[s-cars] Odd suspension behaviour

[K Hayes]

So I had a really unusual failure with my bilsteins on my 97S6.  They  
were stock, not the sports, but I had clunking that I could not  
trace.  The front end seemed tight and normal.  Then on a nice warm  
day in November just before I was planning to take a long turkey day  
trip I hit a normal bump in the road that lightened up the front end  
a bit and the front strut broke.  The top bolt that comes up through  
the front strut tower sheered off leaving the nut and some of that  
bolt under the dust cap.  It was my front left that was the problem  
and when it let go it pulled me violently into oncoming traffic on a  
two lane road.  I managed to get the car right by turning the  
steering wheel 90 degrees to the right.  Thankfully, no one was hurt,  
but I am leery of clunking and bilsteins now.  What I don't know is  
if the shaft had already sheered off and the bump moved the strut  
enough for the rest to happen.

I know this is an unusual failure, but it's possible.

Kenny Hayes
Fort Collins, CO


On Mar 12, 2008, at 10:10 AM, yo-cello at comcast.net wrote:

> Well, the pot holes are exceptionally bad this year in northern  
> VT.   As a result I'm experiencing some pretty jarring behaviour  
> with my front suspension.
>
> The victim, a 95.5 S6 avant, does have Bilstein Sports and H&R  
> springs.  Stiff enough to begin with.
>
> What I'm experiencing is a clunk in the LF suspension. It can be  
> heard, but also felt through the dead pedal. Not only going over  
> rough spots on the road, but also when turning.  Pulled the car  
> into the garage and everything appears to be in good shape, and  
> tight.  Control arm bushings and ball joints look good.  The last  
> time I experienced this, it was the the strut cap that attaches  
> strut insert to the strut itself had come loose (the one that's  
> supplied with the bilsteins).  Not the case here, it's good and  
> tight. Next thought was the snapped spring issue I've been reading  
> about with the H&R's.  They're fine too.
>
> Now here's the weird thing.  It was around 40 degrees when I first  
> experienced this.  Monday and yesterday it was significantly colder  
> (between 0-20 degrees), and the car rides fine!  Now again this  
> morning at 30 degrees it's back.  WTF?  Any ideas - could this be a  
> bad shock and would the failure be temperature sensitive?
>
> Any insight would be appreciated!
>
> Paul
> 95.5 S6A
> 99 A6A
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