Suspension collapse

[CraigWaterman11]

I tend to see a few of these every now and again even on the road around here. Pot holes can be a dangerous thing for ball joints. They could pass inspection three months prior and still fail after a couple of good ones. Actually, I just saw a woman last week in the middle of the street with this exact issue. Her's was on the right side, but it's seems more common to the left side where (at least in the U.S.) the holes are harder to see. Sorry to hear of your plight. Hope everything gets better for you.

 

[StuartW]

Wow, that looks awful & others have said, good job you're ok and it didn't happen at speed - I hope it's not as bad as it looks. Good luck

 

[Rex B]

Scary, you just don't expect things like this to happen but at least your OK. It looks like the ball joint has fractured just just below the taper unusual particular as its right hand side.

Rex B

 

[rockits]

Echoing all that your OK and best wishes for your back pocket on the repair.

Suspension components on all cars need be stronger in the UK it seems with our shocking roads and potholes. Glad it wasn't at high or higher speed. The two failures while driving both seem to have been at low speed which is more lick than judgement.

Is it me or does that alloy/composite look a little light on density?

 

[philw696]

Sorry to see that but better to be lucky and it happen at a low speed.
Be interested to see the outcome.

 

[hladun]

When you look at the upside-down picture you can't tell whether the ball spindle failed or whether the nut came off. Alfi Boy can you check which it was? The hub in the background of the picture and the arm and ball joint look OK. The booth has failed but was that before or after the suspension failure? If the nut came off then I don't think you'll get much sympathy from Maserati and for the rest of us checking the ball joint nuts should be added to routine maintenance. In the old days these nuts on the suspension where wired not to come off.

 

[allandwf]

Are they not single use nyloc?

 

[alfi boy]

What I've asked McGraphs to do in an email today is to keep all removed damaged parts so that I can see what failed in which order, as soon as I have any info I'll post it up, it does look like the nut or thread holding the bolt snapped, the remaining damage seems to of come from the wheel and lower wish bone coming into contact with each other.

 

[hladun]

Are they not single use nyloc?

They probably are but the weight of the car hangs on the nut and if it starts to loosen the pounding will probably undo it.

Alfi boy, thanks for getting the info. Hope the repairs are reasonable.

 

[davy83]

Seems unlikely the nut just came loose especially if it was inspected a few months previous and not adverse feelings from steering. Also this does not appear to be related to the wishbone so not another case in that saga. it looks to me like the ball joint pulled out of the socket? or the retainer that holds it into the wishbone broke free. Could be a corrosion issue? or just a severe pothole?

 

[miket]

Seems unlikely the nut just came loose especially if it was inspected a few months previous and not adverse feelings from steering. Also this does not appear to be related to the wishbone so not another case in that saga. it looks to me like the ball joint pulled out of the socket? or the retainer that holds it into the wishbone broke free. Could be a corrosion issue? or just a severe pothole?

Still an inherent component of the wishbone that is suspect though!
Will be interesting to see what McGraths make of it when it's stripped down....

 

[Zep]

I tend to agree. the ball joint shaft is basically parallel onto which a tapered bush sits and this is all then bolted into the upright. To my eye, the taper bush is still in the upright but the top half of the ball joint shaft is not in the picture. If the whole ball joint or shaft had been pulled out the damage to the dust cover would have been much more severe as the metal ring at top is still there, as it stands it looks like it was cut from the side and so it was a secondary effect. Either way its a total bugger, fingers crossed for an easy fix...

 

[VMSRTI]

That is a real worry

 

[davy83]

Yeah one more thing to worry about, as if just staying on the road when the turbos kick in, wasn't enough!

That is a real worry

 

[Guest 1678]

Interestingly, mine failed its MOT last week because of a 'snapped bolt' in the suspension. I am awaiting details of exactly what bolt and will update.

Now sorted and a new bolt fitted.

I feel very fortunate.

 

[StuartW]

Interestingly, mine failed its MOT last week because of a 'snapped bolt' in the suspension. I am awaiting details of exactly what bolt and will update.

Now sorted and a new bolt fitted.

I feel very fortunate.

A lucky escape by the sounds of it

 

[Contigo]

Considering the "fun" we had in Le Mans last year in said car yes it was a lucky escape!

 

[hladun]

There's an eerie silence here. Alfi boy, what happened at McGrath????

 

[alfi boy]

Yes sorry for the delay, I was waiting to receive more detail from McGrath although Paul who is working on the car has told me that the bolt on the bottom wishbone ball joint seems to of snapped just below the threaded point, he has never come across this happening before so thats a good Omen!

The damage extended to a complete lower wishbone £999.00 genuine part, second hand wheel yet to be refurbed in matching colour, two new tyres and possible wheel alignment once its been test driven and 4 hours labour. It soon tots up.

I must say that McGraths have been superb in doing only whats needed to get me up and running again. The AA recovery people used a transporter that could lift the car using all four wheels so no body damage thankfully.

Pocket will feel lighter but im genuinely grateful it was not any worse a situation. I cant wait to enjoy the old car again.

I hope this is somewhat reassuring for those that worry about weak suspension problems, as this seems a rare event. All the best Sean

 

[StuartW]

Thanks for the update Sean and that really could have been a whole lot worse. And a great endorsement for Magraths too, they sound an excellent bunch.

I hope that's your bad luck over and you'll have your car back in time for when the sun comes out - best of luck