Why so many broken springs?

[ceedy]

Our Punto has had both fronts done , one of them twice in a space of 2 years.

My Dizzle has had the front OS go this week , but then it is 15 years old

C.

[T-Cut]

There are several contributory factors. Metal quality and cross section are only part of it. MGR's original spring problems - that resulted in the recalls and the tyre protectors being fitted - were due to quality issues with a particular manufacturer's batch. Other important factors are corrosion pitting and temperature. Pitting creates a nucleation point for a crack to propagate. At low temperatures, the metal - already under high stress - can suffer a change in crystalography which makes them more 'brittle'. That's why many more spring fractures are reported during winter. Indeed it was reported that MGR told its service depots not to spray aerosol cleaners onto springs for fear of over-chilling them. This is verified by scanning the forums for threads on the topic and noting the dates. The greater bulk of fractures happen while parked or at the point of drive-away. Very few happen at speed thankfully, though there are one or two reports on the forums. The AA did a good survey a few years back and published a very helpful report. Unfortunately, it's no longer online, but it included a frequency graph something like this.



This graph covers all makes of car and none seem to be unaffected by the problem.

TC

[slovcan]

Originally Posted by T-Cut

There are several contributory factors. Metal quality and cross section are only part of it. MGR's original spring problems - that resulted in the recalls and the tyre protectors being fitted - were due to quality issues with a particular manufacturer's batch. Other important factors are corrosion pitting and temperature. Pitting creates a nucleation point for a crack to propagate. At low temperatures, the metal - already under high stress - can suffer a change in crystalography which makes them more 'brittle'. That's why many more spring fractures are reported during winter. Indeed it was reported that MGR told its service depots not to spray aerosol cleaners onto springs for fear of over-chilling them. This is verified by scanning the forums for threads on the topic and noting the dates. The greater bulk of fractures happen while parked or at the point of drive-away. Very few happen at speed thankfully, though there are one or two reports on the forums. The AA did a good survey a few years back and published a very helpful report. Unfortunately, it's no longer online, but it included a frequency graph something like this.



This graph covers all makes of car and none seem to be unaffected by the problem.

TC

Thanks for all this guys. Most of these cars you are referring to in support of the "They all do that, sir" scenario are not sold in North America. I can say with certainty that a good old normal Canadian winter is harsher than anything the UK would have experienced in the past 20 years - maybe an odd ice storm here and there, but in general. We also have shining examples of sensational potholes virtually everywhere in Canada except the lower mainland of BC where the climate is very temperate. We just don't get broken springs at the rate you folks are talking about. Maybe the Euro regulatory standards are different than the NTSA & Transport Canada ones with regard to spring material. Anyway, it is something new to me, so when I have a car in Europe it is something I will have to watch out for in my maintenance inspections. You know what they say - "When in Rome, do as the Romans do". Thanks again guys. If nothing else there may be an opportunity here to come up with some lower sport springs to help the 75 feel a bit more ZT-like in the twisties.

Cheers,
Glenn

PS: Thank you, Mods, for fixing my subject line typo.

[Comfortably Numb]

The mechanic who MoTd my A4 (and had to replace a spring) said that in his experience, Japanese cars tended to suffer less from broken springs than European ones, which he reckoned were all much of a muchness. Torsion bars, cart springs and Citroen -style hydraulic spheres don't suffer like that either!

[J-t-s]

Honest John would agree with your mechanic - https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/broken-coil-springs/

[NigelOBB]

Originally Posted by Sprinter

I think it all comes down to the poor metal quality used in modern vehicles. When I was on an MB forum those with newer models were always breaking springs while those of us with older W124 W126 etc models had very few problems.

If a drivers rear spring goes on the s211 e class estate, it can take out the exhaust to 🤔


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BigRuss]

Broken springs are nothing new I can remember having to replace them on my MK1 Capri in the late 70's got my first set spring compressors to change them

Over the years I've changed lots of them on various cars not just 75's and ZT's

Russ