CatmanV2
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- Thread starter mchristyuk
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conaero
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This is bad, I have not heard of it on a 4200 before. The casting is different on the 4200 arms but they still suffer this fault.
So to check for seized bolts, I simply unbolt them, remembering to catch the shims, inspect, grease the bolt and refit yes?
What are the fanblocks?
So to check for seized bolts, I simply unbolt them, remembering to catch the shims, inspect, grease the bolt and refit yes?
What are the fanblocks?
allandwf
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They wouldn't like that, it would mean another recall. The subframe was recalled to to cracks. There's always hope though, and hopefully before a nasty accident is involved.
marios kriticos
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Guys ,
This is because sometime the aluminium cracks on the casting join .
This is the reason they should be checked every time they go in for a service , also if someone replaces the bush's and they don't have the correct pullers to do the job they can crack the aluminium and then eventually fails all together .
This is the reason I keep saying you should never be modifying wish bones ans you have to use the correct pullers to remove and refit .
Marios
This is because sometime the aluminium cracks on the casting join .
This is the reason they should be checked every time they go in for a service , also if someone replaces the bush's and they don't have the correct pullers to do the job they can crack the aluminium and then eventually fails all together .
This is the reason I keep saying you should never be modifying wish bones ans you have to use the correct pullers to remove and refit .
Marios
marios kriticos
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Guys , sometimes also the Bolts seize in the bush and as the car is moving the complete Bush moves with in the casing and that can cause the wishbone to crack .
We have seen this on 3200,4200,Qp ,and G/Turismo
Marios
We have seen this on 3200,4200,Qp ,and G/Turismo
Marios
conaero
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Thanks Marios.
Guys, I have just has a long chat with Marios on the phone, as he says above the issue is well documented.
First off, you need to have your lower wishbone inner fixings checked for cracks. Jack the car up and take the wheel off, get a torch and an inspection mirror and look for cracking around the bolt at the back where the casting is sanded. Next, if its all ok, remove the bolts (and watch out for the shims dropping out, thread a zip tie through to stop them getting mixed up) to see if its seized. If not, copper slip the bolt and refit and torque to 98Nm.
If you need the fan blocks replaced at any point, send them to Marios for him to do with the correct press, DO NOT USE A STANDARD WORKSHOP PRESS TO REMOVE THE FANBLOCKS. This will stress the casting and start the splitting.
IF IN DOUBT GET IT CHECKED BY THE MAIN DEALER OR REPUTABLE SPECIALIST.
Guys, I have just has a long chat with Marios on the phone, as he says above the issue is well documented.
First off, you need to have your lower wishbone inner fixings checked for cracks. Jack the car up and take the wheel off, get a torch and an inspection mirror and look for cracking around the bolt at the back where the casting is sanded. Next, if its all ok, remove the bolts (and watch out for the shims dropping out, thread a zip tie through to stop them getting mixed up) to see if its seized. If not, copper slip the bolt and refit and torque to 98Nm.
If you need the fan blocks replaced at any point, send them to Marios for him to do with the correct press, DO NOT USE A STANDARD WORKSHOP PRESS TO REMOVE THE FANBLOCKS. This will stress the casting and start the splitting.
IF IN DOUBT GET IT CHECKED BY THE MAIN DEALER OR REPUTABLE SPECIALIST.
mchristyuk
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What I find concerning is the amount of items on these cars that seem completely under-engineered for the job they were intended to do.
Your humble Ford Focus can do 100's of thousands of miles without the wishbones exploding and they're designed for 100mph top speeds.
Our cars are designed to do 170mph+, so you would think they would be so under-stressed at normal driving conditions they would go on for ever. But no.. one rusty bolt and if not caught in time you're looking at a £1000 new suspension arm, or being pitched off into a tree. The handbrakes, the clutches, the ball joints.. the list goes on.. lots of money for not very well made parts.
As we all know an MOT is only good at the time the car was checked.. and just because your arm is good when the service is done doesn't seem to be a guarantee that it's going to be good 3 or 4 months down the line...
It's all very well saying the issue is well documented, but it appears this is the first time it's been brought to light to the poor people sat behind the wheel of the cars....
Mark
Your humble Ford Focus can do 100's of thousands of miles without the wishbones exploding and they're designed for 100mph top speeds.
Our cars are designed to do 170mph+, so you would think they would be so under-stressed at normal driving conditions they would go on for ever. But no.. one rusty bolt and if not caught in time you're looking at a £1000 new suspension arm, or being pitched off into a tree. The handbrakes, the clutches, the ball joints.. the list goes on.. lots of money for not very well made parts.
As we all know an MOT is only good at the time the car was checked.. and just because your arm is good when the service is done doesn't seem to be a guarantee that it's going to be good 3 or 4 months down the line...
It's all very well saying the issue is well documented, but it appears this is the first time it's been brought to light to the poor people sat behind the wheel of the cars....
Mark
conaero
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Marios was very specific to use only Copper slip and not regular grease. Its only going on the bolt and the inners tube of the bush.
allandwf
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All will be good, stand corrected
conaero
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All will be good, stand corrected
What is Anti sieze....enlighten me???
Rex B
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Matk
Must have been frightening, Glad your OK.
Did you say that you had just had new Flanblocks fittedand if this was the case how long was this done before the failure? and could this have been a contributory factor in the failure. It was really lucky that you were going fairly slow and that no one else was involved.
As well as copper grease on the bolt would it also be a good idea when tightening the Lower Arm bolts to do this with the suspension in the normal static position ( as if the car sitting on its wheels) as this would mean the rubber is bush is not under stress in static conditions and less stress when running, if you understand what I am trying to say.
Rex B
Manual 3200
Must have been frightening, Glad your OK.
Did you say that you had just had new Flanblocks fittedand if this was the case how long was this done before the failure? and could this have been a contributory factor in the failure. It was really lucky that you were going fairly slow and that no one else was involved.
As well as copper grease on the bolt would it also be a good idea when tightening the Lower Arm bolts to do this with the suspension in the normal static position ( as if the car sitting on its wheels) as this would mean the rubber is bush is not under stress in static conditions and less stress when running, if you understand what I am trying to say.
Rex B
Manual 3200
highlander
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mchristyuk
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Hi Rex
It certainly could be contributory, but we will never know. As I said before the fact my spare arm was showing signs of the same failure and Greg has binned lots of arms for this failure shows it is a widespread issue. And of course the ones Greg has binned have come of cars people were driving.
How many of us are driving around with cracked arms and don't know?
I hope my experience helps to keep everyone else safe. This is a safety issue and shouldn't be known only by a select few.
Mark
It certainly could be contributory, but we will never know. As I said before the fact my spare arm was showing signs of the same failure and Greg has binned lots of arms for this failure shows it is a widespread issue. And of course the ones Greg has binned have come of cars people were driving.
How many of us are driving around with cracked arms and don't know?
I hope my experience helps to keep everyone else safe. This is a safety issue and shouldn't be known only by a select few.
Mark
jpmondalek
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Major wake-up call and glad you are safe! Please add me to the pre-production group buy for these control arms...my mechanic recently said my "front bushes are weak"