No balljoint recall on a 96 GST Spyder??

[97gst_spyder]

So I attempted to get an alignment yesterday. They couldn't get the car on the rack. They've been able to get it up there for over a year on the current setup (springs/struts). I had them lift the car up on a standard lift. The strut bushing was gone.

I called Mitsu (2 different dealers), and they state that no recalls have been done. Also, that there are no open recalls on the car.

Is this possible?? I thought all 2g's had the ball joint recall. My 97 GST Spyder had it, my buddies 95GST had it. Even the 98 Talon Auto AWD I have in the garage had the recall done...

Any thoughts?

 

[GSXSixteenG]

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls/results.cfm

Should be a recall of the lower ball joint.

 

[LiquidX]

If you cannot get it done for whatever reason, the front lower lateral control arms are roughly $50 each OEM.

 

[97gst_spyder]

Huh, 96 Spyder is the only one without the notice... Odd.

 

[jtmcinder]

If by "strut bushing was gone" you are saying that the lower shock bushing (in the lateral arm) is gone, then this suggests to me that, when you installed the new shocks and springs, you tightened the bolts with the suspension at full droop. That would put that particular bushing under a twisting pre-load when you put the car back down on its wheels, which would rip that bushing apart.

Note to everyone who installs new front shocks and/or springs on a 2G: don't tighten the bolts until the car has its weight on the suspension. You want all bolts tightened at static ride height. Also, if and when you have the lateral arm recall done, make sure that the dealer does it correctly. If you aren't sure that they did it correctly, drive you car to a place with a pit and loosen and retighten all of the bolts. In the case of a replaced lateral arm, you need to loosen and retighten the inboard end and the shock bushing.

 

[GSXSixteenG]

Huh, 96 Spyder is the only one without the notice... Odd.

Interesting, I looked up 97 GST Spyder, not 96. Neither 95 or 96 Spyder has the recall on the NHTSA site.

 

[97gst_spyder]

Yes, I tightened it at full droop. I have a set of new arms with Prothanes installed already off my old 97 Spyder, but I was wanting a nice set to have as extras.

BTW, they did not make a 95 Spyder.

I guess Mitsu won this time.