Rear suspension gone walkabouts.

[otherclive]

Arrived back after a relaxing Sunday lunch to to see that under the Subaru was a large chunk of metal. It was a portion of the rear offside rear spring that had fractured but not through corrosion. The springs are not rated for full load as the shock absorbers take some load and are part of the self levelling system and pump themselves up through road action. But like my old Sorento but on that car the springs were rated at nearer full load.

It seems that in North America Subaru issued a recall and replaced the potentially failure prone units. No such thing in rip off Britain. I’ve sent Subaru an email and await their reply. Pedders an Australian suspension specialist supply uprated full strength springs with integrated shock absorbers. I used their kit on an off road Pajero and it’s road manners were improved as were its off road credentials.

In 57 years of owning cars never have I had a spring fail, or anything like it either. Looks like my wife will be without her Rio when I’m off to Wales this week. Luckily there’s a couple of food shops nearby 😱

 

[Buckman]

My boss broke a rear leaf spring on his Peugeot 404 pickup when it hit a large pothole. He then cut down a sapling and wired it onto the broken leaf spring and continued his journey. I never knew that they could break!

 

[RogerL]

The sheer number of speed humps and potholes is usually the cause of fractured springs - with some brands it can be an annual occurrence, noticed at MoT time.

 

[otherclive]

The sheer number of speed humps and potholes is usually the cause of fractured springs - with some brands it can be an annual occurrence, noticed at MoT time.

Since looking on the web it seems in North America, Japan and Australia there were significant failures rates in 2014-15 cars that started to appear when the cars were 3-4 years old and 45k +miles. Recalls were issued in some countries or in others Subaru did goodwill gestures. The problem started to disappear 2016 onwards and tge assessment was that it was a spring manufacturing problem. Not sure what Subaru OEM spring/shock self levelling assembly cost, but a Pedders spring/ shock assembly is £420 with no SL function incorporated. But the Pedders springs are rated to take the vehicle load with progressive spring rate, so vehicle attitude shouldn’t be a problem. May have to give up night driving with heavy rear load. 🤣

 

[Woodentop]

If you look closely you will probably find it is the end half turn of the spring - probably the bottom end. I had exactly the same happen on my Co R-reg Cavalier estate going round a traffic island in Annecy in France. We were camping (between caravans) at the time and drove all the way home without bother before it was repaired.
I also had it happen on the N/S/R spring on our 58 reg Passat Estate. Got two new springs from a trade supplier and fitted the N/S/R replacement myself. However I couldn't get enough compression on the O/S/R spring and had to ask my tame garage to do it for me - simple job though.

 

[otherclive]

If you look closely you will probably find it is the end half turn of the spring - probably the bottom end. I had exactly the same happen on my Co R-reg Cavalier estate going round a traffic island in Annecy in France. We were camping (between caravans) at the time and drove all the way home without bother before it was repaired.
I also had it happen on the N/S/R spring on our 58 reg Passat Estate. Got two new springs from a trade supplier and fitted the N/S/R replacement myself. However I couldn't get enough compression on the O/S/R spring and had to ask my tame garage to do it for me - simple job though.

May well be as the car doesn’t give any sign of being lower on the OS rear. With the right tools and some muscle it’s not a difficult job, only two bottom bolts and three top mount bolts. My tame garage charged 45 minutes a side to install MAD auxiliary springs on my Superb estate so the installation time isn’t too much. I’m contacting the Swindon Subaru dealer tomorrow to discuss it and see if they could get Subaru to pay or contribute something. OEM assemblies did not seem to suffer the problem 2016 onwards on new cars. Some 2014-15 cars had front suspension strut/spring issues but far less than the rears.

 

[Fraseb01]

Regarding spring stories, my wife and i had a 3 yr old scirocco a few years back, on return from a two week holiday we collected the car from car park storage.as soon as we both sat in the var an almight twang noise from the rear , car not even started.I could not not belive it , both rear springs went at same time both original vw only 3 yrs .🙈

 

[Jaydug]

Several carmakers have issued recall notices in Canada for the replacement of coil springs. Nissan, Hyundai and VW and probably others. Apparently, the salt put on the winter roads causes rapid corrosion.

 

[Jcloughie]

Arrived back after a relaxing Sunday lunch to to see that under the Subaru was a large chunk of metal. It was a portion of the rear offside rear spring that had fractured but not through corrosion. The springs are not rated for full load as the shock absorbers take some load and are part of the self levelling system and pump themselves up through road action. But like my old Sorento but on that car the springs were rated at nearer full load.

It seems that in North America Subaru issued a recall and replaced the potentially failure prone units. No such thing in rip off Britain. I’ve sent Subaru an email and await their reply. Pedders an Australian suspension specialist supply uprated full strength springs with integrated shock absorbers. I used their kit on an off road Pajero and it’s road manners were improved as were its off road credentials.

In 57 years of owning cars never have I had a spring fail, or anything like it either. Looks like my wife will be without her Rio when I’m off to Wales this week. Luckily there’s a couple of food shops nearby 😱

View attachment 2828

Zooming in I suspect the brake is an old one and it’s just dropped off After sitting in the spring holder. Presumably you have looked underneath to make sure it is off your car and not one just left in the car park.


It’s not something that’s ever happened to me.

John

 

[Hutch]

I had a broken spring on a Cavalier, front N/S, and also on a friends, VW Turag, surprisingly neither were MOT failures as they had not departed the cars an were in the first 1/2 round of the springs. 🤓

 

[otherclive]

Zooming in I suspect the brake is an old one and it’s just dropped off After sitting in the spring holder. Presumably you have looked underneath to make sure it is off your car and not one just left in the car park.


It’s not something that’s ever happened to me.

John

I noticed the part laying on the drive under the rear of the Subaru as I drove onto the drive in the runabout. The Subaru had been washed on Saturday and I had given the underneath a good hosing ( not jet wash) and had not noticed the steel part then. It was a recent break as when I picked it up the fracture surface was clean. But with the rain hammering down I didn’t get under the car to examine further. Will do that today. The picture below shows the surface which overnight has now started to form corrosion but the OEM paint finish is still remarkably sound. The two fracture surfaces were different so I suspect a fatigue initiated final fracture. As when I looked at the surface one face had corrosion whilst the other was bright steel.

 

[JTQ]

As Hutch's experience & evidently Clive's, fracturing of our car coil springs seems to be concentrated at an end. That stacks up with my experience of debris I have found on our roads, it is just that end bit.

I recall reading that it has been directly associated with the cost cutting practice of not forming the ends as best practice, not even grinding their bases off 'normal' to the spring's axis.

 

[otherclive]

I had a broken spring on a Cavalier, front N/S, and also on a friends, VW Turag, surprisingly neither were MOT failures as they had not departed the cars an were in the first 1/2 round of the springs. 🤓

Might jack my broken piece back into place then for the summer. 😂

 

[Hutch]

As Hutch's experience & evidently Clive's, fracturing of our car coil springs seems to be concentrated at an end. That stacks up with my experience of debris I have found on our roads, it is just that end bit.

I recall reading that it has been directly associated with the cost cutting practice of not forming the ends as best practice, not even grinding their bases off 'normal' to the spring's axis.

I did notice when I replaced my springs, that the bottom and top seating supports were shaped to take the springs. And the same with the MADS springs that I fitted to a Santa Fe.

 

[otherclive]

I did notice when I replaced my springs, that the bottom and top seating supports were shaped to take the springs. And the same with the MADS springs that I fitted to a Santa Fe.

No way am I going to jemmy my broken bit back as the retainer collar seems to have gone AWOL.
Photo only wants to load upside down. Not a good start to the week. 😩

 

[Hutch]

There you are OC.

 

[otherclive]

There you are OC.
View attachment 2837

Thanks Hutch. What’s the trick please ?

 

[Hutch]

Thanks Hutch. What’s the trick please ?

Downloaded the picture to my photo gallery, then used edit to rotate the picture, saved to my studio. Then put it onto PC, forum.

And all after replacing a radiator in one of our bathrooms today and nearly flooding the kitchen. Thankfully all done and dry now.

 

[Dustydog]

Had the same on our MX-5 ten years ago. Seems some of the spring castings during mass production contain air gaps as they cool leading to fractures years later. I changed both rear springs. Son now has the car, totally rebuilt with very special springs.
Not a hard job but these days Clive lying under a jacked up car is not for me. My limit is jacking up the caravan to fit the Al-ko wheeel locks😉

 

[otherclive]

Had the same on our MX-5 ten years ago. Seems some of the spring castings during mass production contain air gaps as they cool leading to fractures years later. I changed both rear springs. Son now has the car, totally rebuilt with very special springs.
Not a hard job but these days Clive lying under a jacked up car is not for me. My limit is jacking up the caravan to fit the Al-ko wheeel locks😉

I’d agree and after having been on for 8 years I’ve no doubt the bolts would be difficult to undo without a hefty wrench extension plus hammer etc. I’ve decided to just replace both sides with an aftermarket set that dispenses with the self levelling function and have a spring fully rated fir the load. I think the Gen 1 Sorento dispensed with the Sachs SL suspension when it had a mid life upgrade.

My HID headlight beams will still self adjust as that comes off an electrical orientation sensor independent of the suspension.
New stuff arrives Wednesday.

 

[Jcloughie]

I’d agree and after having been on for 8 years I’ve no doubt the bolts would be difficult to undo without a hefty wrench extension plus hammer etc. I’ve decided to just replace both sides with an aftermarket set that dispenses with the self levelling function and have a spring fully rated fir the load. I think the Gen 1 Sorento dispensed with the Sachs SL suspension when it had a mid life upgrade.

My HID headlight beams will still self adjust as that comes off an electrical orientation sensor independent of the suspension.
New stuff arrives Wednesday.

I thought the self levelling was a feature within the shocks. At least that was how it worked on my old Scorpio. If so, why do you need to dispense with it assuming your shocks are still in good order?

John

 

[Dustydog]

I thought the self levelling was a feature within the shocks. At least that was how it worked on my old Scorpio. If so, why do you need to dispense with it assuming your shocks are still in good order?

John

Yes. My Mk 1 Sorento had SLS all driven by the shocks. A very clever design.

 

[Jcloughie]

Yes. My Mk 1 Sorento had SLS all driven by the shocks. A very clever design.

I remember loading my Scorpio estate until the back was very low at the back. My son drove it up the road. It had self levelled in about 200 yards. Great, but expensive technology.

John

 

[otherclive]

Yes. My Mk 1 Sorento had SLS all driven by the shocks. A very clever design.

My Sorento had the Sachs self levelling shocks but I think when the cars had the mid life update which gave a power increase the SL was dropped.

I have ordered a complete set of coil over spring/ dampers fully assembled to replace the present bits. They arrive tomorrow. The Subaru springs alone would cost £250 a pair. The dampers would have increased the costs to over £600 exclusive of fitting. So I am fitting a Pedders aftermarket package and as it’s fully assembled the fitting costs are less. I used Pedders on my off road Pajero and they transformed its on road and off road manners even with a 40 mm lift and 33 inch MT tyres.

 

[Buckman]

As a matter of interest is it self levelling air suspension or are they totally different systems?