Another year.

[Guest]

Well another year on and yet another M.o.T. failure. Broken front offside suspension spring! Rear wheel bearing last year. Spring now replaced. No, I didn't replace it. There's no way I'm going to compress a big, potential energy laden, spring without the proper gear.

More poor quality components? The roads aren't that bad. Next.

[Roy124]

How old is the spring? 8 years is good going if that is the first. 

What does the panel think about changing both springs or even both shocks as well? 

 

 

[Madasafish]

Springs rust. Rust eats away metal. Springs are under huge loads on compression.If you go fast over road humps or potholes you make stresses much higher.

I sprayed all our spring on our 2003 D4D when we bought it in 2005, A rear one broke four years ago - the rust proofing had worn off and it had rusted. 

Replaced it for £40 (ex eBay ).  Sprayed it again with Dinitrol .Fine since. 

 

I live in Staffordshire as well - lots of potholes - and winter salt on roads and cow/horse excrement - ideal for rust!

[TonyHSD]

Rust and or excessive load are the biggest enemy to car suspension and particularly springs and shocks. I often find peaces of broken car springs near speed bumps on the roads near me when walking around. Sometimes can have defective part too. 

[flash22]

Did you do an axle pair ?

[Big_D]

3 hours ago, mrpj1 said:

The roads aren't that bad.

Where do you live, certainly not in the UK  😀 😁

 

I've snapped two shocks before, while out on the road. one near Aldershot, and the other outside Gloucester. Two different vehicles too, and not a speed bump in site (unless you classify potholes as speed bumps). As you say, it could be bad components or bad roads. Who knows. 

[Kental]

10 minutes ago, Big_D said:

Where do you live, certainly not in the UK  😀 😁

 

I've snapped two shocks before, while out on the road. one near Aldershot, and the other outside Gloucester. Two different vehicles too, and not a speed bump in site (unless you classify potholes as speed bumps). As you say, it could be bad components or bad roads. Who knows. 

Near Aldershot was it misfired Army ordinance? 

[Big_D]

Who knows what caused the pothole 😀

[TonyHSD]

Currently uk roads are one of the worst from the whole Europe. , even worse than Eastern European countries. , no full size spare but full size 4 tyres mounted on the roof like Paris -Dakar rally needed 😂🏁🇬🇧

[Big_D]

Yes, the roads here are bad.Where does all our road and fuel tax end up??

[Bernard Foy]

3 hours ago, mrpj1 said:

Well another year on and yet another M.o.T. failure. Broken front offside suspension spring! Rear wheel bearing last year. Spring now replaced. No, I didn't replace it. There's no way I'm going to compress a big, potential energy laden, spring without the proper gear.

More poor quality components? The roads aren't that bad. Next.

Eight years old, and nothing lasts forever. If you intend on keeping the car for another eight years, I would replace both. Even with spring compression things can and have gone wrong, and you are doing the right thing leaving it to the mechanic who will have the equipment.

[Madasafish]

58 minutes ago, flash22 said:

Did you do an axle pair ?

Nope.. Car sits level with just one - rear spring.

Now if it had been a front spring I would have done both: front suspension has "settled" a lot over 18 years with a heavy diesel engine at the front. (I am fortunate - I have a set of spring compressors purchased when I changed the front springs on a 1982 BMW 325i in c 1995

[Catlover]

1 hour ago, Big_D said:

Yes, the roads here are bad.Where does all our road and fuel tax end up??

BoJo's garden parties maybe!

[TonyHSD]

Roads are not only bad but also the saltiest of all too. The amount of salt and grit thrown on them is insane and unnecessary. This actually combined with the heavy rain and congested traffic destroying the road surfaces , also our cars simply rust rust rust. Here if you allow me to share some examples., thanks to the salt and grit and wonderful roads 🙂 Fpr springs and shocks if only one side needs attention an used oem one in good condition can be a good option, like the case with mine👌

[Guest]

Yes, components wear out, corrode and break. However, after owning many cars over many years and some of them older and many more miles than my Yaris, I have never had a suspension spring break at any time.

No, only the one was changed. Yes, the other, nearside, is the same age and mileage but that will be addressed when it has to be. I don't subscribe to the change everything mantra. And they, along with many underside parts, were coated/sprayed with Dinitrol when new, and afterwards.

I think components, now, all mainstream manufacturers, are made to a price rather than over engineered for longevity.

e.g. my 60 years old (this month) Morris Minor still has the original front suspension torsion bars. I changed the sagging (unbroken) rear leaf springs a few years ago!