Front vertical link - unlinks

[glassthorpe]

Was out in the Vixen yesterday when the front right hand upright broke. The threaded part that goes into the trunnion sheared straight off - obviously the wheel collapsed onto the inner wing/foot well. Luckily I was only doing about 15mph turning off an A road into a side road.
No obvious reason why this should have happened - I wasn't braking or cornering hard and didn't hit any pot holes or anything - I can only think that the trunnion had seized in the bottom wishbone and instead of rotating on the bush as the suspension went up and down snapped the upright.
Is this a common occurence ?

Thanks to all who stopped and offered help.

[davidy]

Relatively common experience, especially with old uprights that have not been lubricated over the years.

I sued to use EP90 instead of grease and never had any issues (M series)

Talk to Adrian at ExactlyTVR or Steve Reid

davidy

[glassthorpe]

The upright hadn't seized in the trunnion as I've managed to remove the threaded part with a fingertip.

http://pics.fotango.com/pictures/0400295803_001P.jpg

[krispy]

Ouch! An unpleasant happening that I had the misfortune to experience a couple of years ago. I was moving away from a petrol pump when the front left gave way...leaving me blocking two pumps and providing amusement for everyone for a couple of hours.

My trunnions were less than a year old and had been oiled religously and checked everytime the car was up at Adrian Venns. The blanking plug at the bottom of the trunnion had pushed out slightly allowing oil to leak away. Adrian was totally puzzled by why this should have happened and, after chats with various people (including Ian Massey-Crosse if I remember rightly) thought it might be due to over-tight tolerances on the modern trunnions. The thinking was that if they're too snug a fit on the upright there's no room for the oil to move up and down the threads and lubricate. If it gathers at the bottom of the link as a result, it might be possible for it to be forced past the blanking plug.

Whatever it was, I'm now paranoid about the damned things letting go again.
Anyway, you have my sympathy! No damage to the bonnet I hope?

Kris..
'75 1700M

[glassthorpe]

krispy said:
Whatever it was, I'm now paranoid about the damned things letting go again.

Kris..
'75 1700M

I'm not sure I'll ever feel comfortable again knowing something like this can happen - I had just got off the M45, if it had happened when I was doing 85mph I think the outcome would have been a lot different.
In future I will replace the trunnion bushes and carry out a good inspection at least every 12 months.

[krispy]

If it's any consolation, the suspension only usually lets go when the load is high, i.e. under low-speed cornering. I think you'd have to be VERY unlucky to have it collapse at 85. Nevertheless, regular maintenance and replacement every year can't be a bad thing!

Kris..