GT4 strut top failure
Discussion
boxsey said:
Who are most folk? Most folk who have a GT4 have not had this failure. Including a lot that have been on track. The one and only failure on a UK GT4 that is being discussed most recently here has hit something so hard that it bent a wheel. There is no footage of the time that the strut top actually fractured. So we don't know when it happened and what the circumstances were. The owner certainly isn't admitting anything. And there are suggestions in the comments section of the YT video that the front suspension had been stiffened up which would make the turrets even more susceptible to damage from an impact.
Until there are frequent cases of GT4 turrets fracturing when driven normally on road and track this one has to be put down to user induced.
Its not the one and only UK GT4 though is it? Another failed very recently and has just sold at auction after being written off as seen here..Until there are frequent cases of GT4 turrets fracturing when driven normally on road and track this one has to be put down to user induced.
https://auctions.car-transplants.co.uk/vehicle-lis...
It seems to be affecting 991 GT3 as well. Again another just sold at auction very recently..
https://auctions.car-transplants.co.uk/vehicle-lis...
Seems to be a weak link in Porsche's current GT design. I'm after a GT4 as a track toy and I know every car has a flaw, but this is an expensive fix if this happens on track
WORRALL. said:
Its not the one and only UK GT4 though is it? Another failed very recently and has just sold at auction after being written off as seen here..
https://auctions.car-transplants.co.uk/vehicle-lis...
Thanks for pointing that one out. At least that ad is honest and states it wrecked the front tower over a pothole (you can see damage to the wheel and to the splitter). Watch the very first video from vehicle villains about the yellow GT4 and you'll see that they take it on a long B road jaunt. Often travelling at three figure speeds down narrow roads, TC and PSM off and no doubt PASM on firm, at night. Do that regularly and they're bound to have hit some potholes hard along the way. https://auctions.car-transplants.co.uk/vehicle-lis...
I was trying to make the point that (with the blue one in the link) there has been two UK failures out of ca. 600 GT4s, yet lots of GT4s have done lots of trackdays without this happening. If normal track driving was a problem for the GT4 (and 991GT3) we would have seen lots of failures by now. And we would all be up in arms about it. There have been a few more failures in the US and specifically on track but that's probably because they're rough arses over there (they've broke more 3rd gears than us too) who believe it's fine to bounce over the top of kerbs and put wheels on the grass rather than stay within the kerbs as we're supposed to. Anyone that goes to Donington will know that we're told at the briefing to treat the sausage kerb at the chicane as the track limit and that if we try cutting it we're likely to damage our cars.
boxsey said:
Who are most folk? Most folk who have a GT4 have not had this failure. Including a lot that have been on track. The one and only failure on a UK GT4 that is being discussed most recently here has hit something so hard that it bent a wheel.
Yes but the same location/part keeps failing on loads of cars, isn't this quite the common? I agree with the hard-use might bring more chances but this is definitely a design issue, they should have tested this properly. Porsche AG is not alone on bean-counting department when it comes to cost saving on materials unfortunately, most european manufacturers were slacking big time imho. Their strategy must be, the ideal longevity should be max. 4 years thanks to PCP owners with warranty. They could not care less for the rest.dreamcar said:
Apparently according to an acknowledged Porsche authority the chance failures of this type are dramatically increased if the suspension is lowered more than standard Porsche specification
Yep - I referenced this in my post before - and also speaking with JZM today, whilst getting geo check, they were saying the same thing... if you lower too much - you run out of travel and therefore much more susceptible to this type of thing. That said - they were pretty shocked (pardon the pun) about the whole issue... and put it down to extreme use and exceeding known acceptable car limits - just like any product.Yeah it's just like any product. The number of times I've passed cars of all types parked up with the bonnet up and a suspension component protruding into the air I've literally lost count. Actually no when I think ours something that only happens with Porsche's halo products and literally no other car.
fridaypassion said:
Yeah it's just like any product. The number of times I've passed cars of all types parked up with the bonnet up and a suspension component protruding into the air I've literally lost count. Actually no when I think ours something that only happens with Porsche's halo products and literally no other car.
Not sure if you were being sarcastic or not... but in any case - I just meant that all products and things have limitations... man made or natural. if you exceed limits - things can break. Not saying in this case that Porsche shouldn't have done a better job, or that they shouldn't be held somewhat responsible.. but then the user of product should have an understanding that the product has limits also.For the GT4 Its happened to like maybe 20 cars globally that have been reported on forums, worst case scenario, on a run of what...4500-5000? and as has been mentioned - when you dig into the detail of those cases - the car has been lowered to the near the end of threads or there has been some huge sudden load, like a massive off or huge pothole at big speed which has also damaged other components like wheels.
Edited by TDT on Friday 1st March 22:53
GT4RS said:
So from my understanding this failure effects of the following cars?
981 gt4
991.1 gt3
991.2 gt3
Do we know if it effects the rs models?
Has there been any reports of this happening on non gt product?
Theoretically could affect all 9x1 generation cars, including RS’s. It’s all the same architecture and materials. 981 gt4
991.1 gt3
991.2 gt3
Do we know if it effects the rs models?
Has there been any reports of this happening on non gt product?
Just that most of those are holed up in people garages or carcoons. Lol.
JayK12 said:
Yep - i got shown this on Friday... can clearly see that there has been a big hit - front and rear wheels have damage in addition to the Strut top.Can change the name of this thread now! - lol
Edited by TDT on Wednesday 13th March 12:46
JayK12 said:
Wow.. even hitting a huge pothole shouldn't result in that! Broken wheel at the most.
Having owned a Z4 for years, a car with the most useless amount of suspension travel in existence all i ever got was cracked rims, punctures and an aching back!
Jez m said:
JayK12 said:
Wow.. even hitting a huge pothole shouldn't result in that! Broken wheel at the most.
Having owned a Z4 for years, a car with the most useless amount of suspension travel in existence all i ever got was cracked rims, punctures and an aching back!
It’s bloody worrying but you do wonder what the car went through for that to happen. You have to think Porsche test these cars to a pretty significant extent and you’d hope a significant weekness would present itself. I supposed they aren’t going to test the car to destruction though!
ChrisW. said:
I wonder if this part is work hardening and should be "life" ?
Early i the thread the part is around £220 ? x 2 plus fitting ?
Personally I’d be looking at what they do to rally cars. They strengthen known weak points by adding metal, I wouldn’t think it will be long before one of the big tuning companies are offering strengthening panels which can be welded in to resolve this issue. Doesn’t the early R8 have a similar problem which is resolved this way?Early i the thread the part is around £220 ? x 2 plus fitting ?
isaldiri said:
Iirc the 981 clubsport had some extra steel plates around the front strut (cast aluminium I believe) towers? Would have thought that would be retrofittable assuming I remember that right.
IIRC I Believe there has been at least one report of damage in this scenario also, and Porsche published guidance to race teams on how to repair. Gassing Station | Boxster/Cayman | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff