theirs and left it there for people like you to save money off of...just a thought

 

[HOTMOTORSPORTS]

We have a few places that sell just regular and specialized screws, clips, fasteners, etc. or maybe one of those salespeople that carry all of the screws, clips etc. that call on body shops and auto service centers. Hell, even if it costs you 20. to have a special part made, you're ahead of the game.

Chuck

 

[vette-dude]

I would think you could take it to a weld shop and have them weld a bolt on the end of the cross rod with the same thread as your adjustable end joint and your back in business. Just a thought.

Randy

 

[TooTall]

That's pretty much what I've done. I had a machine shop tap a new bolt into the peice so I did not loose any thred depth. Now I'm ttrying to get the ball and socket joint off the aluminum base to replace this peice. See the new post "Help Please Someone with a Service Manual.
Rob

 

[vette-dude]

Couldn't you use a heim spherical joint and put a bolt thru the opening?

Randy

 

[TooTall]

vette-dude

A What? And where would I find it?

 

[TooTall]

I just looked up the heim spherical joint on the net and that is the type of ball joint on the top now. Now to figure out how to get it off.

 

[bluecoupe]

Try a custom "harley" bike shop. They use those heim spherical joints a lot for motor mounts and linkages. You should have a bunch of good shops out there on the left coast.

 

[vette-dude]

You can pick these up at any Ace hardware store. They also have a hardened one that does not have the spherical end on it and the end is male threaded in case you wanted to do a mod to the adjusting end. The cost for the spherical ends is less than $10. It has a female threaded end and is used on farm equipment, fencing, and yard equipment. Go carts use these as the adjustable ends for the steering tie rods. Drag cars with ladder bars and 4 links use a larger sized s.joint on the traction bars rods for setup of suspensions. So there are alot of sources but for your use probably the Ace store will have it. Good luck.

Randy