BC Coilovers = Fail

[MCarp22]

For this guy with a Mazda 3, literally:

Well this happened to me months ago but I have been in talks with BC to get a refund which never happened. The asked for the damaged components which I sent them and I never heard from them again. These cost me $1000 and now i stuck with broken **** that i cant use. 6 days Prior to this the strut had blown but I rode on it until i got a replacement. I expected the strut to maintain structurally integrity until then. So on Aug 21st I was on the expressway and I hit a small bump in the middle of a curve and I immediately felt that the steering was "loose" and not as responsive. The steering wheel was no longer aligned to be straight when the front wheels were straight. I took the first exit I could and I down shifted to about 30mph because i was approaching stopped traffic at an intersection. As soon as I put any pressure on the brake pedal I felt the car drop and dive to the RF side and it came to a halt quickly. As soon as it happened I knew what it was. The strut had separated and the wheel was in my wheel well supporting the weight of the car on the tire. The strut split in half a little above where it sits in the sleeve(or base). It looks like the top part of the strut threads(about 4 threads) into the lower part and BC welds it at that connection. Upon removal of the damaged strut I also noticed that the "hook" that keeps the the strut from rotating and holds on to the pinch bolt was missing. I was able to reinstalled the stock suspension without replacement of anything.



Pictures by Listers - Photobucket

Discuss?

[Disney Lincoln]

That's some serious FAIL. I can't believe they won't send him new stuff.

It first glance it appears that they just didn't take into consideration where and how the parts are welded. I'm also curious about the break at the top.

[MCarp22]

I think they might have disassembled the shock.

[ZTwentyAteU]

something is fishy here. how did it break at the top and the bottom? it looks like he had them WAY low too.

bob on james' moms account

[nukeworker]

I got a welder. we will fit it right up!

[Eight-Six]

I looks like the weld on the bottom of the strut didn't get enough penetration. The bottom of the strut tube doesn't seem to have any evidence of welded on it. The cap doesn't have much evidence either.

[eric96ser]

People who buy crappy coilovers like that, crack me up.

[Listers]

I think they might have disassembled the shock.

no that pic is before i sent them to BC

something is fishy here. how did it break at the top and the bottom? it looks like he had them WAY low too.

bob on james' moms account

i did have them pretty low but i dont know about "too low". The bottom part that was welded broke first and that subsequently lead to the top break from not having a solid base to keep it erect(or perpendicular to the ground).

People who buy crappy coilovers like that, crack me up.

im sure ive actually met you before eric. In Kokomo, IN at Ben's house at the first of the SR20Forum Geekouts. Small (online)world i had a B13 aztec red SE-R but then again who didnt have one

[Disney Lincoln]

Any chance you were "too low" and bottomed out the strut?

[Listers]

Any chance you were "too low" and bottomed out the strut?

ahhh i see what you are saying....that might be a possibility because the strut was blown before the strut failed structurally.

[Disney Lincoln]

Ahhh.. .I see. I wonder if that's what happened then. Either way, they should be covering you unless you were out of some stated warranty.

[Listers]

i was 11 months(12 month warranty) into use at that point

[MCarp22]

no that pic is before i sent them to BC

Ah, I couldn't tell from the photo. Thanks for clearing that up!

[Bob-E]

It looks to me that they were too low and that's why the shock blew. I have no idea how the bottom of the shock broke unless you hit it on something. My car is kinda low and the bottom of the shock does not protrude at all.

Cheap coilovers break here.



Where yours broke there is no force applied so I just don't see how it could happen without an impact

[MCarp22]

Cheap coilovers break here.

Err, that photo you posted is more or less exactly where his strut broke.