LOWER WISHBONE

[bobwhittaker]

WISHBONE AVAILABILITY
During the last four weeks the online website has shown this item as " In Stock ".

[bobwhittaker]

WISHBONE AVAILABILITY
During the last four weeks the online parts shop has shown this item as " In Stock ".

[bobwhittaker]

[attachment=0]Wishbone.JPG[/attachment]

Photo of the offending item

[bobwhittaker]

Additional to posted photograph.

The paint / coating was burnt off and the arm burnished by using a rotary wire brush in an electric drill.
This clearly showed the crack but exposed what looks like a run of weld the length of the straight link
that has been dressed back to match the tube.It also shows what might be a crack on the weld at the
right hand end. I have since cut the sealing cap off the left hand end and the external weld run matches
internaly what would appear to be the sealing run for seam welded tube.

I hope all this of interest and I repeat from previous that the car has never had a high impact incident
with the front suspension. Nor is corrosion due age a problem, I have now viewed the tube internaly.

My opinion is still that if I hadn't stripped the front suspension for other work the first I would have
known would have been when the wheel dropped off or " Tucked under ".

[Westfield 129]

You are the original owner/builder?

[M400too]

He has already said car was stored and then built in 2012

[allymally]

I will add my three penny worth To me it has been strained at some time! you may not have noticed at the time, this is all guess work of course.
It may have bottomed out on the shocker bump stop or the tyre contact in a pot hole "No Shortage of these is there". I have built quite a few wishbones for different cars over the years, when they are welded in a jig or not, the geometry changes to some extent it is very common for the two tubes which form the Y to close up as much as 10/12mm when this happens they have to be opened back to the correct dimension or they would not fit the car. usually achieved by warming up around the welded joints whilst slowly applying pressure in the required direction.
Looking at the crack the adjustment could have been made in a cold state it may not have cracked at the time but over time it may have opened up as the metal fatigued, as I say its all guess work.
Its Mild steel. so re weld the item and use again Mig welding is not the best way to weld these things in the first place but its production so Quick and cheap.
All the very best Malc

[bobwhittaker]

Have repaired wishbone, all back in place. No contact from Westfield regards a new one.

For the repair I had a piece of solid bar machined to a light tap in fit down the full length of the cracked tube. It was angled at the inner end
so it would enter the forward leg of the wishbone. I then prepped the main and the smaller crack at right hand end of the photograph using
a rotary burr, opening the cracks up so weld could penetrate both sides of the crack and the solid bar inside. I also drilled three 8mm holes
equidistant on the length of the tube to plug weld the wall to the bar inside. Finaly the tube was welded round the bar at the free end, it was
cut to length and dressed up. This was all done by a professional using TIG.

There is a lot of weld in this 5" length tube, six significant stuctural ones and one at the free end that caps the tube. Perhaps this has resulted
in excessive heat affecting the material. It might be that a piece of solid bar in this particular piece could have been a better choice due all the welding in that location.

Regards the cause of the crack, I am the only person that has driven the car and I am not aware of any likely incident nor is there any other
sign of stress.

I have replaced the metalastic bushes in all four arms with solid " Blue " nylon ( Contains Molybdenum Disulphide ) The material cost £15.00
delivered, enough for four full sets, made on nights in the local aerospace factory. Have adjusted the fit of the arms to the chassis mounts
with shims / thrust washers and secured at 5 lbft with castellated nuts. Not tried yet, will report on the feel when it is back on the road.
its no big deal if I have to revert to metalastics.

[Westfield 129]

Did you use a center tube to distribute the load and act as a rotating element, or did you just bolt through?

[bobwhittaker]

Regards one piece nylon bushes :-
These were just bolted through without an inner sleeve. It is intended to be a trial to see if there is a
noticeable difference in the feel of the car. I will monitor the condition of the bolts / bushes closely, if need be
I will Revert to the Metalastics as I have said previously.

The lower wishbone situation :-
Twelve days ago I was told there were problems with supply and a new source was being considered.
I then decided to have the original repaired and the car is back in one piece Yesterday 17th Feb Westfield
contacted me to say they were now in stock ( Different person ). When I check the bushes / bolts I will
obviously check the wishbones and action if needed.