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Broken suspension arm bolt


Pants's picture

By Pants - Posted on 16 January 2010

NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.

I went for a ride around the Dam this morning and as I have done hundreds of times, I dropped off the large rock on the left thats behind Allambie Heights School, hit the ground and heard a massive bang. The pin that connects the suspension shock to the rear arm had completely sheared right through. Below are some pictures!

It was a long walk down to the bottom Sad

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marhleet's picture

with the facetious comments, but thought I'd try to help the analysis, for us.

too little travel ? for the speed you hit it at today ?
or just long term wear and it would have failed on the next step anyway ?

hawkeye's picture

Was that the big drop - the 2m one? Shocked

Looking at the face of the bolt failure, the shiny bits between noon and 4 o'clock show that fatigue was the cause and therefore a breakage was inevitable. Might need a bigger bolt or one of a different steel alloy.

noddman's picture

Grade 8 high tensile steel might be overkill but stainless will do as it won't rust . Smiling

Pants's picture

It was the far left line that you roll down the first and jump the second. I always ride that line and have done it hundreds of times.

Yeah I do think it was fatigue as it had been bent for a while. When i first had the bike the spring was a 450lb/inch (now is 700) and it bottomed out a few times so i think thats when the bolt got bent.

Yes I am going to try and find a high tensile steel bolt, a bolt shop in Orchard Rd in Brookvale will hopefully stock the right size.

hawkeye's picture

Is that Bomond Trading? They've got everything under the sun there - they may even have titanium.

Pants's picture

Yeah I think that's the name of the place. I'll ask them what they would recommend (steel or titanium) but it depends whether they have the right size/thread and length.

Pants's picture

I went down to Bomond trading this morning and a new bolt cost 90 cents!!! So I got 4 Smiling

The steel grade of the bolt was actually 12.9 which is the strongest grade they stock there.

hawkeye's picture

but who. Good job! Smiling I wonder how many times that the LBS would have charged? Sad

mattanderson's picture

in menai today and i was wondering if anybody knew of a place closer to bankstown that stocked bolts.

Scottboy's picture

There used to be a place at Peakhurst years ago off Boundary Rd or try in the Industrial area the left hand side of Canterbury Rd Bankstown that goes too the M5 or Padstow area there has to be one in that area

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