45 replies to this topic

[Mad Max]

Atleast know one was hurt, i'd definately replace the other side while your at it as its probably in the same condition as the one that broke.

[mk3 Cooper S]

Possibly overtightened in the past?

Looks like it has been wearing for some time and could have locked in the wear groove forcing the dome nut off the threads?
Wider wheels and grippy tyres also promote balljoint wear

I know you have got a lot of projects on Danny but don't neglect your daily either.

[mini danny]

The other side has been done as well im not having.it.happen again im just so lucky as only moments before i was going down the m40 at 70 and i felt really bad as my.girlfriend was really shaken up and i have been leaving this mini out and just kept driving her this has really opened my eyes

thanks Danny

[Surfbluegarage]

Ouch, my mini was close to doing this but I'd taken her to Surf Blue Garage for a bit of a tune up and check over before I took her to Blackpool, the chap there told me it would have gone in the next 100 miles... Glad I'd taken her in or it would have been a very eventful and costly trip to Blackpool!

haha yours was loose as noone had locked over the locktags and undone itself.


this bloke had been greasing his ball joints with copper grease for awhile.... yep... copper grease... ill let the pictures do the rest.. ive never seen such a mess when i stripped it down. the ball joint had just clogged up with the copper grease and worn itsself to a pulp, even siezeing the bottom on the ball joint itself onto the cup that sits below it.. which inturn ate the hub....

[GraemeC]

<quote>yours was loose as noone had knocked over the locktabs</quote>

To be honest I think the same has happened on this one - the lock tabs on the joint with the broken thread have never been peined over, that's obvious from the photo.
That joint will have unscrewed until only a few threads have been holding which have then fractured under the stress. That joint failed first, the pin pulling through happened second due to the extreme angle the hub would've gone to.

[Surfbluegarage]

<quote>yours was loose as noone had knocked over the locktabs</quote>

To be honest I think the same has happened on this one - the lock tabs on the joint with the broken thread have never been peined over, that's obvious from the photo.
That joint will have unscrewed until only a few threads have been holding which have then fractured under the stress. That joint failed first, the pin pulling through happened second due to the extreme angle the hub would've gone to.

that quote i put was referring to clairbos post on her mini not the original post.

[Shifty]

I've seen ball joints that have been left loose(I assume instead of shimming) and then had the lock tabs done up.

[GraemeC]

Surfblue - I know, hence why I said I think the same has happened on this one (ie the OP's failure).

[1984mini25]

<quote>yours was loose as noone had knocked over the locktabs</quote>

To be honest I think the same has happened on this one - the lock tabs on the joint with the broken thread have never been peined over, that's obvious from the photo.
That joint will have unscrewed until only a few threads have been holding which have then fractured under the stress. That joint failed first, the pin pulling through happened second due to the extreme angle the hub would've gone to.

But, they wouldn't have failed if they had of been correctly fitted in the first place.

You could have the best parts in the world, but if they aren't fitted correctly to start with it's a waste of time.

[garrett3]

I've seen a few of these fail more recently and they have been correctly fitted too. I wonder if there is a batch with cheaper/lower quality metal?

Makes you wonder doesn't it?

[sport2000]

Surely there has to be something that can be sorted out..
If BMW are licensing the mini brand and they expect only quality parts to be distributed then it's time for them to clampdown with inferior products, although a lot of people don't like the new Mini you have to be thankful that BMW are expecting quality components to be used.if and it's a big IF these components are substandard and they fail and there is a fatality surely someone will want justice as we live in a claim for anything culture.
I would much rather pay double for a quality component than hope these ball joints are up to the job and don't fail even if there are different fitment opinions.
Whichever companies are claiming they're quality components and selling them to us mini nuts,beware, because if they're substandard and fail its going to end in tears because it will be proved quite easily where they were purchased from.
I personally think BMW should be contacted to police and verify these ball joints and other critical components being supplied via there distributors are upto the job with tests to prove this.. Have we already got this in place? Maybe maybe not..
I may get slated for what I have suggested but I want to be safe and all you mini nuts so should you be safe..

[Surfbluegarage]

you are right but... and heres the but... bmw dont really regulate after market mini spares... nobody does.... how many products thats all of us mini nuts have bought over the years have come in either a clear bag or a plain box with no markings? no E stamps or batch numbers... yet we fit them. i've bought parts in the past and regretted it "competition" this and "uprated" that yet its the same **** in the box as the one that doesnt come in a box..... tempered my arse its just oil blacked! yes it should be regulated looked at but we live in the real world here and its all about 1 thing for some people and thats money!!! if they can make it cheap and sell um fast they will. then people come along selling good quality **** thats bin tested and proved (Martin at MRA to name one) yet people complain about the prices being steep? ive seen the engineering that goes into these things and it aint cheap.. so non of us are doing anyone any favours really.
But yes its not on and your bang on the money here about quality parts!... rant over.. sorry folks..

[mini-luke]

It's worth noting, nobody can stop you selling a product advertised for/to fit model X etc.

[mab01uk]

BMH (British Motor Heritage) regulate the quality and license the sale and production of classic Mini spares on behalf of BMW and have received some flak in the past for taking legal action against unlicensed traders but I doubt they have the manpower to police the traders at every Mini show or those on the internet/ebay selling cheap unapproved parts shipped in from India or China. However if you are not happy with quality or safety of a Mini product please report it to BMH with as much information as you can supply on the source of the dodgy parts in question.........it may save someone else from being hurt or ripped off in the future.

Ex-editor of Miniworld magazine Monty Watkins interviewed John Yea Managing Director of BMH (British Motor Heritage Ltd) about this topic back in the Summer 2010 edition.

Extracts from MW article below:
"John Yea of BMH defends BMW's policy on protecting the Mini brand saying they have put a lot of effort into the BMH company when it was privatised in 2001 and facilitated the move of Mini tooling to BMH with their full encouragement, permitting the continued supply of bodyshells and genuine replacement body panels and subframes. He thinks a lot of classic Mini people are being misled. BMW have a lot of respect for the Classic Mini and they have tried very hard to get their managers to understand. They are very concerned how they are perceived by the classic Mini world but the Mini brand is extremely important and must be protected against imitations. A lot of genuine parts are no longer available and people should be ashamed at some of the stuff thats out there. For example, the genuine Rover Mini subframes had a minimum number of spotwelds deemed to be safe, researched in much detail. Cheap aftermarket copies have fewer spotwelds and people need protecting from this. Part of our role is to assist BMW, Licensing is to maintain quality. The problem we have now is that an awful lot of stuff is coming in from super cheap sources. BMW lawyers are looking for abuses of the logos and the brand and legal letters are intentionally intimidating, clearly stating the rights being contravened. If you get the letter please stop selling and tell us who manufactures the products in question. Manufacturers should come to BMH to assess the quality of the product, if quality is good enough but sales very small, we would probably charge a peppercorn sum, rather than a percentage of the wholesale price. Small scale makers should come and talk to us first if quality is good."
http://www.bmh-ltd.c...marks-useof.htm

Edited by mab01uk, 11 April 2012 - 09:44 PM.

[sport2000]

Well done on that, I remember reading that article but could not remember when...
I think they should be notified, if there's substandard components out there then should be dealt with