Hello,

I have ford coil springs under my Rover with the long arm set-up.Front and back.

I leave this vehicle parked at a friend's place with keys in it so it can be moved around if it's in the way or use on the mild trails around the farm.

This was set-up 2 years ago and has ran fine ever since.

Now the background part:
I went there last week and see a piece of coil sitting on the ground close to the back right tire. I under the rig and the coil is broken in 3 or 4 spots. One broken spot is about to puncture the sidewall.

These were brand new coils from James Duff/Jeff's Bronco kind of place.(I'll assume that everybody gets there coils from a few manufacturers.)

The question:
How does a coil break(shatter) like this? You can see the grain of the steel?

I'm just absolutely baffled by this.
I believe someone tried to pull something with the vehcle in 2wd with no locker engaged.Like a stuck tractor.(my best guess!!!)

Other friends have suggested it's a manufacturing defect.

Any input is appreciated.
JC

Bad metal/springs

or

Bad spring retention/suspension design putting awkward stress on coil.

I've see a few posts on a BMW board about sections of stock coils being found in the spring buckets on E36 cars. So I'll say it's not unheard of but not normal.

Hello,

I have ford coil springs under my Rover with the long arm set-up.Front and back.

I leave this vehicle parked at a friend's place with keys in it so it can be moved around if it's in the way or use on the mild trails around the farm.

This was set-up 2 years ago and has ran fine ever since.

Now the background part:
I went there last week and see a piece of coil sitting on the ground close to the back right tire. I under the rig and the coil is broken in 3 or 4 spots. One broken spot is about to puncture the sidewall.

These were brand new coils from James Duff/Jeff's Bronco kind of place.(I'll assume that everybody gets there coils from a few manufacturers.)

The question:
How does a coil break(shatter) like this? You can see the grain of the steel?

I'm just absolutely baffled by this.
I believe someone tried to pull something with the vehcle in 2wd with no locker engaged.Like a stuck tractor.(my best guess!!!)

Other friends have suggested it's a manufacturing defect.

Any input is appreciated.
JC
The axle is controlled by the control arms hence the name. All the coils do is hold up the vehicle. So if they tried to pull somthing, that didn't break it. Coils can break if they are captured on both ends and over streched and compressed. MANY times. My guess would be that they took it wheelin and the paticular coils you have broke due to bad metal. A bad heat treat from wherever you got the coils from can cause fatigue and failure.

odd to have that happen to newish coils, broken springs are pretty common with miles on them.

Ok so the general idea is bad spring.
If there's 500 miles on the springs I'd be surprised!

No the Rover doesn't over flex/compress the springs enough. (I had originally tried lifting the corners for shock measurments and was dissapointed with the travel.)

I guess I'll get some new springs then, hopefully never worry the other 3 go

Thanks JC

I'd be calling somebody. that does not sound right.

I purchased a set of aftermarket 4 inch lift coils for my F-100 years ago. I had one spring break after a few hundred miles also. I was lucky that it was so soon after purchase and it was replaced by the vendor.
I agree with most everyone else and say the coil was faulty from day one.

got a picture of the broken pieces, i may be able to help you out with whether its a manufacturing defect or something else.