Steeda Upper Strut Mount Snapped
legacy Tms Member MEMORIAL Rest In Peace 10/06/2021
Joined: September 16, 2009
Posts: 3,381
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From: Clinton Tennessee
. Metal will break like glass if you make it too hard. Just my opinion...
Mach 1 Member
Joined: May 11, 2012
Posts: 610
Likes: 21
From: Belle Plaine, MN
A little Wednesday morning quarterbacking;
A) Viewing the broken end of the threaded part, from the outer surface of the shaft in to a depth of about .025” or so, the material is darker with a different fracture pattern. This suggests the shaft is case hardened which would not be uncommon in a part like this. The part needs to have a fairly hard outer surface and more flexible but very tough and resilient core to allow some movement without breaking as full hard material would. No way to visually determine what the shaft material is.
B) It broke predictably at the highest area of stress concentration (A larger corner radius between the two diameters would transition the load better).
C) While there is annular polishing in the unthreaded area of threaded part of the shaft (Nothing serious), at the point of the break it appears there may have been more severe rubbing (Hard to tell for sure from the picture). If this is true, it would have created a stress riser and an initiation point for a crack. Scoring, dents and dings on metal parts upset the grain structure deep into the material. Look for signs of rubbing on the lower part of the strut mount that would line up with that area. Make sure when you install your new parts nothing is rubbing.
D) The dark quarter moon shaped area between 3 and 5 o’clock on the broken end of the threaded part is either a) a spot where a crack had existed in the part for a while or b) a peened spot on the virgin broken surface where the lower part of the shaft contacted it post fracture. It’s hard to tell for sure from the picture but I’m leaning towards option b.
John
A) Viewing the broken end of the threaded part, from the outer surface of the shaft in to a depth of about .025” or so, the material is darker with a different fracture pattern. This suggests the shaft is case hardened which would not be uncommon in a part like this. The part needs to have a fairly hard outer surface and more flexible but very tough and resilient core to allow some movement without breaking as full hard material would. No way to visually determine what the shaft material is.
B) It broke predictably at the highest area of stress concentration (A larger corner radius between the two diameters would transition the load better).
C) While there is annular polishing in the unthreaded area of threaded part of the shaft (Nothing serious), at the point of the break it appears there may have been more severe rubbing (Hard to tell for sure from the picture). If this is true, it would have created a stress riser and an initiation point for a crack. Scoring, dents and dings on metal parts upset the grain structure deep into the material. Look for signs of rubbing on the lower part of the strut mount that would line up with that area. Make sure when you install your new parts nothing is rubbing.
D) The dark quarter moon shaped area between 3 and 5 o’clock on the broken end of the threaded part is either a) a spot where a crack had existed in the part for a while or b) a peened spot on the virgin broken surface where the lower part of the shaft contacted it post fracture. It’s hard to tell for sure from the picture but I’m leaning towards option b.
John
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GT Member
Joined: August 28, 2014
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A little Wednesday morning quarterbacking;
A) Viewing the broken end of the threaded part, from the outer surface of the shaft in to a depth of about .025” or so, the material is darker with a different fracture pattern. This suggests the shaft is case hardened which would not be uncommon in a part like this. The part needs to have a fairly hard outer surface and more flexible but very tough and resilient core to allow some movement without breaking as full hard material would. No way to visually determine what the shaft material is.
B) It broke predictably at the highest area of stress concentration (A larger corner radius between the two diameters would transition the load better).
C) While there is annular polishing in the unthreaded area of threaded part of the shaft (Nothing serious), at the point of the break it appears there may have been more severe rubbing (Hard to tell for sure from the picture). If this is true, it would have created a stress riser and an initiation point for a crack. Scoring, dents and dings on metal parts upset the grain structure deep into the material. Look for signs of rubbing on the lower part of the strut mount that would line up with that area. Make sure when you install your new parts nothing is rubbing.
D) The dark quarter moon shaped area between 3 and 5 o’clock on the broken end of the threaded part is either a) a spot where a crack had existed in the part for a while or b) a peened spot on the virgin broken surface where the lower part of the shaft contacted it post fracture. It’s hard to tell for sure from the picture but I’m leaning towards option b.
John
A) Viewing the broken end of the threaded part, from the outer surface of the shaft in to a depth of about .025” or so, the material is darker with a different fracture pattern. This suggests the shaft is case hardened which would not be uncommon in a part like this. The part needs to have a fairly hard outer surface and more flexible but very tough and resilient core to allow some movement without breaking as full hard material would. No way to visually determine what the shaft material is.
B) It broke predictably at the highest area of stress concentration (A larger corner radius between the two diameters would transition the load better).
C) While there is annular polishing in the unthreaded area of threaded part of the shaft (Nothing serious), at the point of the break it appears there may have been more severe rubbing (Hard to tell for sure from the picture). If this is true, it would have created a stress riser and an initiation point for a crack. Scoring, dents and dings on metal parts upset the grain structure deep into the material. Look for signs of rubbing on the lower part of the strut mount that would line up with that area. Make sure when you install your new parts nothing is rubbing.
D) The dark quarter moon shaped area between 3 and 5 o’clock on the broken end of the threaded part is either a) a spot where a crack had existed in the part for a while or b) a peened spot on the virgin broken surface where the lower part of the shaft contacted it post fracture. It’s hard to tell for sure from the picture but I’m leaning towards option b.
John
Shelby GT350 Member
Joined: July 16, 2011
Posts: 2,040
Likes: 52
Hello,
Once we have received the part back & we do our analysis ... then we will have a better understanding of what took place.
We appreciate your patience & support in this matter ... once our investigation has concluded, then we will know more.
Best Regards,
TJ
Once we have received the part back & we do our analysis ... then we will have a better understanding of what took place.
We appreciate your patience & support in this matter ... once our investigation has concluded, then we will know more.
Best Regards,
TJ
Last edited by tj@steeda; May 27, 2015 at 06:57 PM.
GT Member
Joined: August 28, 2014
Posts: 132
Likes: 1
Looking to do the same thing with my 2013GT prob not untill next year though. Prob go with Steeda I like there all inclusive handling kits they offer.
Bullitt Member
Joined: March 29, 2015
Posts: 352
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From: So. Cal
Bullitt Member
Joined: July 31, 2004
Posts: 256
Likes: 1
Had this same thing happen to me on a brand new strut and spring package pre-assembled by a supplier. NOT STEEDA!!!! I think mine was cause by lateral stresses on the strut rod during installation. Your pothole comment could be the the root cause if it was big enough. May want to check the rest of the suspension for play....
Who installed yours? You or a shop?
Who installed yours? You or a shop?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: August 12, 2013
Posts: 39
Likes: 1
From: New Mexico
I don't trust to many people with my car so I do all my own installs, the car is 3 years old with 8000 miles. I haven't hit any potholes, however, everyday I have to go over two large speed bumps in my neighborhood, (no way to get around them). Good news, the parts arrived from Steeda today! However, upon opening the boxes I noticed the spacers were missing, which need to be installed on 2011- 2014 mustangs. So I'm dead in the water again waiting another week for the spacers to show up.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: August 12, 2013
Posts: 39
Likes: 1
From: New Mexico
A little Wednesday morning quarterbacking;
A) Viewing the broken end of the threaded part, from the outer surface of the shaft in to a depth of about .025” or so, the material is darker with a different fracture pattern. This suggests the shaft is case hardened which would not be uncommon in a part like this. The part needs to have a fairly hard outer surface and more flexible but very tough and resilient core to allow some movement without breaking as full hard material would. No way to visually determine what the shaft material is.
B) It broke predictably at the highest area of stress concentration (A larger corner radius between the two diameters would transition the load better).
C) While there is annular polishing in the unthreaded area of threaded part of the shaft (Nothing serious), at the point of the break it appears there may have been more severe rubbing (Hard to tell for sure from the picture). If this is true, it would have created a stress riser and an initiation point for a crack. Scoring, dents and dings on metal parts upset the grain structure deep into the material. Look for signs of rubbing on the lower part of the strut mount that would line up with that area. Make sure when you install your new parts nothing is rubbing.
D) The dark quarter moon shaped area between 3 and 5 o’clock on the broken end of the threaded part is either a) a spot where a crack had existed in the part for a while or b) a peened spot on the virgin broken surface where the lower part of the shaft contacted it post fracture. It’s hard to tell for sure from the picture but I’m leaning towards option b.
John
A) Viewing the broken end of the threaded part, from the outer surface of the shaft in to a depth of about .025” or so, the material is darker with a different fracture pattern. This suggests the shaft is case hardened which would not be uncommon in a part like this. The part needs to have a fairly hard outer surface and more flexible but very tough and resilient core to allow some movement without breaking as full hard material would. No way to visually determine what the shaft material is.
B) It broke predictably at the highest area of stress concentration (A larger corner radius between the two diameters would transition the load better).
C) While there is annular polishing in the unthreaded area of threaded part of the shaft (Nothing serious), at the point of the break it appears there may have been more severe rubbing (Hard to tell for sure from the picture). If this is true, it would have created a stress riser and an initiation point for a crack. Scoring, dents and dings on metal parts upset the grain structure deep into the material. Look for signs of rubbing on the lower part of the strut mount that would line up with that area. Make sure when you install your new parts nothing is rubbing.
D) The dark quarter moon shaped area between 3 and 5 o’clock on the broken end of the threaded part is either a) a spot where a crack had existed in the part for a while or b) a peened spot on the virgin broken surface where the lower part of the shaft contacted it post fracture. It’s hard to tell for sure from the picture but I’m leaning towards option b.
John
I'm definitely no engineer, but would the height of the strut shaft make a difference with regards to developing a weak point? The Pro-Action Steeda Struts are made for 2005 - 2014 mustangs, however, if you have a 2011-2014 you have to use the supplied spacers to take up the extra lenght of the shaft. You have to use one spacer on top of the HD upper strut mount and one below. Again the spacers are only required for 2011 - 2014 mustangs.
I've noticed other suspension manufactures like Koni, makes a strut specifically for 2011 - 2014 and there is no extra space (non-threaded area) in the shaft.
This is just my 2 cents but I think Steeda should have made specific struts that were made for 2011 - 2014 that didn't require spacers.
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austin101385
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Sep 24, 2015 08:15 PM