This could've been very nasty......

[molineux1980]

91 1.6 MX-5

I went for a 50 mile blast last night, involving lanes, dual carriage ways and roundabouts last night, and noticed the steering feeling a little 'odd'. Earlier in the week I had heard a slight groaning. I assumed it was tired shocks, and it seemed to go away.

However on the way to work, I noticed my steering wheel was slightly, but noticeably off centre. As I turned left onto my works car park, there was a grinding noise then the car lurched and dropped. I got out to find the O/S front wheel at a 45° angle, bending the bumper and wing slightly.



We jacked it up nervously, and found the wheel flapping around - The lower balljoint/ swivel joint had popped out. Fortunately, the damage is minimal, and the RAC patrol chap fitted a new one for the princely sum of £28. Gonna get all bushes and swivel joints replaced asap, and i'm counting my chickens that it didn't let go when I was driving, ahem, spiritedly last night!

edit: thats my old man checking for the jacking points - I didn't run him over!

[Munter]

[LukeBird]

Bloody hell!
That would have hurt a bit if that had happened whilst giving it some!

[Tommo 87]

That could have been quite bad, glad all is ok

[skinny]

never heard of that going before - had you been doing any work on teh suspension?

[molineux1980]

Nope, it's standard and passed the MOT only 4 weeks ago. I don't know whether the proliferation of speed bumps around where I live have anything to do with it.

[JonnyFive]

I've heard of that before once. Get the other side checked too.

[heebeegeetee]

In fairness, the products of British Leyland used to do that all the time.

[molineux1980]

JonnyFive said:

I've heard of that before once. Get the other side checked too.

It's been done today, with an instuction to renew anything else that looks like its worn out!

[jonstable]

Woah, lucky escape! Might get my mechanic chap to checkthe same as it's in for service this week.
Best colour on a 5 by the way

[redgriff500]

Strangely enough when I got my MOT done today the tester said he MOT'd an MG ZT and that had exactly the same thing happen a matter of days after the MOT.

Unfortunately $hit happens.

[Spitfire2]

That's a proper authentic "British Sports Car Type failure" there.

suspension upright failures looking just like that are pretty common on the front suspension on old Elan's (and of course Spitfires etc on which the Elan suspension is based).

[trackerjack]

Yep you have found that the Japs copied the great british sports car well!
I doubt that you have read it anywhere but TR5/6 would rip the front suspension bracket off the chassis with a similar result to your mishap.