HERBIEMERCMAN
Senior Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2008
- Messages
- 1,407
- Reaction score
- 40
- Location
- PRESTON, LANCS.
- Your Mercedes
- 97. E300.TD. 7 SEAT.ELEGANCE. EST.TOYOTA SUPRA MK4. RS. VAUX. CORSA.GLS AUTO. SPORT.
Hi Guys, I did not see the 5 inches deep pot hole and the car went with a hell of a thump into it. I pulled over and took a quick look and at the time i could not see any damage. I drove for another 8 miles and the car seemed normal.
The following morning i tried to turn right out of my driveway and there was a gouging noise and the front of the car went down on the N/S, i got out and the tyre had crumpled the front of the wheel arch and the tyre stuck there, what a F---K mess. I felt like ringing the local Council to come and sort it out.
Apparently the damage was a crack where the bottom ball joint and trackrod end are welded to the end of the lower arm / wishbone, this must have fatigued on my 8 mile drive home following the thump and then continued to propagate overnight, detaching completely when i made the right hand turn the following morning.
Luckily i got 'Green Flag' out and the car was taken to my 'Inde', he took a look and said that there is a 6mm hole at the joint to drain away any water and many of these block up, so a pool of water is there most of the time, the subsequent corrosion weakens the suspension. I am glad it happened on my door step and not in Stranraer where i visit my boat.
The main dealers said a replacement wishbone was 375 pounds + vat, BUT no longer available.
My immediate thought was s--t my car has finally died on me!
My 'Inde' came to the rescue and found a German after market part for 94 pounds inc.vat, how chuffed was i, he said many thousands of my model of car are all across the globe will have this kind of failure, and the after market parts manufacturers got onto this. What do you think? Herbie.
The following morning i tried to turn right out of my driveway and there was a gouging noise and the front of the car went down on the N/S, i got out and the tyre had crumpled the front of the wheel arch and the tyre stuck there, what a F---K mess. I felt like ringing the local Council to come and sort it out.
Apparently the damage was a crack where the bottom ball joint and trackrod end are welded to the end of the lower arm / wishbone, this must have fatigued on my 8 mile drive home following the thump and then continued to propagate overnight, detaching completely when i made the right hand turn the following morning.
Luckily i got 'Green Flag' out and the car was taken to my 'Inde', he took a look and said that there is a 6mm hole at the joint to drain away any water and many of these block up, so a pool of water is there most of the time, the subsequent corrosion weakens the suspension. I am glad it happened on my door step and not in Stranraer where i visit my boat.
The main dealers said a replacement wishbone was 375 pounds + vat, BUT no longer available.
My immediate thought was s--t my car has finally died on me!
My 'Inde' came to the rescue and found a German after market part for 94 pounds inc.vat, how chuffed was i, he said many thousands of my model of car are all across the globe will have this kind of failure, and the after market parts manufacturers got onto this. What do you think? Herbie.
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