Rear Suspension Knuckle Failure Anyone?

[Policy Limits]

The US closed its investigation but reserves the right to reopen it.

Anyone crash or know someone who did due to a knuckle fracture?

Looks like over 9k snakes were in jeopardy of being recalled

[ViperSmith]

On the VCA site, all the ones posted seemed to be under dubious circumstances, sliding off the road and the knuckle would snap.

[Troublemaker]

I had followed that for a while, it looks like they finally came to the conclusion that the failure was from the effect of the impact, not the cause of it. I don't 100% buy it, but I'm a nobody. I do know I would purchase the rear toe link support if I owned one of the years in question. This didn't become as well known, but the earlier Gens had reports of them breaking as well. For anyone that drives them hard, Snakeoyl should be getting a call.

[XSnake]

There were a few suspicious accidents posted that the owners claimed that this was the cause of their accident. If I owned a Gen 3 I'd have the Snake Oyl brackets for piece of mind. If you track the car I'd consider them a requirement.

[FLATOUT]

I add the brackets to all my vipers for piece of mind. I saw a few accident pictures with no signs of impact and yet the link was still broken and rear wheel still turned in at a 45 degree angle. Cheap insurance.

[Shooter]

I add the brackets to all my vipers for piece of mind. I saw a few accident pictures with no signs of impact and yet the link was still broken and rear wheel still turned in at a 45 degree angle. Cheap insurance.

I agree. I think we all ordered our brackets at the same time. It was my 1st "mod" to the ACR

[cobraken]

Think this is another "swerve to avoid a deer" excuse.

[FLATOUT]

Think this is another "swerve to avoid a deer" excuse.

Yeah until you see a car on a rollback with ZERO impact on the rear quarter or face of the wheel and yet it's turned into the wheel well. These brackets where developed for the comp coups originally I believe so there must have been some need for them. If the track guys run them or experience broken knuckles prior to impact why could a hard driven street car experience the same thing?

Just seems like cheap insurance for a problem that could easily kill you at triple digit speeds.

[Policy Limits]

Anyone know how many people have died in vipers?

[FLATOUT]

Anyone know how many people have died in vipers?

Not sure but a lot have been totaled due to the Vipers anti poser properties it's been a platform over the years that has weeded out the pretenders better than most.

[Troublemaker]

Anyone know how many people have died in vipers?

No, and I honestly don't want to know.

[FLATOUT]

No, and I honestly don't want to know.

But yet it is something I remind myself of every time I air the car out. I love the fact that you must respect it.

[Shooter]

Anyone know how many people have died in vipers?

Less then have died in Honda's.

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

Anyone know how many people have died in vipers?

Known but to God.............and may they rest in peace.

[v10addiction]

In addition to the rear knuckle failing (even on Gen IV's), the control arm mounts on the rears tear out with heavy use.

Chrysler pushed a mandatory weld upgrade on the ACR-X's after a failure at TWS occurred.
Granted the car had 1.5 seasons on it, but they felt it was an issue.

It is a minor job with a good welder, but my street car had the same cracks and I did mine as well.

I wouldn't drive a viper without both upgrades.

I never have been able to wrap my head around why the rear suspension is a front style suspension setup to begin with.

It seems like they could come up with a better design.
If you look at it closely, you can see the design encourages bump steer.

At least double up the knucles, giving you front and rear control of each wheel.
I think you would be hard pressed to break both.

I have seen an ACR-X first hand loose a knuckle, and it's not pretty.
The tire basically goes wherever it wants.

I was directly behind the car at TWS that the control arm tore loose from the frame ripping out, and that was downright terrifying!
First I thought the track was covered in oil, then saw the tire walking out of the wheel well.

[FLATOUT]

^^^^^^^^^
God thank you for posting that. I never understood how owners could just completely right this issue off as rookie owners lying about why they wrecked their cars.

Do you have any details or pictures of the weld upgrade. I would be more than interested in having this done. Couldn't imagine either of these problems occurring at speed at a track like TWS.

Thanks in advance.

[Garron]

In addition to the rear knuckle failing (even on Gen IV's), the control arm mounts on the rears tear out with heavy use.

Chrysler pushed a mandatory weld upgrade on the ACR-X's after a failure at TWS occurred.
Granted the car had 1.5 seasons on it, but they felt it was an issue.

It is a minor job with a good welder, but my street car had the same cracks and I did mine as well.

I wouldn't drive a viper without both upgrades.

I never have been able to wrap my head around why the rear suspension is a front style suspension setup to begin with.

It seems like they could come up with a better design.
If you look at it closely, you can see the design encourages bump steer.

At least double up the knucles, giving you front and rear control of each wheel.
I think you would be hard pressed to break both.

I have seen an ACR-X first hand loose a knuckle, and it's not pretty.
The tire basically goes wherever it wants.

I was directly behind the car at TWS that the control arm tore loose from the frame ripping out, and that was downright terrifying!
First I thought the track was covered in oil, then saw the tire walking out of the wheel well.

Do you have any pictures of the race upgrade?

[n49]

I add the brackets to all my vipers for piece of mind. I saw a few accident pictures with no signs of impact and yet the link was still broken and rear wheel still turned in at a 45 degree angle. Cheap insurance.

what is the cost installed?

I had a knuckle break but happened when a motorcycle hit my rear wheel. He was going literally 1-2 mph, I was parked at a gas station. When I went to leave the wheel turned 45 degrees.
At the time I found it shocking that such a minor hit could do this damage. I could have kicked the wheel with my foot harder than the bike hit it...

[FLATOUT]

I remember your story actually.

Brakets can be purchased through snakeoyl viper parts I believe for maybe $190? Maybe a little less. As for install costs they literally take 15 minutes maybe 30. Very simple to do in your garage.

what is the cost installed?

I had a knuckle break but happened when a motorcycle hit my rear wheel. He was going literally 1-2 mph, I was parked at a gas station. When I went to leave the wheel turned 45 degrees.
At the time I found it shocking that such a minor hit could do this damage. I could have kicked the wheel with my foot harder than the bike hit it...

[Garron]

I remember your story actually.

Brakets can be purchased through snakeoyl viper parts I believe for maybe $190? Maybe a little less. As for install costs they literally take 15 minutes maybe 30. Very simple to do in your garage.

and most of that time is just getting the wheel off... Very easy to install

[n49]

Thanks, I need to do this for piece of mind.

[v10addiction]

^^^^^^^^^
God thank you for posting that. I never understood how owners could just completely right this issue off as rookie owners lying about why they wrecked their cars.

Do you have any details or pictures of the weld upgrade. I would be more than interested in having this done. Couldn't imagine either of these problems occurring at speed at a track like TWS.

Thanks in advance.

I will see if I can get some of the fix off our cars.

It is basically some small peices of metal cut to fit jut below the mounts to lengthen them and increase the strength.

In addition there are some extra welds put inside as the existing welds are very small.

I am not sure its a bad issue for the average car, but if you are hard on it (say have worn out a set of hubs or here clicking in your suspension when you backup and go for again) you should at least check for stress cracks in the paint or signs of rust under a crack.

About one in ten I have seen have signs, but most people I am around with Viper's, road race them.
I have often wondered in a hard pot hole could have the same effect in a extreme case.

We used to call Tom Francis for the metal pieces from X's, but we just cut our own on the street cars.

I will see if I can dig up the ACR-X bulletin with pictures.

[FLATOUT]

Thanks a ton. I do tend to drive my cars hard and don't like being killed by them, it's one of my bugaboos.

I have checked those rear welds for cracks and everything looks fine but I'd feel better on track knowing its setup correctly.

[ACRucrazy]

Great info! I have read/heard a lot about it in the past and have hopes the Gen VI Viper (if around) improves the frame and rear suspension all around.

I for one WANTED the recall to go through, this is something that is scary IMO and owners should not have to fork over $$ for "piece of mind". Was rather pissed the recall didn't go through.

[TrackAire]

I will see if I can get some of the fix off our cars.

It is basically some small peices of metal cut to fit jut below the mounts to lengthen them and increase the strength.

In addition there are some extra welds put inside as the existing welds are very small.

I am not sure its a bad issue for the average car, but if you are hard on it (say have worn out a set of hubs or here clicking in your suspension when you backup and go for again) you should at least check for stress cracks in the paint or signs of rust under a crack.

About one in ten I have seen have signs, but most people I am around with Viper's, road race them.
I have often wondered in a hard pot hole could have the same effect in a extreme case.

We used to call Tom Francis for the metal pieces from X's, but we just cut our own on the street cars.

I will see if I can dig up the ACR-X bulletin with pictures.

I would think the Michelin full racing slicks help increase the likelihood of the control arm mounts cracking compared to street rubber. Very good idea to check them and even strengthen them if running R compound tires on the track. I'd like to see what updates were suggested to the ACR-X racers.

Cheers,
George