ThosL

Rock Auto has a very efficient search algorithm. Only Moog, Mevotech and AC Delco for part providers. https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/subaru,2002,forester,2.5l+h4,1378739,steering,tie+rod+end,7428 You are going to have a few lemons with every car parts provider. If you get them from Subaru, you will probably pay 2-3 times as much.

Before and after on alignment: Last time: https://i.imgur.com/UH27Cgk.jpg Today, different shop: https://i.imgur.com/WJkLK8y.jpg

I'll ask them why they don't use torches; Town Fair tire, generally good. Is the Moog not a good brand for the front end parts?

Nut would not turn, so the alignment facility tagged it as needing replacement; other threads on unit were probably further damaged when mechanic put it in vice to separate inner from outer which he had trouble doing. He put in the Moog unit I got. Mechanic did not know how to approximate alignment, vehicle was not really drivable when I left the shop and had to come back.

The tire alignment facility could not get the bolt to turn to accurately adjust alignment. The nice black mechanic was able to do the bare basics; but the front alignment was so far off when he was done that the car was really not drivable. I went back and when a bay opened up after an hour or two wait he was able to get it closer so the car could be driven. I'm looking forward to getting the alignment done tomorrow. I paid $150 for the job.

I went to the mechanic who had the tools today; a lift in a heated facility, a vice, cut off tool etc. which I don't have. A picture of the separated inner tie rod end:

I have the part; will check with Frank at the shop, who is the manager to see how much he'd charge for the job. I had the alignment done, free re alignment within 60 days; they flagged that part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NteheE_cO4 This is a fairly lucid video on changing the inner tied rod end, but there were a number of aspects of the job that scare me that make the job beyond my tool and aptitude level. What is the book time on doing this job for professionals? I went to a mechanic today after getting the tie rod end tool at Auto Zone who has done some excellent work for me in the past but he is too busy, doesn't charge enough. I'll try to check in with another mechanic on the job.

Our family had Toyotas back in the 1970s that were constantly breaking down. Later we got a Datsun 710 I think it was, with the six cylinder engine, just a phenomenal car and engine.

You can't emissions around here without having that working. Unexpected plug failure, how often do these fail? How do they fail? A pollution device apparently. They changed those plugs in 2003, larger, probably as an upgrade.

A friend was telling me about how an American business professional was largely responsible for how Japanese car manufacturing got better and better: https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/w-edwards-deming#:~:text=Edwards Deming%2C taught Japan's manufacturers,such as Toyota Motor Corp.&text=Asia eventually became a manufacturing giant. Hondas, Toyotas, Subarus and Nissans, etc. seemed to excel over American counterparts. Longevity, reliability, and the limited number of lemons seemed to stand out as features of their manufacturing in the 80s on. Deming recommended that quality control be done at every phase of manufacturing, not just at end phases. Suggestions by employees were also taken seriously and encouraged.

That ended up being the issue; the plug was faulty on a continuity test. So went to two junkyards, in 2003 they changed the plug, fatter mating surfaces. So I found an 11/2001 Outback with a compatible plug and changed it which resolved the CEL code.

There were a few people at work with jobs paying a buck or so over minimum that were checking around for used cars and ended up buying new or nearly new to the tune of $15-$20K or more, they will be making installment payments forever, nailed down as wage slaves. I would not wish that on anyone. The wastefulness and throw away economy is one of the big reasons for global warming and many problems in our country. And what happens if they are at fault in a car accident without comprehensive insurance? They still have to make the payments and if the car is totaled they have to think about getting another one.

I find it very inefficient to buy tools you will use one time; on this tow hitch installation project, I called two of my usual mechanics, both are very busy this week; one referred me to "Bob's service" who is busy for the next several weeks; I checked around to a number of UHaul installation garages, one in Orange was available, but that is a long drive and their reviews are poor. I used PB Blaster and a freeze product, used a torch on the stripped bolt and used "Gator" drive designed to help with bolts like that. No dice on that. There were a number of curve balls on this project that were not spelled out in the Draw Tite directions. How the alignment of the bolt installation that would get affected by pulling out the old tie downs, etc.. So some DIY installers have to use a screw driver etc. to shift the alignment so you can put their bolts in, which by the way have a 19mm head, not the 17mm of the ones you pull out. Also the installation of the muffler rubber grommet bracket is not clear in the directions for those who have never done one of these projects. Jostling around the muffler on this project also caused one of the intermediate pipes to snap; I used some products to buy me some time. The purchase of bolt extractor for $30 or so is highly wasteful if you never use the set again; in my case I had no other option and was able to remove the stubborn 17mm stripped bolt; also used lubricants and torch on that. I went to one mechanic who said he had none of those bolt extractors so could not help. Unbelievable, I thought most mechanics have $10K or more in diverse tools. My modus operandi has been sharing what I have as much as possible, so to have to buy single use tools strikes me as wasteful.

I hope you have been getting top dollar for your used car when you go to sell. How do you sell it? Do you trade it into for a new car at the dealer? The car donation options do not get the charities much in market value from what I have heard.

I will probably use one just once so will not buy a set I will never use again, and I did see what Amazon had but want to get it done as soon as possible.

Thanks for the information; I picked up a breaker bar at Auto Zone some 1/2" tools, and was able to loosen a number of the bolts; just have the one that is somewhat stripped so will be looking for a bolt removal tool tomorrow to get out the last one. Unfortunately my brother gave away a lot of his tools a couple years ago so has only 3/8" ones left.

Sorry that I brought up an old issue I had not heard how the company addressed the issue apparently as well as they could. There just aren't that many branded vehicles that keep running at 200-300K miles.

I meant that the head of the bolt is stripped; they do make ratchet fixtures to turn bolts like that but considering I haven't gotten it to turn yet I would rather have a mechanic tackle it with his expensive tools at $70/hour.

At least one of the bolts is stripped out so the job is more complicated; I checked with a local shop that does hitches who said that with the older frozen ones you may need to get a strong lubricant into the bolt from above or side, as spraying on from the bottom does not get where it is needed.

It just strikes me as a serious issue that should have been addressed instead of dragging on for years. Often the only motivation for companies to address the problem is an economic fear of downside losses that their shareholders and future customers will hold them accountable for.

And that is the reality for the vast majority. I recently quit my job at the local Home Depot. Doing self employment instead, pays a lot better. Just no incentives for most workers beyond getting in more hours if available. And the crazy high theft levels with law enforcement almost never called even when thieves pull knives out when questioned on thefts, no receipt. A $60 or so million store with over $7 million storewide in thefts; meanwhile workers work for a buck or two over the minimum. Money is being funneled to the top all statistics show and the propaganda machines about how great things are run 24/7.

I showed the bolts with the instructions from Draw Tite to a good mechanic today, and he did not know how he would get it off (though he probably could) and is very busy. So I may check with a shop that is available to do it.

I followed the directions, used my brother's quality ratchet with a 17mm socket and there is no way on earth using that that the bolts or nuts holding the rear tie downs in place will come out like that. All the PB Blaster in the world would not help much either.

https://www.smart-service.com/blog/subaru-warranty/subaru-head-gasket-will-subaru-pay-for-repair/ This seems to be an epidemic with many of the Subarus from the late 90s into the 2000s, head gasket failure as well as other common problems that lead to that such as the low quality radiators that make head gasket failure more common. Why haven't class action lawsuits had more success since these problems are so well known?