Bent de-dion, cause for concern?

[Shad]

I'm not entirely sure when or how it happened but one of the brackets that bolts to my LHS radius arm is bent. See pics:

 

LHS from rear

LHS from top

 

RHS from rear

RHS from top

 

I think the welds are ok and don't think there have been any de-dion failures at this point? What do people think - safe to carry on using and abusing?

 

Cheers

 

Simon

niknak.org

[Jon Crofts]

Simon, that looks like an assembly issue, ie when assembled the bracket didn't line up so was hit with an American screwdriver so it did line up & the nut & bolt did up squarely. I only say that because of the kink in the bracket.

 

R300 Superlight Weapons Grade Fun

 

[Shad]

I did wonder about that... makes sense. If it had bent as a result of an 'off' then I'd have thought both parts of the bracket would have bent the same. I did knock that side quite heavily a while ago though.

 

Simon

niknak.org

[Jason Plato]

I'm not entirely sure when or how it happened

 

I did knock that side quite heavily a while ago though.

---

 

Theres your answer

 

= replace

 

 

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[Shad]

True

 

That was over a year ago mind you, and I'm 99.9% sure this bend wasn't there after that (I checked it quite carefully), but I suppose it could have weakened it somehow? £300 is a lot to justify for a precautionary replacement... what's the worst that could happen?

 

Simon

niknak.org

[jonboylaw]

Death ?

You or someone else...

 

Jonathan

 

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The rebuild has started :)

 

92 Supersprint, Ford LSD LA, RK AX Crossflow.

 

[rj]

If it has been stressed -> replace it.

 

Even if you are lucky and don't kill anybody the damage and cost of repair will be more than a few times 300£ if it fails.

 

 

[elie boone]

From th pic it seem that the tube itself in not affected, is there any scratch mark on the caliper ?

 

I would take the tube to Arch and have it checked, not only on the sides but also the center section.

[Mick Day]

If you don't know whether the bend was there before the "knock" I'd replace the tube.

 

I'd also relocate the handbrake cable.

[6speedmanual]

Simon

 

What kind of "knock" did it get? The direction of the knock and the forces involved would help determine whether it was caused by an incident or was there all along.

 

A sideways clonk into a kerb would not bend it like that unless everything moved across so much that the radius arm started to become a controlling influence in the sideways location. If that had happened, you would see marks of radius arm to chassis contact, bent radius arm and totally buckled A-frame. Also as stated above, both blades of the bracket would have bent. A drop into a deep pothole or hitting a kerb head-on or rear-on would have more likely buckled the radius arm and/or bent both the brackets equally and probably not in that direction/form of kink.

 

Also worth checking toe and camber of the rear wheel where you took the knock as the aluminium ears and the end of the tube are prone to bending, possibly before the bracketry. If they are correct, its unlikely your "knock" bent anything very much.

 

I'm with John Crofts on this. Either an assembly issue or even knocked into position at point of DeDion tube manufacture if the outer blade of the bracket was misaligned in the jig for some reason. Maybe that you never noticed it previously. If it really worries you, then inspect, either your self or take to Arch, before grabbing the cheque book for a new one.

 

Peter

 

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[EFA]

I'm with 6spd on this diagnosis. You won't bend that bracket without having the tube bent or broken to a much more severe degree elsewhere - the radius arms cannot exert the required forces through the metalsatic bush. I also think an "american screwdriver" (I do like that phrase) has been used to assemble.

 

[Shad]

Thanks for the objective input chaps. The knock was when I clipped an earth bank, so it was a head-on type of force, not sideways. Not as severe as a curb thankfully. There are no marks on the chassis, caliper or radius arm either. The geo is more or less even across the back I seem to remember but I can't remember the numbers; did an alignment a few weeks ago

 

Should have it off the car later this week so can have a closer look at everything

 

Simon

niknak.org