At North Weald today the lower driver-side front wishbone has sheared off. No other damage to the car (I think the tyre has had it though) which given
it let go while I was braking from around 100mph is pretty good going.
I was leading the class during practise and this happened on the first timed run 
Never mind, need to see if I can get a new pair before Odiham this
weekend coming !
Anyone know where I can get a pair of high quality (!) wishbones for a 1996 Striker/Phoenix from ?
This is where a Locoster would be getting the mig out and buying some tube 
Has it broken off at the chassis end and could it be re-attached?
Nope, wheel side.
Talk to the guys on the RGB forum or talk to Andy Bates at AB Performance.
Sad looking car
check other side, i broke one then 2 month laters other side let go, believe mine was caused due to sticking wishbones so had to sort the crush tubes out
I was planning on changing both sides....
pro comp?
Right...some pictures
These are the broken ends which I think failed first, note that they are not shiny all the way round which leads me to believe there was a crack which
has rusted over
Does this look like the standard Striker or Fury size ?
Right on the HAZ at a hefty change in cross section. I'd have preferred keeping the tube that the TRE screws into a constant diameter all the way to the inner bush. The other arm is under a lot of compression during braking so that wouldn't hurt to be a larger diameter either.
looks like the rear part of the bone has folded under breaking force causing the front to sheer
There's a rusty mark in from the end of the good wishbone, and the same corresponding mark on the broken. What's causing this? Looks like it's being locked up by something.
Looks like a thin wall tube butted into a thick walled ball joint housing, bad engineering practice as it is hard to control the quality and penetration of the welding. I'd be remaking that with a much thicker section of tube as it is under tension, and aiming for a full pen weld. A gusset wouldn't go amiss either.
Before we all get carried away, this has been on the car for almost 15 years. I've ordered a replacement set from RAW with bushes and taper balljoints so the car should be back on its wheels for Odiham on Saturday. Total cost, with courier, £180. Sorted.
quote:
Originally posted by ashg
looks like the rear part of the bone has folded under breaking force causing the front to sheer
Judging from the pictures, it looks like fatigue.
quote:
Originally posted by jeffw
quote:
Originally posted by ashg
looks like the rear part of the bone has folded under breaking force causing the front to sheer
Almost certainly the other way round.
New ones are here from RAW and I'll fit them today. I'll be ready for Odiham this Saturday which is good.
quote:
Originally posted by jeffw
New ones are here from RAW and I'll fit them today. I'll be ready for Odiham this Saturday which is good.
if the old ones lasted 15 years they can't be that bad a design can they!?
quote:
Originally posted by franky
if the old ones lasted 15 years they can't be that bad a design can they!?
quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
quote:
Originally posted by franky
if the old ones lasted 15 years they can't be that bad a design can they!?
The time aspect is completely irrelevant unless the case was driven every day - how many miles have they done? I've never had a wishbone break through fatigue on a production car, so I'd say they aren't a particularly great design.
Mine is a Phoenix of a similar era to Jeffs (I know it is STM, but not sure of year as chassis didn't come direct from STM). In my case there is
a little rod that joins the two tubes together, about 80mm from the end where the tubes join.
Sounds like the design isn't great if you do big mileages.
Matt