Warning!

Evo Cymru said:
Got round to removing mine this morning too. Both sides had no evidence of cracking that I could see, even the side that had the seized bolts. Similarly the bushes looked a bit knackered so now considering replacing these as the wishbones are off the car. Bottom ball joints look OK. Out of interest are the ball joints replaceable or do you have to get a new wishbone?

Olly
Click to expand...

Olly

Did you have to chop off the seized bolts?
How much kit did you remove to get at the bolt / nut ?
 
Yep; seems like one of those "Well i'm doing this so I may as well, whilst I'm there" sort of jobs. The ARB bushes are < £5 each and even the saddle bracket for them is only a couple of quid so it is a no brainer really.
 
Checked mine last week. all OK. Removed the brake air ducts so that I could remove the front bolts which I then cooper greased, I removed the rear bolts as far as the steering arms would allow and the greased them as well. All bolts were then tightened up with the suspension jacked up under the lower arm and compressed into its normal laden position.

Rex B

Manual 3200
 
rs48635 said:
Olly

Did you have to chop off the seized bolts?
How much kit did you remove to get at the bolt / nut ?
Click to expand...

Yes I had to saw off two which was a bit of a bugger! Access was Okay, only had to remove the steering control arm. For the bottom ball joint I had to modify my existing splitter to fit. Not too bad really.

Olly
 
Update!

Cleaned up the wishbones and a better look today and sadly I have found some cracks! There is one on the side where the the bolt was seized but even on the other wishbone with un-seized bolts there is evidence of a crack forming. Both seem to be alone the forge point.

P1070285.jpgP1070288.jpg


I did not spot these with the wishbones still on the car so am glad I decided to take them off to check more closely!

Olly
 
Olly,

Wow. Just as well you did take them off and have a look!

I was speaking to my mechanic last week and we went through the theoretical causes that cause the cracks that we've discussed on here, and actually came to the conclusion that none of them should cause the cracks unless the part was incredibly weak.

1) Seized bolts. So what.. the centre shouldn't move anyway so a seized bolt shouldn't put any more load on the wishbone.
2) Incorrect tool used to swap bushes. Well yes if somebody used a hammer and a socket to bash them in yes, but done correctly with the wishbone supported there is no load going through the arm.
3) Tightening up bolts whilst unloaded. The Maserati service manual shows you full assembly whilst the subframe is off the car... so impossible to load them into the correct position going by "the book". They'd have to be a long way out to cause this and the chances are you wouldn't be able to connect the suspension components if they were that far out.

So the only thing I can think of is old age and metal fatigue is the prime culprit... or unless there is something causing the bush rubber to expand over time causing an excess of pressure on the wishbone?.. but generally bushes wear and become sloppy?.. Hmm..

Mark
 
Which is exactly what the conclusion of my mechanic mate was Mark. HE just said get them remade but with a much stronger alloy metal. Surely it can't be hard to fabricate some of these and get a group buy going?
 
I am going to suggest there is enough evidence of this occurring to get the VOSA involved as the implication of catastrophic failure at speed are terrifying. Yes a group buy would be possible but VOSA will make Maserati manage a recall on all vehicles. The fact that the forum can lead this could be a very positive thing.
 
As for a cause, I have a theory along these lines...

These are cast in a two part sand mould with multiple arms being cast off a central tree where the liquid alloy is poured in. As a result if the piercings for the bushes the liquid alloy fills one side first then spills over to form the top side, although minute the temprature difference or small amounts of slag can be incorporated at that point. Either would be sufficient to result in this latent defect.
 
OMFG
This is now officially terrifying me. My car is off the road until the issue is sorted.

I have been flying around in my car for years, with many of those journeys being "Dream Rides". These are passenger rides for people who donate to children's chariites organised by the Sporting Bears. As such my passengers are often family groups or just children.

I am fully willing to use my own car (I am luck enough to use thjis one as my toy) as a VOSA test case, if they want to send an engineer.
 
Olly

Was it hard work sawing through the bolts?
I do have new hacksaw blades, but suspect a power tool will make a better fist of it.
 
Suggested this a few post back...but if I am correct would they not need to X ray the wishbones to detect micro cracking which would proceed full cracks being visible to the eye?

They should replace all the wishbones FOC
 
I am happy to help too and use my car as Rob is. I am in the process of booking it into Emblem and it is listed on the to do list. I think mine is now off the road too until all arms have been check, double checked and triple checked!
 
Scary indeed! Will I take mine off the road? hmmm probably until I've had it up and had a ruddy good look.

2b1ask1 said:
As for a cause, I have a theory along these lines...

These are cast in a two part sand mould with multiple arms being cast off a central tree where the liquid alloy is poured in. As a result if the piercings for the bushes the liquid alloy fills one side first then spills over to form the top side, although minute the temperature difference or small amounts of slag can be incorporated at that point. Either would be sufficient to result in this latent defect.
Click to expand...

That should like the most likely cause to me having a little knowledge of car bits and bobs.
 
2b1ask1 said:
As for a cause, I have a theory along these lines...

These are cast in a two part sand mould with multiple arms being cast off a central tree where the liquid alloy is poured in. As a result if the piercings for the bushes the liquid alloy fills one side first then spills over to form the top side, although minute the temprature difference or small amounts of slag can be incorporated at that point. Either would be sufficient to result in this latent defect.
Click to expand...
Possible, the crystal structure could change at that point where they meet. They would need NDT and if that was the case then would be a manufacturing defect and not general wear and tear. Strange how they would fail along a thicker part without some other influence.
 
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