Callaway-Eibach coilover shock broke - pic
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From: Pleasanton CA
Callaway-Eibach coilover shock broke - pic
Here we go again, another guy with a broken suspension part. I have maybe 3000 miles on my Callaway/Eibach coilovers. I've only got 6000 on the car! I haven't hit anything, not a curb, not a piece of lumber, nothing. But the right rear Callaway/Eibach shock broke on my commute home from work. I pulled over after hearing a bang, but couldn't see anything hanging or dripping, so I finished the drive home.
I'm feeling lucky that the car didn't make any sudden moves when the shock broke. In fact, I didn't realize it was the shock till I got the car up on stands and the wheels off.
So now we'll see how this gets taken care of. I've called, emailed, and PMed the vendor, asking for their help in dealing with Callaway. Wish me luck!
Jeff
I'm feeling lucky that the car didn't make any sudden moves when the shock broke. In fact, I didn't realize it was the shock till I got the car up on stands and the wheels off.
So now we'll see how this gets taken care of. I've called, emailed, and PMed the vendor, asking for their help in dealing with Callaway. Wish me luck!
Jeff
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I have already been contacted by the vendor, who I'm sure will everything they can to help me get new parts from Callaway ASAP. Obviously, it's Saturday and I don't expect any real progress till Monday. In the meantime I'll reinstall the stock rear bits.
Jeff
Jeff
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From: Pleasanton CA
The transverse springs are up in the attic! My Callaway kit was modified to be "pure" coilovers, not the transverse plus helper springs. I'm *very* lucky that the right rear corner didn't collapse. The broken shock appears to be seized, at least I cannot compress it no matter how hard I push. That would explain why the shaft broke where it did.
Jeff
Jeff
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Melting Slicks
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From: Santa Barbara, CA
The transverse springs are up in the attic! My Callaway kit was modified to be "pure" coilovers, not the transverse plus helper springs. I'm *very* lucky that the right rear corner didn't collapse. The broken shock appears to be seized, at least I cannot compress it no matter how hard I push. That would explain why the shaft broke where it did.
Jeff
Jeff
As you can see in the pic the shock was leaking since there is oil on the bump stop. Once the fluid leaked out the piston siezed and there was no way for the shock to move. Which led to the shock snapping at the top. A shock was leaking for another customer while running the leafs and Eibach stands behind them so it won't be a problem. I am sorry that happened as with my other customer. I'll do everything in my power to make it right for you.
I'm 100% commited to customer service. Though Eibach is the manufacturer I'll make can take care of it. I hope everything else you purchased like the StopTechs, Forgelines, and everything else is working perfectly.
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Quicky update for those following this saga: Eibach in SoCal agreed to replace the broken parts and rebuild the rest. UPS says they should receive the stuff tomorrow, 11/18. I'll let y'all know when it gets back into my hands.
In the meantime, I'm stuck with stock springs and shocks. *Definitely* a step backwards! Abrupt wheel motion, especially the type caused by California's wonderful Botts dots, is poorly controlled, and I'm back to skittering sideways on washboard corners.
Jeff
In the meantime, I'm stuck with stock springs and shocks. *Definitely* a step backwards! Abrupt wheel motion, especially the type caused by California's wonderful Botts dots, is poorly controlled, and I'm back to skittering sideways on washboard corners.
Jeff
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I received the coilovers back from Eibach yesterday and plan to reinstall them this weekend using their helper springs and retaining the base coupe transverse springs.
The car does both ride better and handle better with the aftermarket parts. I think the transition back to stock was a more noticeable change than when I first installed the Callaway/Eibachs. I'm looking forward to driving the result of this weekend's activity.
Jeff
The car does both ride better and handle better with the aftermarket parts. I think the transition back to stock was a more noticeable change than when I first installed the Callaway/Eibachs. I'm looking forward to driving the result of this weekend's activity.
Jeff
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I received the coilovers back from Eibach yesterday and plan to reinstall them this weekend using their helper springs and retaining the base coupe transverse springs.
The car does both ride better and handle better with the aftermarket parts. I think the transition back to stock was a more noticeable change than when I first installed the Callaway/Eibachs. I'm looking forward to driving the result of this weekend's activity.
Jeff
The car does both ride better and handle better with the aftermarket parts. I think the transition back to stock was a more noticeable change than when I first installed the Callaway/Eibachs. I'm looking forward to driving the result of this weekend's activity.
Jeff
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From: Pleasanton CA
I've heard 3 theories:
1) the shock leaked dry, then seized
2) the internal anodizing failed allowing the piston to seize
3) using 800# springs causes excessive side loads on the shaft.
My take:
1) The shock definitely leaked, but Eibach says it was not dry. But Eibach also told me the shock was not seized. I put the broken end against my workbench and pushed as hard as I could. I could not budge it. The other shocks move easily. You can decide what that means.
2) I didn't see the shock disassembled, so only Eibach knows what the guts looked like.
3) The lower mounting point is a rubber-bushed pivot, and the upper mount is a spherical washer, so I'm having a very hard time drawing a force diagram that applies a bending load on the shaft. I'd really like to see a diagram demonstrating where a bending force would come from and how it might be affected by coilover spring rate.
Bottom line is that I doubt I'll ever find out exactly why it broke.
Jeff
1) the shock leaked dry, then seized
2) the internal anodizing failed allowing the piston to seize
3) using 800# springs causes excessive side loads on the shaft.
My take:
1) The shock definitely leaked, but Eibach says it was not dry. But Eibach also told me the shock was not seized. I put the broken end against my workbench and pushed as hard as I could. I could not budge it. The other shocks move easily. You can decide what that means.
2) I didn't see the shock disassembled, so only Eibach knows what the guts looked like.
3) The lower mounting point is a rubber-bushed pivot, and the upper mount is a spherical washer, so I'm having a very hard time drawing a force diagram that applies a bending load on the shaft. I'd really like to see a diagram demonstrating where a bending force would come from and how it might be affected by coilover spring rate.
Bottom line is that I doubt I'll ever find out exactly why it broke.
Jeff
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Really bothers me when guys spend money on parts, have a failure and do not get any quantifiable feedback from the manufacturer on their root cause analysis.
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Regarding the LGs, I wanted double adjustable. That option has been beaten to death in other threads, so let's agree to drop that topic, OK?
Jeff
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From: Livermore CA
Jeff,
If you look at your first picture, you have the cervicle seat circled in red, it shows freedom of motion where the dirt is wiped away. I think the seat was functioning. My hypothesis is that the hard anodize failed and the piston partially seized in the bore which created a substantial tension and compression load cycle through the shock. The compression component is more detrimental than the tension because the compression load leads to a buckling failure which would occur at a much lower load than a pure tension or compression failure. Aluminum bodied shocks stake their lives on the quality and durability of the hard anodize. Hopefully this is a rare fluke failure.
If you look at your first picture, you have the cervicle seat circled in red, it shows freedom of motion where the dirt is wiped away. I think the seat was functioning. My hypothesis is that the hard anodize failed and the piston partially seized in the bore which created a substantial tension and compression load cycle through the shock. The compression component is more detrimental than the tension because the compression load leads to a buckling failure which would occur at a much lower load than a pure tension or compression failure. Aluminum bodied shocks stake their lives on the quality and durability of the hard anodize. Hopefully this is a rare fluke failure.
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From: Los Alamitos California
St. Jude Donor '09
Jeff,
Could you tell me (or pm me) why you're going to use the helper springs and stock leaf springs. I have a set waiting to install, so I'm very interested in any details you can provide.
San
Could you tell me (or pm me) why you're going to use the helper springs and stock leaf springs. I have a set waiting to install, so I'm very interested in any details you can provide.
San