The issue of fractured lower arms was raised by Mac 1 some years ago and was as a direct result of fitting single piece rod bushes with too little compliance, a problem that was dealt with by redesigning the bushes.

 

Check out the photos below, the tension rod arm fixings have become detached completely taken a section of the lower arm with it.

 

The arm was discovered by an RAC recovery when called to the car on the motorway with a puncture on the n/s front, the owner not really understanding the full implication continued to drive the car for a few days until the steering feeling eventually got so bad it was uncomfortable

 

With the wheel removal all was revealed, the tension rod arm was completely adrift and the lower arm loose to move, in fact the wheel was able to move so far back it hit the wing and so far forward it hit the bumper!

 

With a bit more investigation it came to light that the unfortunate owner had hit the wheel on a kerb in the snow when he lost control negotiating a traffic island in FEBRUARY!! Close inspection of the lower arm you can see the metal ripped, the impact had started a stress fracture and over the coming miles the eventually metal fatigue cause it to rip out completely, driving with the puncture was most likely the last straw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like the bloke try"d to run the live cable there first

Ill tell you what tho, th tension rod must be very strong to stay intact during all this

very lucky driver , id say

I had exactly the same on my car.

Luckily I spotted it before it completely detached :nono:

Ive just had the 3 piece ones fitted, hopefully they should be ok.

Jeff, can this sort of thing happen through normal road use? IE, with no impact damage, can the arms still fail?

Everyone should check for cracking in the lower arms where the Tension rod bolts through, not all that uncommon.

Jeff, can this sort of thing happen through normal road use? IE, with no impact damage, can the arms still fail?

 

Mmm as Legrath said worth checking on all zeds, 20 years of twisting and flexing, the real issue the load is not spread enough, a spreader plate under the nuts is the answer, will post a picture of what we fit to stop this once I find it in my photo files.

 

Jeff TT

When I had mine off to rebuild the suspension, I did take them off and clean them thoroughly. They came up looking like new and I didn't notice any stress marks or cracked paint.

is there a lower arm upgrade in the pipe line? (ps stop doing this jeff i keep loosing sleep) lol!

is there a lower arm upgrade in the pipe line? (ps stop doing this jeff i keep loosing sleep) lol!

 

There are aftermarket lower arms available - Driftworks, SPLparts.com ..etc

 

The main purpose of them though is to be able to fix the Centre roll axis after severe lowering, I have no idea wether they are able to withstand the stresses any better than the stock arms.

Jeff, can this sort of thing happen through normal road use? IE, with no impact damage, can the arms still fail?

 

Well I'd never hit anything and hadn't done very many miles with the new bushes fitted, certainly under 5000 miles.

I had my crack welded up:o for the mot in feb, the arms where only fitted 12months previous (rose jointed ones)