3200GT 1999 New and strange problem between F/R hub carrier and lower wishbone

[Zombie]

Dear all,
Having just got over a ball joint which removed itself from the front lower right wishbone, I replaced both front wishbones with 4200 units.

But miles from home whilst manoeuvring out of a parking space, I got that "sinking feeling" on the RHS and thought the same thing had happened again and the ball joint had broken out of the lower wishbone. I was wrong though, the ball joint was fine! Then I thought nut must have come off - but no it was stil there along with the washer. What the heck was going on??

The ball joint, threaded neck of the ball joint was intact and still fastened onto it was the washer and the nut meant to hold it securely onto the hub carrier supporting all the weight of the strut at the same time. Mysteriously the bolt and washer had magically gone through the hole in the hub carrier (obviously supposed to be smaller diameter than the washer diameter) in the hub carrier itself. Looks like the hub carrier mounting point might have a crack in it, which has allowed the ball joint fastening plus nut and washer to get pulled all the way through and thereby detached itself. Might even have been made worse by the cold weather.

Don't know if anyone has seen this before? is it a known fault - cure looks like bigger fastening washers all round the lower wishbones spread the load a bit better? A new hub carrier is definitely on the cards any tips or other thoughts??

All the very best,
Zombie

 

[davy83]

That sounds pretty odd and pretty dangerous! are you sure the 4200 lower wishbones are compatible? Its sounds awfully like they are different and you are now finding out why? i would be tempted to get it all apart and look closely at what has actually happened, since this is clearly not a regular event.

 

[conaero]

Yes, 4200 wishbones are ok to use, did so myself without issue.

Best get that down to the local garage for a gander.

 

[Zombie]

Mystery solved.

The reason for the failure was that someone had used a hacksaw to "ease" the job of removing the front lower wishbones ball joint studs from the hub carrier not really understanding that hacking away at the hub carrier would have no effect really except on the guide bearing seating in the hub carrier.

A generous groove had been sawed away from the hub carrier to get at the ball joint stud which I guess must have been seized in the sleeve bearing/guide bearing.

Quality == a consistent approach so the same hacksaw job was done on the passenger side as well as the driver side !!

Clearly on the drivers side the groove had opened itself up and the sleeve bearing had fallen through the weakened hub carrier along with the still fastened nut and the ball joint stud.

On the positive side - no worries about the hub carrier - just a case of a non Maserati specialist doing a thorough job of sabotaging the 3200GT !