Shocks

[General Custard]

Hi

Has anyone else suffered a serious failure of a shock?

I have just had a very lucky escape when one of my front shocks sheared completely, with minimal warning the front collapsed . I was only doing 10mph on a country lane, but had just come off a dual carriageway which would have had a very different outcome.

I need to check my records, but they are no more than 2-3 years old and were purchased at the griffith growl.

I am posting because this could have easily killed us both, and its currently making me wonder about
keeping the car, although its not the cars fault.

It felt like an engine mount vibration/judder pulling away from junctions 5 mins before it failed.

What do I do, I am worried about the other 3 now?

Cheers

Nick

[tvrbob]

What part of the unit failed. I have heard of shocks punching through the bottom of the lower wishbone but that would be a wishbone failure.

[General Custard]

I have not seen it out of the car yet, but it was generally intact & had sheared right at the top where the central pin meets the eye under the cup that holds the spring in place. i could stick my finger into the hole that was left, i'll get more details from the garage.

Edited by General Custard on Tuesday 16th September 10:13

[AlexB]

I've also heard of springs snapping - happened on my 205GTI - which would cause that corner to drop pretty quickly!
Scary stuff though.....Glad you're OK. Is there much damage to the car?
Alex

Edit - my typing is too slow! Would be interesting to see pics when you get to see that part.

Edited by AlexB on Tuesday 16th September 10:15

[General Custard]

i think the damage will be minimal as I was going so slowly, the front wing would have been a mess if i was going much faster I think. Swapping all shocks wont be cheap though if that is what is needed!

[lazyitus]

Care to update your profile, particularly the section about the Griffith where you can state what mods and upgrades your car has had.

Just out of interest, kind of thing.

[That Daddy]

General Custard said:

Hi

Has anyone else suffered a serious failure of a shock?

I have just had a very lucky escape when one of my front shocks sheared completely, with minimal warning the front collapsed . I was only doing 10mph on a country lane, but had just come off a dual carriageway which would have had a very different outcome.

I need to check my records, but they are no more than 2-3 years old and were purchased at the griffith growl.

I am posting because this could have easily killed us both, and its currently making me wonder about
keeping the car, although its not the cars fault.

It felt like an engine mount vibration/judder pulling away from junctions 5 mins before it failed.

What do I do, I am worried about the other 3 now?

Cheers

Nick

I am sure i read on this forum some time ago that this happened to a rear damper on someones Chim,your right this would be a worry if it failed at speed and as far as i am concerned a serious failure at either end.

Edited by That Daddy on Tuesday 16th September 10:31

[dingg]

Rear N/S chim

that would have been me, snapped at exactly same place as the OP describes, looked on mine as if a crack propagated where the final thread of the damper rod screws into the eye.
Inherent weakness IMO

[Fire99]

That's Shocking! ..............i'll get my coat!

On a serious note i've not heard of many doing that. May be worth taking a casual glance over them from time to time for any tell-tale signs..

[That Daddy]

dingg said:

Rear N/S chim

that would have been me, snapped at exactly same place as the OP describes, looked on mine as if a crack propagated where the final thread of the damper rod screws into the eye.
Inherent weakness IMO

I aint going senile then

[ray_von]

Dingg, wasn't yours original fit though? and not 3 year old shocks
Glad you're okay Custard, could've been nasty

[shapeshifter]

That must have given you a terrible shock! sorry.

[FUBAR]

shapeshifter said:

That must have given you a terrible shock! sorry.

'ello Shapey Where did you spring from?

[shapeshifter]

FUBAR said:

shapeshifter said:

That must have given you a terrible shock! sorry.

'ello Shapey Where did you spring from?

I think hes got to get back in that car and bounce streight back!

[Bodmin]

I saw a Chim a few months back where a rear, o/s I think, shock had broken where the piston rod meets the top mount. Punched a hole straight through the parcel shelf . I cannot remember if that was an original shock though.

There was no damage to the chassis, the shock was replaced & the hole re-fibreglassed.

This type of failure is not unique to TVR as I have seen it on other manufactures models.

Bodders

[pxg638]

Had the rear passenger side shock shear at the nut on my chim about a month ago. At low speed, went with one hell of a bang, had barely any warning at all, a slight rattle sound about 50 m before it broke! Damage to wheel arch, and obviously new shocks needed.

Can get a photo of the broken parts, think I still got them lying around the garage.

[grahamw48]

Shortly after having new shocks and springs all round on a previous Wedge,
one of the rear shocks came adrift at the upper mounting. It had obviously not been tightened sufficiently by the garage.
...Just a bit of a bang, and a wobbly corner. I fixed it myself.

Much more exciting was when a rear wheel on my current Wedge decided to part company with the car at 'high' speed on the dual carriageway.

I am happy to tell you that Wedges handle extremely well with only one back wheel.

ETA: I do recommend checking your nuts regularly.

Edited by grahamw48 on Tuesday 16th September 22:29

[General Custard]

just found out form the garage that the shock rod came unscrewed from the eye, hence not being able to feel any sharp metal edges at the time.

having the other three checked & locktight used to stop it happening again.

so is this the fault of the fitter or the supplier or both?

so maybe not so bad afterall...do you think there is any chance of claiming the labour back off either?

nick

[TimJM]

Was this the one I saw at Horizon on Sat? Looked quite nasty with the front of the car collapsed - glad it isn't too serious.

Tim.

[kojak]

I had a rear one break 4 years ago after i'd just flew past a porsche at 70. My back end dropped on one side so I pulled in. The porsche driver thus went past laughing. I set off slowly to get home and the other one broke which caused me to drop on to the wheel arches. Had to get the AA out. Hour and a half to get it onto the low loader. They did it without causing any damage. I just think its 'one of those things' and wouldnt/didnt get rid of it. Replaced with AVO's.

Edited by kojak on Thursday 18th September 17:39