Stupid question time.

[stewies_minion]

Stupid question time.

I heard a loud snap as I walked away from my car earlier. It now looks a bit Dub Scene at one corner.

So the offside front suspension spring has given up and snapped. Oops.

Stupid question is - is sensible to drive it to my garage to get it fixed? It's about 12 miles away on A roads.

Car is a 2002 Passat sport.

I've driven it off the drive - crunch as its on a slope, and up the road to see what happened. Just felt low....

Any advice appreciated.

[iva cosworth]

You forgot a thread title.

Anyway,no i would not drive it 12 miles ,get it recovered.

It will be quite unstable with a spring gone thats noticeable.

Some springs snap and are not obviously broken but if your car is sagging

best not to drive.I am sure others will say it is fine if you take it easy.

your choice.

Edited by iva cosworth on Sunday 18th December 16:14

[Maximum Bobs]

In before the title..

[stewies_minion]

Stupid mobile site doofed the title.

I'll ring my roadside people tomorrow and see if they'll do it FOC.

Don't like my chances.

Sulk.

[Maximum Bobs]

^^ Best option if you can. The problem with broken springs is that the broken sharp ends have a tendency to rub on & puncture tyres.

[stewies_minion]

That sounds exactly like the kind of thing that happens to me.

Bloody cars. Happy Xmas.

Humph

[bristolracer]

Maximum Bobs said:

^^ Best option if you can. The problem with broken springs is that the broken sharp ends have a tendency to rub on & puncture tyres.

Yep this happened to me.
at speed on a motorway

Get it towed

[stewies_minion]

Thanks folks.

I'll defo be getting it towed. I don't want to make it any worse.

For merciless fks sake - cars are a royal pain.

[eldar]

I had a spring snap on my car. No obvious sign until the MOT fail!

[maniac0796]

Make sure it isn't touching the tyre. If not, then drive it on. If it is, then either try twisting it round so it's not, or get it recovered.

The people above who are saying you should get it recovered have no idea how many cars have broken springs that people don't know about.

[spikeyhead]

Sometimes they snap at the end, with minimal droop and the end staying on the cup.

Sometimes they snap in the middle, with more droop and the sharp bits sticking outwards, or getting moved further outwards towards a tyre with every passing bump.

The question is, do you feel lucky?

[Oilchange]

My Esprit had a broken spring I didn't know about, I just nkew they needed replacing as they were rusty and the handling was a bit st. I must have driven it about 10,000 miles like that!

It only became obvious when the chap put the spring compressor on.

[FreeLitres]

stewies_minion said:

Car is a 2002 Passat...

Yeah, should be fine

stewies_minion said:

...sport.

Holy st! Don't risk it with such a highly-tuned beast! I did't realise it was a sport!

[Maximum Bobs]

maniac0796 said:

Make sure it isn't touching the tyre. If not, then drive it on. If it is, then either try twisting it round so it's not, or get it recovered.

The people above who are saying you should get it recovered have no idea how many cars have broken springs that people don't know about.

The op has a broken front spring which can be a lot worse than having a broken rear spring. It also depends where the spring is broken, if it's the top or bottom 1 or two coils not such a big thing but if it's around the middle then it can be quite a big thing because there's nothing now keeping it upright & in place. It may not be touching the tyre or anything else at the moment but once the vehicle is driven & the wheels steered could easily move & create all kinds of problems.

I advised the op that getting it recovered would be the best course of action, I have not seen the broken spring so getting it recovered is the best course of action from my point of view, regardless of how many people are driving about on broken springs.

Edited by Maximum Bobs on Sunday 18th December 19:13

[66comanche]

Had a broken front spring on my 306gti-6 for some time before I realised - it had sheared off and re-seated in the correct position, with the broken section entwined in the affixed spring. Personally I would have a look at it to assess whether I'd feel comfortable driving it - on my car it was fine, you could not move the spring at all, but I could imagine plenty of other times it would be very dangerous. If it hadn't re-seated and was on the edge it could easily move with a sharp bump and then you have the aforementioned sharp spring through tyre at speed, not nice.

[stewies_minion]

FreeLitres said:

stewies_minion said:

Car is a 2002 Passat...

Yeah, should be fine

stewies_minion said:

...sport.

Holy st! Don't risk it with such a highly-tuned beast! I did't realise it was a sport!

Made me chuckle.

Sport is relevant in the sense that it's already got gash, low suspension. Rather than it'd be tricky to tame the beast at light speed.

It's sheared right off at the bottom and the wheel is right into the arch now - so I'm thinking it wants towing.

[bristolracer]

maniac0796 said:

The people above who are saying you should get it recovered have no idea how many cars have broken springs that people don't know about.

And that makes it safe to drive?
Would you let your wife / mother or daughter drive it like that? Really you would?

[stewies_minion]

£93 to move it 12 miles.

The sulk continues.

My garage has given me the number of a bloke they normally use - who predictably isn't answering.

fking cars.

[RB Will]

Got a mate who could tow it? You can rent a trailer for about £40 a day

[steveo3002]

how about jack it up and have a look where the break is