Back in the day, it was a rare occurrence for springs to break, no matter what the mileage was, just as it was rare to have to frequently change brake discs.
They must be made from plastercine now
They must be made from plastercine now
MOT woes.
- Thread starter Grumps
- Start date
Brake disc (and drum) wear accelerated beyond all expectations when they stopped the inclusion of asbestos in brake lings. Fact.
Unless all manufacturers have started fitting substandard springs (front and rear) it is the fault of our crap roads. Fact.
Tony.
Unless all manufacturers have started fitting substandard springs (front and rear) it is the fault of our crap roads. Fact.
Tony.
I think they are cutting costs (partially to save weight too I guess) Tony so failure is far more likely.
Discs are considered as a service consumable nowadays - two sets of pads = one set of discs. Don't think springs come under that but it seems thats the way it's going.
Citroen springs can also be a nightmare. 1 collapsed on my other half's C2 and the wheel arch ended up sat on the tyre. Fortunately it happened literally as she braked to a halt on her drive.
If you google broken Citroen spring you'll see lots on it. I think it's to do with using an inferior grade of steel for a while.
In fact I think a spring broke on my brother's, from new, 1.9 Z3 when it was about 4 years old and low mileage.
I just drove a Z3 back from Swansea on 2 broken springs. I wouldn't want to have thrown the car around but driving it normally you wouldn't even know the springs were collapsed despite the car sitting right down on 1 side.
If you google broken Citroen spring you'll see lots on it. I think it's to do with using an inferior grade of steel for a while.
In fact I think a spring broke on my brother's, from new, 1.9 Z3 when it was about 4 years old and low mileage.
I just drove a Z3 back from Swansea on 2 broken springs. I wouldn't want to have thrown the car around but driving it normally you wouldn't even know the springs were collapsed despite the car sitting right down on 1 side.
I had a similar incident, I was teaching my daughter to drive in virtually new Citroen C3. She was driving very steadily on a smooth road when there was a loud 'bang' and the front nearside spring had broken. Citroen replaced both springs under warranty, but the spring had damaged the tyre and I had to pay for a new one. Then to add insult to injury, the car was recalled because, the letter said they wanted to fit a cone inside of the springs, so that, in the 'unlikely event' of a spring breaking, it would prevent the spring going into the tyre. I spoke to one of the mechanics and was told there had been loads of them breaking.
never had broken springs on my avenger, my old fiats, old toyota corolla etc.
Nowadays its common. they blame the roads.... but it's suspension after all and should be able to cope. If roads were billiard tables suspension would not be required. Everything is value engineered so that anything out of the unusual causes a failure. back in the 70s it wasn't value engineered.
BMW springs are plastic coated and when the salt gets on the spring bases and the springs press down it, it punctures the plastic coating and water gets in to rot the springs away causing the failure. Stupid design for a country that uses salt on the roads
Nowadays its common. they blame the roads.... but it's suspension after all and should be able to cope. If roads were billiard tables suspension would not be required. Everything is value engineered so that anything out of the unusual causes a failure. back in the 70s it wasn't value engineered.
BMW springs are plastic coated and when the salt gets on the spring bases and the springs press down it, it punctures the plastic coating and water gets in to rot the springs away causing the failure. Stupid design for a country that uses salt on the roads
The main reason they break is because the coils press down over the "square" end where the steel is chopped for bending. If they chamfered the end away there would much less of a point to break over.
Tony.
ps. The cost of aftermarket replacement springs also tells a story of cheap manufacturing.
Tony.
ps. The cost of aftermarket replacement springs also tells a story of cheap manufacturing.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2014
- Points
- 174
- Model of Z
- 2.2i Sport
Ain't just Fords and Citroens, heard a bang from under the back of my e36, checked it the next day and found not one but two broken springs.
Not that we've got lumpy roads around here, oh no.
Not that we've got lumpy roads around here, oh no.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2014
- Points
- 174
- Model of Z
- 2.2i Sport
WTF? 
You had a double post mate, sorted....WTF?
Nice to see you earning your keep young AlbertYou had a double post mate, sorted....
Tony.
Not good pal, I think my Vectra has the same problem on the rear, I have a constant knocking, however I collected a gym tonight and with the added weight the knocking has gone, may be ARBs though, it had 2 broken front springs when I got it.
I hit part of a broken spring in the road in my zed, punctured the rear tyre and flicked up in the air catching the rear wing on the way, leaving a huge circular scratch on the outside of the lip. A few yards prior it felt like I hit a pothole which was probably the cause of the cars broken spring that got disposed of and caused the damage to mine. I did claim for the damage through the council though as the pothole was huge but it must have been the broken spring that caused the damage.
More likely the bottom "Rose" joints on the rear hubs Sean.
Tony.
Tony.
I've ordered Sachs from Euro. See if it lasts any longer.
Had them on my 1966 Land Rover, they never broke....
Yes they did.Had them on my 1966 Land Rover, they never broke....
Just tested a 66 plate Superb with 82k and it still has all it's own springs. Must've covered some pot holes in a year.
Tony.
Tony.
Any blacksmith could repair them anywayHad them on my 1966 Land Rover, they never broke....