Nile “Motor Mouth” Jenkins kicks off the week with a weather-and-coffee vibe, then pivots hard into suspension and steering reality—using a Dodge Grand Caravan lower control arm job as the centerpiece. He argues that these parts aren’t “wearing out,” they’re getting destroyed by potholes, manhole covers, rough roads, and neglected rust protection. He explains how ball joints, tie rods, control arms, bushings, and struts affect steering and safety, and why failures can make the wheel go loose or the car uncontrollable. He also pushes his upcoming videos/shorts and the importance of rust-proofing and alignments.
Suspension and steering components don't fail quietly over time - they get punished daily by the roads we drive on.
In todays episode, we break down the real story behind worn-out control arms, ball joints, and bushings using a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan that's been fighting every step of the way in the shop. Corrosion, seized bolts, and brutal road conditions turned a routine job into a full-on battle.
Her's the truth most drivers don't hear: it's not just mileage or age that kills your suspension - it's potholes, rough pavement, uneven surfaces, and constant impact loads that accelerate failure.
If your vehicle feels loose, clunky or unpredictable, this episode explains why - and what's really happening underneath.
This is your behind the scenes look at what it actually takes to get a lower control arm out when the real world fights back.
Car Connection Motormouth merch available in our online store at ccbusnet.com each purchase helps our crew fight for those struggling with addiction get to a Total Freedom Addiction Campus Canada & USA, please consider supporting our fight! Thank You So Much Friends! Motormouth & Skippy.
More episodes and ...project Details & Links are available at Car Connection Business Network (ccbusnet.com) you'll find everything on our homepage if you'd like to follow the build & repair work we do, connect with our program partners click their logo to meet them. Thank You for giving them your business, much appreciated friends.
Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment on our videos, ring the notification bell miss nothing, join our online community. Doing these little things for us really helps us to grow on all platforms. Tnx again we love Y'all so much.. Help us Help others around the world. NMJ & Skippy
"Car Connection is brought to you by Crystal Ridge Dream Center. In times when community support is crucial, Crystal Ridge Dream Center shines as a beacon of compassion..."
This is a community organization that’s sponsoring the podcast. It doesn’t affect the car content directly, but it’s part of the show’s support network.
Crystal Ridge Dream Center is mentioned as a sponsor of the show. While not automotive-related technically, sponsorship can be relevant for listeners who want to know who supports the program.
"The Greater Toronto Area is pre-owned Premier Auto Store. Earl Louise Grant have been in the business for over 25 years."
This is the name of a used-car store mentioned in the sponsor message. The ad is basically saying they help find good pre-owned vehicles.
Premier Auto Store is referenced as part of the Greater Toronto Area pre-owned vehicle offering. For car buyers, the key takeaway is that the show’s sponsor is positioning itself around low-mileage, used-car inventory.
"There's only one place I would recommend that you go and that's City Auto Sales and Leasing. They have in-house financing and you can buy with confidence and be treated with nothing less than honesty and integrity."
Sometimes the car lot helps set up the loan itself instead of using your own bank. It can be easier, but you should still compare the total cost—like the interest rate and fees.
In-house financing means the dealership (or its financing arm) arranges the loan directly instead of sending you to a bank or credit union first. It can simplify the process, but terms like interest rate, fees, and approval requirements still matter a lot.
"There's only one place I would recommend that you go and that's City Auto Sales and Leasing. They have in-house financing and you can buy with confidence and be treated with nothing less than honesty and integrity."
This is the dealership the host is recommending. If you’re shopping for a car, it’s worth checking out local sellers and asking about how financing works.
This is the dealership the host recommends in the segment. For listeners, it’s a reminder that buying experience and financing options can vary widely by seller.
"...they both work with IG Wealth Management and they are well-decorated certified financial planning professionals."
This is a financial company mentioned during the sponsor portion. It’s not really about cars—more about the people giving financial advice.
IG Wealth Management is referenced as the firm where the certified financial planners work. While not automotive, it’s part of the show’s sponsor/credibility segment.
"Car Connection also brought to you by Niagara Block at 5,000 Montrose Road in Niagara Falls, building Canada since 1931, providing"
Niagara Block is mentioned as a sponsor of the show. It’s not an automotive brand or part supplier in this excerpt, but it’s part of the program’s advertising.
"Well, I'll give you an example. You know, if you're thinking of waxing your car, just head to the store with the little red triangle."
Wax is like a protective coating for your car’s paint. It helps water bead off and keeps the paint looking nicer, but it doesn’t repair suspension or other mechanical problems.
Car waxing is a process where you apply a protective layer (usually a polymer/wax) over the paint to help repel water and reduce minor surface damage. It’s mostly about appearance and short-term protection rather than fixing mechanical issues.
"And as far as the naked eye can see, that would be the shelf that has buffing compounds, polishing compounds, wax and the like."
Buffing compounds and polishing compounds are abrasive products used to remove oxidation, scratches, and surface imperfections, typically in steps. Wax is a non-abrasive protective finish that goes on after polishing to add gloss and help protect the paint.
"We're shooting today. Skippy will be here in a few hours and we'll be shooting suspension and steering today. I wasn't going to do that but I'll explain more in just a moment."
Suspension and steering are what make the car ride smoothly and turn correctly. If something’s getting “destroyed,” it often shows up in parts like the arms and bushings that connect the wheels to the car.
Suspension and steering are the two main systems that control how a vehicle handles bumps and how it changes direction. In a podcast episode focused on suspension damage, this usually points to components like control arms, bushings, and alignment-related wear.
"And yes, you can own an older automobile and I'll tell you right now looking at all the breakdowns, all the failures out there on this new stuff. You know, you had better take a secondary look at that older vehicle and if the structure is solid, you better keep it..."
They’re basically saying: don’t ignore older cars. If the car’s body/frame is still in good shape, it can be a better buy than newer cars that may have more problems.
The host is arguing that older vehicles can be a safer bet than newer ones, especially if the vehicle’s structure is still solid. In practice, this means focusing on the car’s body/frame condition and overall integrity rather than just mileage or model year.
"...it has a lower control arm with a ball joint in it that wears out. And I was watching a video on a guy online."
A ball joint is a flexible pivot that lets the suspension move smoothly. If it wears out, you can get looseness or knocking noises, and the tires may wear faster because the wheel alignment isn’t held correctly.
A ball joint is a pivot that allows the suspension to move while keeping the wheel aligned. When the ball joint wears, it can create play in the steering/suspension, leading to clunks, vibration, and accelerated tire wear; replacement is often labor-intensive, especially if rust seizes fasteners.
"And I was watching a video on a guy online. And I think the channel's called Torq. He's down in the rust free zone. And he's just undoing the bolts."
A “rust-free zone” is an area where cars don’t get as much rust. In rustier places, bolts can get stuck and suspension repairs take a lot longer.
A “rust-free zone” is a region where corrosion is minimal, so suspension fasteners and components are less likely to be seized. The speaker contrasts that with northern climates where rust makes suspension repairs slower, riskier, and more expensive.
"There wasn't, you know, he's working on this Dodge Caravan. And there isn't a speck of rust in sight. I'm going, oh, no, that doesn't happen up here in the Northern country, or even in some places in the US like Maine, where the rust is just unbearable."
The speaker is talking about colder northern areas where cars rust faster, often because of road salt. That rust can make suspension repairs harder and take longer.
The speaker is referencing colder northern regions (including places like Maine) where road salt and moisture accelerate corrosion. This matters for suspension work because rust can seize bolts, damage components, and increase the time required to replace parts like control arms and ball joints.
"Because here's the thing. If you don't think rust proofing, and you got to use the right sauce. ... how it goes when we don't believe that rust proofing is worth spending a couple hundred bucks on so that you can save labor time."
Rust proofing is a protective treatment you put on the car to help stop rust from forming. If you don’t do it, rust can spread and you’ll end up paying more later to fix damaged parts.
Rust proofing is the process of applying protective coatings or treatments to prevent corrosion on a vehicle’s underbody and vulnerable metal areas. The host is arguing that skipping it can lead to faster rust development, which then drives up repair costs and labor time.
"It gets ugly and it gets ugly really, really fast in the repair bill. That may be the last thing that you're going to put money into. And if it breaks the transmission housing,"
The repair bill is the total money you end up paying to fix the problem. If one part fails and causes other damage, the cost can rise quickly.
“Repair bill” here refers to the total cost of diagnosing and fixing a failed component, including labor and any additional parts damaged by the failure. The host’s point is that suspension/steering failures can lead to broader damage, making the bill much larger than expected.
"It's flapping and it's attached only one place. To the drive shaft, the axle shaft,
[1602.2s] so all these vehicles are front wheel drive."
The axle shaft is what sends power from the transmission to the front wheels. If the front suspension breaks, the wheel can move too much and that can stress drivetrain connections.
An axle shaft transmits torque from the transmission to the front wheels in a front-wheel-drive vehicle. If front suspension components fail, the wheel can move in ways that change how loads are applied through the axle and joints.
"Tie rod ends, control arms,
[1686.6s] control arm bushings get torn out and ball joints wear out. Nothing's greaseable anymore."
Greaseable parts can be lubricated with grease to help them last longer. Some newer suspension parts are sealed, so you can’t grease them—even if people assume you can.
“Greaseable” refers to suspension joints designed to be lubricated with a grease fitting (zerk). Many modern suspension parts are sealed and not intended to be greased, so once wear starts, replacement is often the real fix.
"It's the roadways you're driving on on a regular basis. You know, the curbside lanes are just horrific."
They’re pointing out that where you drive matters. If your roads are rough or full of bumps, your suspension can wear out sooner.
This reinforces that local driving environment is a primary driver of suspension/steering wear. Frequent exposure to rough pavement, uneven lanes, and impact hazards increases the likelihood of component damage.
"If it's an older vehicle with different suspension, I'm talking about McPherson strut suspension, not coils, coil springs. We'll talk about those later..."
McPherson struts are a common type of front suspension. They combine shock/strut function with part of the suspension structure, which helps the wheel move while keeping it aligned.
McPherson strut suspension is a common front suspension design where the strut assembly also acts as a structural link. It typically pairs with a lower control arm and ball joint, and it’s known for being compact and cost-effective.
"The tail
[2224.8s] does not, you do not want the tail wagging the dog. You want to know your vehicle is stable,
[2231.8s] and that you have full control over that automobile."
It’s a saying that means something small is controlling the whole situation. The speaker is saying you want the car to behave normally, not get unstable because of worn parts.
“Tail wagging the dog” is a metaphor meaning the wrong thing is driving the situation. Here, it’s used to stress that the vehicle should be stable and predictable, not reacting chaotically due to worn components.
"And you might say, well, I don't drive it very much. Yeah, but I'll bet you drive over the same rough rugged roads every time you do go out... It has nothing to do with mileage."
The speaker’s point is that suspension problems aren’t only about how many miles you’ve driven. Rough roads and repeated hits can wear parts out much faster than mileage suggests.
This is a key ownership concept: suspension wear is driven more by impact severity and frequency than by odometer mileage alone. Two vehicles with similar mileage can have very different suspension life depending on road conditions and driving habits.
"for all of you that watch auto racing. There's no potholes on the racetrack. Am I right or right or am I right? There's a reason for that because they set up their suspension and steering for that road course, not for potholes."
Race tracks are usually smoother than normal roads. So the car’s suspension and steering are set up for that kind of surface, not for potholes and rough streets.
A racetrack is typically much smoother and more consistent than public roads, so suspension and steering components see different loads and impacts. That’s why race teams can tune the setup for a specific road surface and driving style.
"So stick around. I'm not going to go on forever on this topic because they're all wear and tear items. Everything in the suspension and steering up front is subject to road conditions, driving habits, and wear and tear."
Wear and tear just means parts slowly get worse from everyday driving. On suspension and steering, rough roads can make that happen faster.
“Wear and tear” refers to gradual degradation from normal use—especially in parts that are exposed to impacts, moisture, and constant motion. In suspension/steering, it often shows up as looseness, noise, or reduced control.
"Nothing is really lubable, nothing anymore. So when the grease wears out inside the component, as it's manufactured, the grease is worn out. It means it goes hard... the grease is crumbly and there's no lubrication there anymore."
Some suspension parts use grease to keep moving parts from grinding. If that grease dries out or gets pushed away, the joint can start acting loose or rough.
Many suspension and steering joints rely on grease to reduce friction and protect metal-on-metal contact. When the grease breaks down or is displaced, the joint can run dry, leading to faster wear and loss of smooth movement.
"So a lot of suspension and steering components now are using what they call gusher bearings... the grease is all the way around the ball and socket. So you'll see what that is. If you can't visualize that right now, the ball and socket..."
A ball-and-socket joint is like a pivot that lets parts move through suspension travel. If it doesn’t stay properly lubricated, it can wear out and get sloppy.
A ball-and-socket joint is a common design for suspension/steering linkages, where a ball pivots inside a socket. Grease distribution in that joint is critical; if it dries out or shifts away, the joint can develop play or fail.
"And when you're done, you got to take it for an alignment and there's another couple hundred bucks. It's all money. So the more we"
An alignment is when the shop adjusts the wheels so they point in the right directions. After suspension parts are replaced, the car often needs this so it drives straight and the tires don’t wear out fast.
After suspension or steering work, an alignment is needed to restore correct wheel angles (camber, caster, toe) so the tires wear properly and the car tracks straight. Misalignment can cause pulling, vibration, and uneven tire wear.
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Good morning folks! You're tuned into Car Connection where the coffee's hot, the
tools are ready, and the talk is always tuned up. I'm your host, Nile Motor
Mouth Jenkins, coming to you straight from the Car Connection workshop where we
mix a little humor, a little know-how, and a whole lot of horsepower. Here it's not
just about fixing cars, it's about keeping you rolling, saving you money, and
giving you the confidence to understand what's under that hood. From the
classics, to the commuters, to the weird noises, to the what the heck moments, we've
got you covered. So grab your coffee, sit back, join the crew, because this is Car
Connection, your Monday through Saturday morning pit stop for stories, smarts, a few
good laughs, and I'm Nile Motor Mouth Jenkins, and we are shifting into drive
this morning. Well, good, good Monday morning to you if you are commuting this
morning and heading out to the J-O-B to your job, and sliding through the drive
through to get yourself some super octane boost. Great! Check your order, lock it
down in your cup holder, because you're tuned to Car Connection. We have a lot of
mileage to cover and a short time to get there. Thank you for allowing me into
your world as I allow you into ours as well. So let's jump in right away this
morning. Car Connection is brought to you by Crystal Ridge Dream Center. In times
when community support is crucial, Crystal Ridge Dream Center shines as a
beacon of compassion, a transformation serving hot meals out the door. Every
Tuesday and Friday they have programs running for the kids after school,
helping them with homework and music lessons, games, and lots of love to help
keep their little minds stimulated. They look after men, women, and children all
age groups. Thank you to City Auto Sales and Leasing. The Greater Toronto Area is
pre-owned Premier Auto Store. Earl Louise Grant have been in the business for over
25 years. They've got the resources to find low mileage, top quality vehicles at
fair prices. They don't sell any junk, so if you or someone you know is looking to
buy a vehicle, this time of year people do start to say, you know, I'm not going to
do a whole lot to the older vehicle. I'll get a replacement in the spring.
There's only one place I would recommend that you go and that's City Auto Sales
and Leasing. They have in-house financing and you can buy with confidence and be
treated with nothing less than honesty and integrity. Thank you to our certified
financial planning professionals, Tony Miele and Larry Tietro, my brothers from
Mother's Combined have 50 years experience as fiduciaries and they both
work with IG Wealth Management and they are well-decorated certified financial
planning professionals. There's nothing you're going to tell them they have not
heard before and they have opened up their hearts to donate one hour of time
for a discovery meeting. So if you've got questions, you need to get them from a
certified financial planner, not an advisor and I'm not disrespecting advisors.
You need to make sure that when you're talking about investments, debt
retirement, estate planning, mortgages, life insurance, critical illness
insurance and more, you want to know that you're sitting with someone who has the
credential certified financial planner. You get a one-hour discovery meeting that
we've called an hour and a coffee since 2007. Both Larry and Tony want to be a
part of car connection and I thought the best way they could help is if you have
questions about finances, no matter what it is, take advantage of that one hour.
Be open and honest with them and please don't waste their time. If you're not
interested, you're not interested. If you're ready to sit down and have someone
map out a plan to get you where from where you are to where you want to be,
they can do it for you. Car Connection also brought to you by Niagara Block at
5,000 Montrose Road in Niagara Falls, building Canada since 1931, providing
all kinds of building supplies and materials as well as hardscape,
landscaping materials as well. They do have a list of contractors that they
can refer you to to take on that job, whether it's big or small. So get in
touch with them at Niagara Block, 5,000 Montrose Road in Niagara Falls. If you're
looking to create that backyard space for 2026, where you can hang out and just be
get in touch with them now. Thank you to Total Freedom Darien Center, New York,
our addiction campuses for both Canada and USA for those who are struggling with
addiction. We're in your corner. Each time you buy some merchandise from our
online store, you're joining the Car Connection Motor Mouth crew in the
battle against addiction to wipe it out. So for those who have made that decision
that today's the day I'm sick and tired, fed up, disgusted, and bored being stuck
in this addiction, we're here to also help to give you some support and make
sure that we can get you to a Total Freedom Addiction campus either Canada
USA, where a new life waits for you there. Well, let's jump into our day
together. We're starting a brand new week. Easter is coming this weekend. Actually,
I think it begins on Good Friday. Absolutely for many. Well, we have
weather and it's not cooperating. I have to say that. That's from my heart. It's
just not doing what I really needed to do right now in order to get more things
taken care of. But I guess when I get my own planet, then I can make some
changes. But for now, this morning's weather report brought to us by Niagara
Block 5000 Montrose Road Niagara Falls. Here's what we get, folks. So hang on and
we'll have a swiggy together. If you're just joining us for the first time, we
love our first time visitors and we always have a morning swiggy together. We
count it down and then enjoy whatever your favorite morning beverage is. Well,
today, here's what we can expect 38 degrees right now. And that's Fahrenheit
for most of you that may be joining us for the first time. I'm not a fan of the
metric system. It's a tool of the devil. Cost me a ton of money. 38 degrees
now, mostly cloudy. The wind is making it feel a whole lot colder at about 33.
Partly cloudy conditions from 11 a.m. till 12 p.m. with drizzle expected
around 6 p.m. So this evening could get a bit sloppy loose. Today's temperature
range will be from 35 to 56. Ding, ding, ding. I like that. And feels like 32 to
47. Anything on the precip? Oh, possibility, it says .65 of an inch. That's all I
got to say about that. At least it's not the white stuff. We had some of that
last week. It was kicking around. It was out there. The south shores of Lake
Erie. Absolutely. Well, let's count down our swiggy together this morning. Are
you ready for it? I've got my morning elixir here that keeps me going. Charges
my battery. Then I have my coffee. Yeah, it has something to do with cortisol. You
can look that up. Yeah, that's why you get the pork belly or things get a little
rotunda around the middle if you're not keeping an eye on your cortisol levels.
Apparently, it's complicated. Can't we just plug into a machine and it says, you
know, you're fat, lose 30 pounds? Like give you a real answer. Do you think I
look fat in this stress? Is that the time? Excuse me. Alright, let's count this
down before we get going spinning in the wrong direction on a Monday morning and
that can happen. Ready? Three, two, one.
Hmm. It is good. I gotta admit, you know, like it's definitely doing stuff. So as
long as it's getting stuff done, and I'm able to keep up my pace of 80 hours a
week, we're good. That means everything's working.
Mm hmm. Alright, let's get your week started. And just remember, it is Monday
and it is early. And you know, you may not be around those people that can mess up
your Monday. Don't let them do that. Make it a super great day. Well, what are we
talking about today? Did you hear that? I did that. Listen. Yeah, I'm sawing the
piano in half with a hacksaw blade that's about 400 years old. Not really. We
had some great questions on Saturday. I hope you had an opportunity to join us.
If not, the podcast is up on our I heart channel and also all the podcasts are
now available to you on our YouTube channel to help you shop in one area.
So our website is the biggest drawer in our toolbox and we've created that way
for 32 years now is, you know, when there's too many choices, it's difficult to
make a decision. True or false? Well, I'll give you an example. You know, if you're
thinking of waxing your car, just head to the store with the little red triangle.
Take your toothbrush, a sleeping bag, and a mat to lay on and your jammies because
you will be overwhelmed by packaging, packaging and more packaging and bottles
from ceiling to floor. And as far as the naked eye can see, that would be the
shelf that has buffing compounds, polishing compounds, wax and the like.
You're going to be there for a while. It's too much choice. Really. So that's not
what I wanted to create for you is confusion. So our website, you want to
talk to me, you want to send me a question or a possible topic for me to
unpack for you. That's done through our website. You can email me just by clicking
on the info button and click on contact and fill out the email form and it comes
directly to my eyes only. You can also email me through Stevensvilleontheweb.ca.
Click on the businesses tab. There is also an email form there as well, making it
even easier for you in the description boxes of our YouTube videos. We have
almost 200 videos up. We're shooting today. Skippy will be here in a few hours
and we'll be shooting suspension and steering today. I wasn't going to do that
but I'll explain more in just a moment. Absolutely. I'm a little beat up. That's
all I'm going to tell you is all our links are available for you on the home
page or a website. Top right hand corner. You'll have our YouTube channel. Get
yourself subscribed because you're going to be learning a lot of information
about the five things. What it is, where it is, how it works, how it breaks and how
you could have saved yourself thousands of dollars each and every year in
unnecessary repairs and spend that money elsewhere keeping the maintenance up.
Number two, I keep it super simple. Breaking things down into easy to
understand language so that you can better know your automobile and take in
some of the basic fundamentals of vehicle ownership and maintenance service
and repair. Whatever age group, no excuses. My pops is 89. He manages his own
vehicle maintenance. He techs. He uses the technology. I don't think he shops as
much on Timu anymore which is probably a good thing. I don't know. So if my pops
can do it, you can do it. Absolutely. You can learn stuff. Even if you're a widow,
you can learn stuff. Even if you're a single mom, you can learn stuff from our
YouTube channel. There's almost 200 videos there where I keep it super
simple and break things down, talk about the components, where they are, how they
work and how you need to make sure those things, those items get serviced on a
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Now with more ways for you to watch, listen and engage. Please consider giving
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you can do to help us to grow, keep the ignition on and keep the cylinders
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you're joining our crew in the battle against addiction, getting those who are
ready to deal with it to a total freedom addiction campus in Canada, USA where
a new life waits for them there. So that's us in a nutshell. So if you want to
connect and get a question answered because Saturdays are Q&A so I'm
priming the pump early because I'll tell you the questions are flooding in and I
pick three. That's about all I have time for if I'm breaking the question down
into bite-sized pieces for you, not just giving a yes-no answer but actually
giving you an answer and unpacking it so you understand why the answer I gave you
fits the question. So thanks to Jim and Alicia and Steve, fantastic questions on
the weekend. My goodness, I still feel like my two brain cells, the two little
gray men in my head, are smoking hot still. So if you want to know what we were
talking about, as I just mentioned, that podcast will have already migrated over
to our YouTube channel. So and a big thank you to all of you who are doing all
those little things for Skippy and I as we put a lot of effort in. We put 80
hours in a week to bring you all the details that can help keep you safe and
provide healthy, happy motoring for you. And yes, you can own an older automobile
and I'll tell you right now looking at all the breakdowns, all the
failures out there on this new stuff. You know what, you had better take a
secondary look at that older vehicle and if the structure is solid, you better
keep it because that's better technology and better made vehicle than what
we're seeing today. You know, I'm picking on the domestics, but you know what,
they need a kick in the pants. Start giving us our money's worth. Yeah. And
backing up your product. That would be good instead of we'd really like to
help you, but we can't. But will you buy our vehicle next time? A big no on that
one. These things are breaking down major 700 miles. That's the lowest one I've
heard so far and I'm going 700 miles on the second motor. What? Are you kidding
me? So we'll talk about that in a little more depth. Maybe later on this week,
but that's a little heavy for Monday mornings, but I'll tell you a lot of
service techs are warning their customers that have shops older is better and
more reliable quality cars versus affordable. Don't get caught up in the
car game, folks. All right. What are we talking about this morning? My focus
point is suspension and steering components. How come it is? You might say,
well, that's an area that not many of you really give a whole lot of thought to.
Like right now, what you're really wanting is, you know, your morning beverage,
get your mind in order, get to work, and you know who the who the players are and
who are the ones that are getting can annoy you more on a Monday morning. You
know, I've been doing this for a couple of years. I always got there super early.
Do you want to know why so that I could get a cup of coffee and I can find a
quiet spot, which I usually had a quiet spot just to sit, sit my coffee, get my
mindset for the day and know who I have to tolerate and get that all in order in
my brain and take a deep breath and run like the wind for the whole shift. Yeah,
that's I did that every single day. Get there early and find my spot and just
sit and enjoy about a half an hour by myself. No one else around just the quiet
time and a hot cup of gel and get ready. Get ready to perform for hours on end.
Yeah. Yeah, are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses? Yeah, anyhow. Suspension and
steering. Well, Skippy and I are going to be shooting some of that today and I
wasn't going to, but I'll tell you, I got this van in the service bays that's
getting me so far behind. I want to scream in the middle of a cornfield, but
you know, once you let it all out, you can't put it back in. Am I right? Exactly.
As I've done the one side, the worst side and it beat me up completely. I'm telling
you, if the customer was paying, it would be about 14 hours worth of labor. So
here's what I'm going to say right up front. When I talk about rust proofing, the
feature benefits of rust proofing, yeah, wait till you see this video. You're going
to get a full picture of why I say rust proofing. So I'm not going to let the
cat out of the bag. You're going to need to come and watch that video because
today I've saved the passenger side. I didn't want to, but I thought, you know,
you guys really got to get a handle on what this stuff is, what it looks like,
where it is, how it works, how it wears out, how it breaks and what it takes to
change those pieces out called suspension and steering. So I'm going to give you a
bird's eye view hands on. And here's the thing, not like some other channels I watch
on YouTube, they're taking the bolts out and they're showing you how to do it and
everything's coming back, coming out ever so clean and smooth. No, no, no, no, no,
not motor mouth. I'm going to show you the blood, the guts and the gore, what it really takes
to change out a lower control arm on a Dodge Grand Caravan. And there's a ton of them out there.
And it doesn't matter what maker model it is, it has a lower control arm with a ball joint in it
that wears out. And I was watching a video on a guy online. And I think the channel's called Torq.
He's down in the rust free zone. And he's just undoing the bolts. And then you just undo this.
And then you just, and I'm thinking, come up to Canada for a day. And I got the job just for you.
Just for you, buddy. You're not going to Lottie Dodd to get all those bolts undone like nothing.
There wasn't, you know, he's working on this Dodge Caravan. And there isn't a speck of rust
in sight. I'm going, oh, no, that doesn't happen up here in the Northern country,
or even in some places in the US like Maine, where the rust is just unbearable. I mean,
makes Canada look like a choir boy, as far as rust goes. So I'm going to share that with you. But
right now, what I want to talk about are the components that we need to pay closer attention to.
And in that video, I'm going to reference rust proofing probably every 30 seconds in my mind.
Because here's the thing. If you don't think rust proofing, and you got to use the right
sauce. In fact, I just did a podcast I would highly recommend. If you missed it, you need
to go and listen to it. It's entitled The Secret, It's in the Sauce. Exactly. And today's video
that we're going to shoot is going to be a prime example of how it goes when we don't believe that
rust proofing is worth spending a couple hundred bucks on so that you can save labor time. And
I'm not going to go any further on that point, because you're going to want to watch the video,
the full video. And I got a couple of shorts to post today in regards to.
You're not going to want to miss those either. Those are the those are the trailers,
the trailers into the video. So I'm setting this up really good, because you've got to learn this.
You've got to learn it. If you want to own an older automobile and teach it longevity,
you're going to have to do this stuff. It doesn't last forever. All these components
are wear and tear items. Let's get into it.
Suspension and steering components. Yes, they are all a really big deal. They are.
They're not just there for grins, folks. And many of you don't even pay attention to them
whatsoever, because you know why you don't understand them. You don't know what they are.
You don't know where they are. And for the most part, you may not even really care.
But B U T T get your butt out of the way. They do a lot of work. And I think when you get a better
understanding of what they are where they are and how they work and how they all work together.
And you actually see those components and get a better understanding what happens when
I like to say it. What happens when the major component fails?
It gets ugly and it gets ugly really, really fast in the repair bill. That may be the last thing
that you're going to put money into. And if it breaks the transmission housing,
that's probably it. Your car is heading for the U-Pullet yard. More than likely,
I'm going to say 90% of the time when a lower ball joint breaks, it's over, folks. What do I mean
by that? You're going to want to watch the video because what I will show you is when I disconnect
the ball joint, how much free play the wheel has. So when that little Hummer snaps off because it's
been worn out for quite some time, the wheel will go wherever it wants to go. You don't have any
control over it. It's flapping and it's attached only one place. To the drive shaft, the axle shaft,
so all these vehicles are front wheel drive. So you got to remember, where's the transmission
in the front? Where are the wheels driving and pulling in the front? So everything in the front
is serious, folks, because that's your driveline. When a ball joint or it's not as bad when a
tie rod breaks, bad enough because you totally lose steering. But when the ball joint breaks,
it doesn't matter if you try steering, it isn't going to happen because the wheel is completely free.
So we're going to show you that on the upcoming video. And again, I'm going to promote the stink
out of it because you need to have a visual on the pieces that keep the wheels where they belong
in the front. And I'll tell you the potholes out there. Oh my gosh, the roads are rougher than a
stucco toilet seat. And all these suspension and steering components in the front, you don't even
notice. You don't. You fly over those, you hit the potholes, you cruise over the roughest tracks
in the around the planet. And you don't even think about it. You don't. You just do it.
All that suspension and steering takes an absolute beating. Tie rod ends, control arms,
control arm bushings get torn out and ball joints wear out. Nothing's greaseable anymore.
Well, it is and it isn't. I'm going to talk about that in another podcast. For all you do it yourself,
or there is a method to do it, but you have to teach yourself to do it. And you've got to have
patience to do it. And you got to have understanding to do it. Otherwise, you'll cause more damage
than good. But yes, I can grease my ungreasable tie rod ends and ball joints. And I will do that in
a video to teach you how it can be done. Do it yourselfers, but you've got to learn the technique
otherwise and patience, lots of patience. And you got to know what you're doing before you do it.
So I'll teach you that. Next, I'm going to name off all the components that we have
just on one side. And then what I mentioned is also on the opposite side. Is there wear
and tear there? Yes, there is. If you've got a five year old domestic vehicle, I guarantee you
you need suspension and steering work. And mileage doesn't mean diddly squats. So let's take that
off the table right now. It's the roadways you're driving on on a regular basis. You know, the curbside
lanes are just horrific. Yeah, I don't know where all the monies from the per leader are supposed
to be going into roadways, but I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure that we got forgotten here on the
south shores of Fort Erie. Because there's areas now where I will literally slow down
to get out of that lane before I get to a certain area because of the suspension and steering is
just getting pounded. And folks, that's what you have to understand. The manhole covers. Oh, sorry,
did I hurt a feeling? Personhole covers. No, they're manhole covers. They're either too high
or they're too low. Bang, that's what happens when your wheel goes in there. Bang, bang,
there's another one. I can take you to a roadway here in Fort Erie where it's like crossing a freaking
minefield when it comes to the sewer holes. And you really got to pay attention to keep your wheels
out of those holes. Because that's what's tearing the suspension out. So if you don't think it's
important to slow down, keep an eye for the potholes, slow down going over those train tracks,
you're not running a race, there's no checkered flag, you know, there's no big purse at the end of
the road, it's your car. And you're going to pay the purse in replacing the pieces that are broken
and worn out. And to be honest with you, I don't want to be driving a vehicle when a steering
component breaks. Not me, no sirree. There's no maneuver you're going to be able to attempt
because the vehicle will be in control of itself. And as soon as you hit the brake pedal,
it's all over. The wheel's going to fold under and it's a nightmare. It turns into an instant.
You may be looking for a new automobile after you see the price to fix everything. I'm not
kidding you. I'm not here to scare you. I'm not here to sell you cars. I'm not here for the
manufacturers, the parts suppliers, the parts manufacturers. I could care less. I'm here to
teach you what 44 years has taught me in the service bays. In the armchair warriors, there
nothing you can sling at this guy. I am bulletproof. Trust me. I've been out in the field
fixing trucks and equipment in the mud in the blood in the gore in the minus 20,
changing a transmission outside on a cab over Louisville doing changing pistons out
in minus 20 outside and having to dig yourself out from underneath the truck because it's snowing.
Yeah, I've got some mileage and I've got the smarts and I'm willing to share it with you.
Suspension and steering and potholes and rough roads is serious, folks. It's serious. Yeah,
it's serious. Exactly. Every single component, tie rod end, lower ball joint, lower control arms,
the bushings. I just shot a short to show you the control arm that came out of this 2010 Dodge
Grand Caravan and I'm trying to be nice here. It's Monday. The technicians that checked the
vehicle and you want to watch that video too, the prerequisite to pulling that side of the
the Grand Caravan apart. How they could have missed that. I have no idea. No idea. You're
going to want to see the short that I put together on that. Yeah, it'll explain it 100%.
I don't know how even if it was a shop as a shop owner, previous shop owner, general manager
for a dealership in the shop. I don't know how a tech could miss that. Like there's no excuse,
none, zero, whatever. Your brain was not turned on. I don't know, but that's a safety issue.
So you got to watch that video for sure on the 2010 Dodge Caravan.
That's why it's important. 93% of you are enjoying the videos, but you're not even subscribed. You
know how that would really change things for us? Because I really want to be able to buy the parts
and provide the labor and shoot the videos. That's what I want to do for people. So
we can't do it because my pockets just aren't deep enough, especially after the COVID campaign.
Let's not go down that rabbit hole yet. So you got ball joints, lower ball joint,
usually one. If it's an older vehicle with different suspension, I'm talking about
McPherson strut suspension, not coils, coil springs. We'll talk about those later because
most of you are not driving a vehicle that has coil springs between the lower control arm and the
frame. And that would give us upper ball joints, lower ball joints, upper control arms, lower control
arms. All those components that I've just mentioned, if you don't know what they are, those are the
things that stop the wheel assembly from flying off. That keeps it pretty simple. Those are the
components that keep the wheels where they're supposed to be in the right geometric position.
And also the ability to control the vehicle and not the vehicle controlling you. So that's what
I'm talking about. We have McPherson struts in there. They're like ginormous shocks with coil
springs. And the coil springs tend, when they start, when the coating comes off and they start
rusting, that's when the coils are going to break. Usually at the bottom pigtail where it curls
around tight, at the bottom, that's usually the piece that breaks off. So all these components
together, tie rod ends, you have inners and outters. Those keep the wheels, both sides,
connected to the steering wheel. Either one of those breaks an inner or an outer, then the wheel,
you can't turn that wheel. It's loose. You can't control it. So whatever it does, it does. And
generally, when you feel something like that go wrong, the instant reaction is to hit the brakes,
but that's not a good idea. Well, you got to prevent from hitting somebody else, but
that's when the wheel will fold in. And it's not pretty. It's not a pretty ride. Like I said already
this morning, not a ride that I want to experience. So I'm checking suspension and steering all the
time. Because two things, and I did a podcast on this already, if you can't stop it or steer it,
nothing else matters. And that's it. The safety is right there. You don't cheap out on tires,
you don't cheap out on brakes, you don't cheap out on suspension and steering. Those are the major
components that give you controllability of your automobile, not the other way around. The tail
does not, you do not want the tail wagging the dog. You want to know your vehicle is stable,
and that you have full control over that automobile. Again, if you can't stop it or steer it,
nothing else matters. You could turn the radio up louder as you're screaming and heading out
into the rhubarb patch. But that, you know, it might help you, but it's definitely not going to save
you. So all these components, how do they wear out? We can't grease them anymore. So there's no
grease fittings on them. And the roadways are that's the bottom line right there. The roads are
naughty and nasty and gnarly. And when you're not paying closer attention to the road surface,
you're driving on, you're just pounding those potholes. The same ones every single day. I pay
closer attention to that because it's my vehicle, and it's my money, and it's my labor, and I have
to still fix it. Somebody has to fix it. And it's going to be me. It's going to be me. So it's my time
and the parts and the labor all come together to fix it. So I understand
all those components that make up your steering. Just how easy it is for all these potholes and
the rough roadways to wear them out quickly. Doesn't take 300,000 kilometers to wear out
a lower ball joint or control arm, or a tie rod end, or a control arm bushings. They're tearing
them out. That's what's happening. They're not designed. They really are not designed to take
that much pounding. And that's the bottom line here. All that suspension and steering is great,
but it's not designed to take that pounding every single day. They're going to wear out.
It's not a matter of if. It's a matter of when. And you might say, well, I don't drive it very much.
Yeah, but I'll bet you drive over the same rough rugged roads every time you do go out.
It has nothing to do. I can tell you this right now. It has nothing to do with mileage.
It has nothing to do with time. It has to do with hitting that pothole, hitting those sunken in
manhole covers, driving the same roads, hitting the same potholes, driving the way you do,
not paying attention. And bam, you're hitting those what I call ball joint bashes. You don't
think anything about it whatsoever, but I do. When I'm driving, I'm looking because the ball
joint bashes will take that lower ball joint out in no time because it's trying to compress it
and tear it apart at the same time. So when the wheel goes down, there's stress on the suspension
and steering. When the wheel goes up, there's stress on other components of suspension and steering.
So there's wear and tear taking place both directions, into the pothole, out of the pothole.
So up and down position because all those rough roads, what are they trying to do?
Tear your wheels right off the car. That's what it's doing. Here's a great example
for all of you that watch auto racing. There's no potholes on the racetrack. Am I right or
right or am I right? There's a reason for that because they set up their suspension and steering
for that road course, not for potholes. You have the same steering components.
Isn't that interesting? That's where they do a lot of testing, is on the racetracks.
The suspension and steering components, the setup. Our road vehicles have the same setup,
except you're not driving on a smooth racetrack that has no potholes, no man covers, no train tracks.
So stick around. I'm not going to go on forever on this topic because they're all wear and tear
items. Everything in the suspension and steering up front is subject to road conditions,
driving habits, and wear and tear. Nothing is really lubable, nothing anymore.
So when the grease wears out inside the component, as it's manufactured, the grease is worn out.
It means it goes hard, not really hard, but it goes to the point where the grease is crumbly
and there's no lubrication there anymore. And that's what we're seeing happen. In a lot of cases,
the grease will move off to one side, leaving the opposite side. It's not getting any grease.
And this is the problem. So a lot of suspension and steering components now are
using what they call gusher bearings, so that when the component is created,
the grease is all the way around the ball and socket. So you'll see what that is. If you can't
visualize that right now, the ball and socket, the YouTube short that will come out today,
you'll see that the ball and socket and what it looks like when it's worn out
and they come apart. That's what happens. They break, they come apart and then your steering is
goes free. It's free and you can't steer it. The car's looking after it and it's scary. So
we want to pay the short end of this story is we want to pay closer attention to the potholes,
to the bumpy sections of the road that you drive every day, change lanes. That's what I do. I change,
I'll slow down and get out of that lane. It's why it's my suspension and steering. It's going to be
my back, my parts, my time to put it all back together. And when you're done, you got to take
it for an alignment and there's another couple hundred bucks. It's all money. So the more we
understand about suspension and steering and they are wear and tear items. Again, they're wear and
tear items. So if the sales guy's saying, oh no, that stuff's maintenance free. No, it's definitely
not maintenance free, buddy. Definitely not. Yeah, wear and tear items. That's what happens to them.
Sway bar links, wear and tear items, tie rod ends, wear and tear items,
McPherson struts, they don't last forever. You get longer life out of the imports,
not so much out of the domestics, just so you know. There's a difference there.
And this is where quality needs to change on behalf of the domestics. It's time to start giving the
consumer their money's worth. Yeah, price of goods does not reflect the quality of the goods being
sold, period. So till tomorrow, make it a great Monday morning. It's a short week this week for
many of you and we'll see you tomorrow morning at 8am for another motormouth morning drive.
Enjoy your day. Don't let anyone mess it up. It's Monday. It's a brand new week. Keep smiling,
happy healthy motoring, peace, patience and kindness always. And thank you to all our
program partners and to you, our loyal listeners and watchers that join us on YouTube, Facebook,
Instagram, Stevensvilleontheweb.ca. And thank you to all of you who make the effort
to grab some motormouth car connection merch and know that you're joining our crew
in the battle against addiction. Thank you so, so much. From Skippy and I, we love y'all. We'll
see you in the next one. Keep an eye on the roadways and keep it under 100. We'll see you in a bit.
Bye for now.
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