A serious Warning Check your A arms

[Fatboy 18]

I wanted to bring this to the attention of all Viper owners.

I see many Vipers where owners talk about ceramic coating, cleaning products and paintwork but how many of you regularly clean and pay attention to the underside of your cars?

The pics below are a clear warning to all of you. This particular car was immaculate on top and a clean engine bay, the car had been garaged for over 5 years before it was recently put back on the road.

The new owner took the car out for a couple of drives and the 3rd drive could have cost him his life!

Both front suspension Lower A arms collapsed due to fracture cracks where the bushings pass through while out for a drive, the Koni shock absorber snapped and the front of the car smashed into the ground. I'm not going to name names but I am posting this as a safety warning to you all. The driver hit the brakes on the car while driving at about 30mph when the front collapsed. It could have been a hell of a lot worse!
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[13COBRA]

Wow, good warning.

Just happened to a buddy of mine in his 2600rwhp Corvette. A arm snapped and sent him for a heck of a ride into the median.

[GTS Dean]

There have been at most ten of these wishbone failures that I recall hearing about over the years. Interestingly, I think 3 or 4 of them have been in Europe. It appears that the light galvanizing on the outer bushing sleeve wore through and started oxidation/electrolysis in the wishbone bushing bore.

The upper pivot bar and shock eye bushings have some noteworthy oxidation evident on them as well.

[Fatboy 18]

Hi Dean, I can tell you I have indeed seen this now on 3 Vipers in Europe, you can see that the corrosion on some of those parts has been there for some time. This car was one of the better Vipers in the UK but many owners here do not have ramps as I'm sure a lot of American owners don't have either. The damage done to the car is more than just replacing the A arms!

Check your cars. Better to be safe than sorry.

[GTS Dean]

Most of us have floor jacks and creepers at a minimum. That and good, strong lighting are all you need to perform a reasonable inspection of these areas on your own. Some of us are a bit more OCD...

[dave6666]

Thats corrosion. Pure and simple. The aluminum looks less than optimal and the bushing is a dead ringer clue. Rust, by volume, makes 12x what uncorroded steel does. When that bushing corrodes it starts to exert outward pressure on the surrounding structure i.e. the a-arm. I live in a relatively dry, and certainly hot climate. My arms look factory new. But if you live coastal, wet, drive on salted roads and so on, then beware. There are certainly steps you can take to prevent that. Besides Zaino'ing the hood.

[Fatboy 18]

Yep, that's the point Dave, many owners don't clean up the underside of the car so are unaware of pending issues!

[ViperC]

I had the upper A-arm mount that is welded to the frame fracture while driving. I actually heard it snap. Luckily not further damage was done and it was a fairly easy fix.

[RyanLS.GEN2]

For the strut shaft to break,(looks like half was cracked like it was rusty) and the multiple failure, are you sure that car never was wrecked, no hit a curb at some point that "a all it needed was a alignment"? Most were known to break on the ball joint end. the crack in the control arm was likley there by the green coloring in the crack.

[plumcrazy]

Mine broke in traffic on the highway. No other damage but it's happened a bunch of times to people

[Fatboy 18]

For the strut shaft to break,(looks like half was cracked like it was rusty) and the multiple failure, are you sure that car never was wrecked, no hit a curb at some point that "a all it needed was a alignment"? Most were known to break on the ball joint end. the crack in the control arm was likley there by the green coloring in the crack.

No Ryan, this car has never been wrecked (until now). The car does have a Big Brake kit fitted and 19" wheels, weather that caused added stress to the suspension parts (who knows)? but corrosion is the issue here. Time to swap out to energy suspension Polly bushes and ditch the old metal bushes.

[My98RT10]

Put my car on the QuickJack yesterday for the routine inspection. All 8 control arms are looking good... will definitively check them on a regular basis now....

[dave6666]

Polly bushes

Poly, dude. "Poly" is short for "polymer." Polly is a bird, on both sides of the pond.

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[Fatboy 18]

Well I am sad to announce that now another UK car has the same issues, fracture cracks in 3 of its control arms and this time on a later Gen model.

Get checking people.

[GTS Dean]

There must be a road chemical and/or environmental connection with these occurrences.

[Fatboy 18]

There must be a road chemical and/or environmental connection with these occurrences.

No idea Dean, this Gen 3 is a very well kept car, not a daily driver! But 3 arms on the same car is worrying!

I don't think we can put this down to Covid Virus!

[Viper98912]

Subscribed; I was just looking at my car today. I don't know how we could exactly see these though, if it's coming from the inside

[Lunchbox]

Will be checking mine here somewhat soon. Installing new control arm bushings and ball joints along with sway-bar bushings.

[Fatboy 18]

Subscribed; I was just looking at my car today. I don't know how we could exactly see these though, if it's coming from the inside

You will notice fracture cracking from the underside of the car, if you can get the car on a 4 post ramp it would better because the suspension would be compressed with the weight of the car or over an inspection pit.

[dave6666]

No idea Dean, this Gen 3 is a very well kept car, not a daily driver! But 3 arms on the same car is worrying!

I don't think we can put this down to Covid Virus!

Another sad belief that "well kept" garage queen is like some veil of protection from anything that could harm a car.

Drive through some salt once without thoroughly washing and neutralizing the underside of the car immediately and corrosion has started. Simple humidty can keep it going if allowed to dry. Takes seconds to initiate by hitting a puddle and the fancy coated garage floor won't save it.

[Viper98912]

You will notice fracture cracking from the underside of the car, if you can get the car on a 4 post ramp it would better because the suspension would be compressed with the weight of the car or over an inspection pit.

Yes, I had it up on the four post yesterday and was taking a close look at everything. I didn't see any cracking, but I'll be looking at it again today even closer.

[lisekplx]

After reading this, I went to town on my front end. After inspecting it I replaced all the ball joints and bushings up front with parts from energy suspension and Howe racing. Cleaned and painted everything with some epoxy paint.

[Lunchbox]

After reading this, I went to town on my front end. After inspecting it I replaced all the ball joints and bushings up front with parts from energy suspension and Howe racing. Cleaned and painted everything with some epoxy paint.

Are those ball joints back in stock already or did you have some you bought a while ago sitting around? They're on my list but last i checked they've been out of stock for a while.

[98RedGTS]

Will be checking mine here somewhat soon. Installing new control arm bushings and ball joints along with sway-bar bushings.

Just did this to my car too. If you get stuck let me know. I've got a press that made for easy changing of the bushings and lower ball joints. I've got the big ass socket needed for the ball joints to so don't buy one if you haven't already, you can use mine. While in there don't forget about the sway bar end links. Mine looked OK but were obvious trash when I removed them from the car.

[Fatboy 18]

Well done for checking them, and yes Dave I fully understand what you are saying