On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 10:23:32 -0400, maxpower wrote:

>
> "Hachiroku" > wrote in message
> news:SPzMg.817$J_2.273@trndny04...
>> On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 06:45:37 -0400, maxpower wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > "Hachiroku" > wrote in message
>> > news:%qnMg.40$SQ1.35@trndny09...
>> >> Crunch time...I'm trading SOMETHING for a Scion tomorrow morning.
>> >>
>> >> They are giving me $600 for a '94 LHS. The car is in good shape but
> needs:
>> >> Front Axle
>> >> All Shocks/Struts
>> >> Front wheel bearing (1)
>> >> Exhaust
>> >> Rear Trans mount
>> >> New tires (all)
>> >> Timing Belt
>> >> Valve Cover Gaskets
>> >>
>> >> I also have my 'infamous' 1992 Plymouth Gr Vger van. IT needs:
>> >> Brakes (all)
>> >> Rear Shocks
>> >> Windshield
>> >> Front Struts (maybe)
>> >> Inner Tie Rod end
>> >> New Motor
>> >>
>> >> I can get the motor for about 200, out of a Dynasty with 78,000 miles.
>> >> I can do more work on the van than I can on the LHS by myself.
>> >>
>> >> I like both equally for different reasons. The LHS is a Boulevard
> Cruiser,
>> >> and I think the most Comfortable car I have ever owned. It looks good
> and
>> >> everyone thinks it's a nice car.
>> >>
>> >> The van is by all accounts a POS, the motor has a bad head and ticks
> like
>> >> a time bomb but always gets there. It has AWD and I have a set of four
>> >> studded sonow tires. I play in a band so it is more useful than the
> LHS,
>> >> but let's face it...it's a Caravan!
>> >>
>> >> If I do ALL the work at once on both vehicles, the cost is only about
> $175
>> >> apart. I think the van, according to KBB is actually worth more than
> the
>> >> LHS. The van is also much more versatile than the Chrysler, but I can
>> >> carry my amps and instruments in the LHS.
>> >>
>> >> The real question here is, how tough it is to replace the Inner Tie Rod
>> >> end? I can do everything else but the struts, the motor and the
>> > windshield.
>> >> I can get a cheap rebuilt rack for $125 if I have to replace the entire
>> >> rack, and an ITE for $28.
>> >
>> > Acually the real question here is what car are we putting tie rods
> in??????
>> > you mention a Caravan and an LHS.
>>
>>
>> > I also have my 'infamous' 1992 Plymouth Gr Vger van. IT needs:
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>> > Brakes (all)
>> > Rear Shocks
>> > Windshield
>> > Front Struts (maybe)
>> > Inner Tie Rod end
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>
>> >>
>> >> I dno't think they'll take the van, so I may end up chewing this. I
> don't
>> >> mind because the AWD is good in the winter.
>> >>
>> >> Any ideas, suggestions or advice?
>>
> Ok, your post was rather confusing. But why are you wanting to replace the
> inner tie rods?

THe guy who doesw the state inspections is a friend of a friend, and has
inspected my cars for the past 5 years. He knows if he says something
needs to be done that I will get it done pronto, and when he looked at the
van he said the inner tie rod end was on the way out.

Sooooo....I traded the LHS and am now 'stuck' with the van...The LHS was a
much better car, but most of the work it needed was something I would have
to pay someone else to do. Most of the stuff that needs replacing on the
van is stuff I can do, for the most part. What I traded in depepnded on
how much of a biotch it was to replace the tie rod!

But, even though I don't use the van that much, I live in New England and
work in Vermont, and the van is AWD, and the only GOOD thing about the van
is, of all things, the transmission! So, I decided to keep the van, and
now need to get down to the business of getting it road ready. Winter's a
comin'!!!