Expensive spring failure.
Discussion
Doing some winter jobs on the Chimaera in the garage today. Opened the boot lid then as I closed it and pushed the boot closed, I heard a sharp metallic ping from under the car.
The ping noise came from a snapped spring. Now the thing is these are 2 year old Nitrons with the blue springs. Under 3000 miles of road use with no track use. No rust on the springs, and powder coating like new. Spring has snapped right through, about 2 inches from the top. Not used the car for a couple of months with Scottish weather and work getting in the way, so glad I wasn’t driving it!
Anyone else had a spring fail in this way?
The ping noise came from a snapped spring. Now the thing is these are 2 year old Nitrons with the blue springs. Under 3000 miles of road use with no track use. No rust on the springs, and powder coating like new. Spring has snapped right through, about 2 inches from the top. Not used the car for a couple of months with Scottish weather and work getting in the way, so glad I wasn’t driving it!
Anyone else had a spring fail in this way?
I have never heard of a spring failing on one of our cars.
There seem to be a lot of spring failures on modern cars, especially the cheap hatchbacks.
The springs on these cars are especially of a small gauge unlike the springs on our cars.
I am sure Nitron will replace these as they must have a defect.
By comparison , I have Eibach Springs fitted to my suspension units. I have had these about 11–12 years and they must have done at least 50 track days and sprints. Still as good as new.
rI fitted Nitrons to my Griff when I was a U.K. resident. I was impressed with the build quality and attention to detail plus they were a major improvement to the cars ride and roadholding.
Never experienced a problem with them, I sold the Griff in 2012 and as far as I know no problems thus far.
I imported the Nitron as illustrated for the Ninja 650 ( that's what it's called here ) and clearly it's still in good order with no signs of corrosion or wear after 4 years. That's a recent picture taken last month.
I'd say you were extremely unlucky to experience a snapped spring in the way described.
I had a front spring snap on my 2006 Saab - no real noticeable effect other then a metallic double clunk when going over bumps/potholes in the road.
I twigged what had happened from the noise it made on compression/decompression.
Ditto on my old Merc ML - again, it drove fine., but that was a rear spring and I only found out then the MOT tester showed me.
So it might not be as bad as you think, and the OP may well have driven the car with it broken and not realised.
I twigged what had happened from the noise it made on compression/decompression.
Ditto on my old Merc ML - again, it drove fine., but that was a rear spring and I only found out then the MOT tester showed me.
So it might not be as bad as you think, and the OP may well have driven the car with it broken and not realised.
t, poor roads and traffic calming are not the main culprit even though they seldom help sure, that failure is strange , also annoying.....but whats the value of this spring? a cheap one 25 quid...a more expnsive one 50quid.....the time you post here the spring would have been already changed....job done, car roaworthy again.....
debating about the real reason of the failure? the result might be only estimations.
once you have replaced the spring, send the broken one to the supplier /manufacturer and see what they reply. if you are lucky you may also get a refund
debating about the real reason of the failure? the result might be only estimations.
once you have replaced the spring, send the broken one to the supplier /manufacturer and see what they reply. if you are lucky you may also get a refund
Edited by LLantrisant on Tuesday 25th December 09:40
Even some not so modern cars are prone to spring failure and one of those is the Rover 75 Diesel. They break front springs but the really odd thing is it usually happens when stationary or just starting off which is lucky because they often then tear through the inside of the front tyre. The 75 has BMW E47 suspension as it happens.
I helped a mate out working in his garage for quite awhile and so many modern and not so modern cars seem to snap springs, it was quite common it seemed to me.
He also had a fancy Porsche 993 maybe, can’t remember and that snapped both rear springs and cost a fortune to repair compared to TVR 40 quid babies
He also had a fancy Porsche 993 maybe, can’t remember and that snapped both rear springs and cost a fortune to repair compared to TVR 40 quid babies
Brithunter said:
Even some not so modern cars are prone to spring failure and one of those is the Rover 75 Diesel. They break front springs but the really odd thing is it usually happens when stationary or just starting off which is lucky because they often then tear through the inside of the front tyre. The 75 has BMW E47 suspension as it happens.
Whats an E47? 
Sardonicus said:
Brithunter said:
Even some not so modern cars are prone to spring failure and one of those is the Rover 75 Diesel. They break front springs but the really odd thing is it usually happens when stationary or just starting off which is lucky because they often then tear through the inside of the front tyre. The 75 has BMW E47 suspension as it happens.
Whats an E47? 
Sardonicus said:
TwinKam said:
E47 is a blinged up E46, common in sarf Lahnden, slammed, blacked windows, chrome wheel arch spats, that kinda fing, oh and lots of hidey-holes
That'll do you missed severe camber 
Oh sorry .... I meant stanced 
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