Shock tower failure on 718 Spyder
07-23-2020, 11:56 AM
#91
To bend the chassis like that, make the top hat wavy, and shear off part of the top hat, would have taken an immense impact. A defective top hat wouldn’t bend the chassis, and a bent chassis wouldn’t cause the top hat to fail that way either in normal driving. Claiming it happened by itself on the highway without an impact sounds like BS unless it was previously damaged.
Was the wheel damaged?
Was the wheel damaged?
There was 2 pictures of the car on the flatbed and it looked like it was perfect on the outside. I don't think the wheels were bent but I bet they are checking that. Looks like the tear down already occurred and they are looking at everything. Just hope we get more information as it comes out....
07-23-2020, 12:01 PM
#92
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by wizee
As far as I know, every previous instance was related to hitting a pothole or going off track
Last year I searched for days and couldn't find a single case that when checked into thoroughly wasn't precipitated by extraordinary impact incidents. I made a number of posts to the other thread here about the GT4 in England that was damaged during a track incident then the idiots tried to pass it off as happening during regular driving on the street...
As far as I know, every previous instance was related to hitting a pothole or going off track
This. This was not a common problem on the 981 and every instance was due to hitting something. Shame it's not more durable, but it's not a design or manufacturing defect. Don't hit stuff.
That said, I cringe every time I watch a 718 track video where the driver is just pummeling the car over the curbing.
That said, I cringe every time I watch a 718 track video where the driver is just pummeling the car over the curbing.
Last edited by Westcoast; 07-23-2020 at 12:08 PM.
The following users liked this post:
elevensheep (12-23-2020)
07-23-2020, 12:14 PM
#93
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,524
Received 826 Likes
on
453 Posts
The failure in this thread is completely different. The 981/982 Boxster chassis is known to be very rigid, has much in common with the Cayman, and I’ve never before heard of the chassis bending like that just hitting an ordinary pothole. The chassis stayed intact and instead bent, and the visibly quite thick top hat sheared. This is a previously unheard of failure mode, and I very much doubt an ordinary pothole could have caused this. It was probably something very big, deep, and extreme, hit at high speed.
Now, as to how could the chassis have bent and top hat sheared without bending the rim, that’s a bit of a mystery. Maybe the owner previously hit something and wrecked the wheel, then replaced the wheel without doing anything about the bent chassis or top hat, and later the top hat crack grew on the highway. However, that sounds unlikely to have happened within 12 days of getting a new car delivered, since even getting a replacement wheel would probably take a while.
Last edited by wizee; 07-23-2020 at 12:23 PM.
07-23-2020, 12:58 PM
#94
Yeah, all the 981 GT4 failures I saw had either obvious impacts involved, or bent rims indicating an impact. With that said, impacts that cause only minor rim bends shouldn’t cause the the strut tower to break like that, and it also happened to 10+ people, indicating a recurring issue.
The failure in this thread is completely different. The 981/982 Boxster chassis is known to be very rigid, has much in common with the Cayman, and I’ve never before heard of the chassis bending like that just hitting an ordinary pothole. The chassis stayed intact and instead bent, and the visibly quite thick top hat sheared. This is a previously unheard of failure mode, and I very much doubt an ordinary pothole could have caused this. It was probably something very big, deep, and extreme, hit at high speed.
Now, as to how could the chassis have bent and top hat sheared without bending the rim, that’s a bit of a mystery. Maybe the owner previously hit something and wrecked the wheel, then replaced the wheel without doing anything about the bent chassis or top hat, and later the top hat crack grew on the highway. However, that sounds unlikely to have happened within 12 days of getting a new car delivered, since even getting a replacement wheel would probably take a while.
The failure in this thread is completely different. The 981/982 Boxster chassis is known to be very rigid, has much in common with the Cayman, and I’ve never before heard of the chassis bending like that just hitting an ordinary pothole. The chassis stayed intact and instead bent, and the visibly quite thick top hat sheared. This is a previously unheard of failure mode, and I very much doubt an ordinary pothole could have caused this. It was probably something very big, deep, and extreme, hit at high speed.
Now, as to how could the chassis have bent and top hat sheared without bending the rim, that’s a bit of a mystery. Maybe the owner previously hit something and wrecked the wheel, then replaced the wheel without doing anything about the bent chassis or top hat, and later the top hat crack grew on the highway. However, that sounds unlikely to have happened within 12 days of getting a new car delivered, since even getting a replacement wheel would probably take a while.
I looked at the pictures again, the car looks to be at a Porsche dealership and the hub, driveshaft, brakes, suspension are all removed. Engine is still there! On a side note, would be cool to buy the motor and put it in another older model!
07-23-2020, 02:35 PM
#95
No worries.
Hopefully additional details will be provided. How do you have a car with a popped strut and a twisted frame with apparently no other visible damage? It’s almost as if the car suffered considerable impact to its right rear wheel as if it were dropped from a considerable height. Crazy.
Hopefully additional details will be provided. How do you have a car with a popped strut and a twisted frame with apparently no other visible damage? It’s almost as if the car suffered considerable impact to its right rear wheel as if it were dropped from a considerable height. Crazy.
Everything you said makes sense, I am new to the Porsche brand so didn't know about the boxster was properly designed as open top car. In that case, it should not be a problem.
I know ~20 years ago, my friend had a 911 cab and it would squeak when the car went over the driveway, we both commented how it was a coupe chassis which had the roof chopped off so even with reinforcement, it was not perfect.
I know a properly designed open top chassis should not have any of these concerns. My last car was very stiff and I ran Penske racing shocks with 900/800 pound springs with no problems.
I know ~20 years ago, my friend had a 911 cab and it would squeak when the car went over the driveway, we both commented how it was a coupe chassis which had the roof chopped off so even with reinforcement, it was not perfect.
I know a properly designed open top chassis should not have any of these concerns. My last car was very stiff and I ran Penske racing shocks with 900/800 pound springs with no problems.
07-23-2020, 02:43 PM
#97
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
07-26-2020, 11:41 AM
#98
WOW - this is crazy indeed.
Hope that front strut tower issue was handled at 718.
I wouldn't put any reinforcement there because if problem happens it's one big excuse for them that it might've been happen BECAUSE of the mod.
Hope that front strut tower issue was handled at 718.
I wouldn't put any reinforcement there because if problem happens it's one big excuse for them that it might've been happen BECAUSE of the mod.
12-19-2020, 08:56 PM
#99
So, any front failures yet on 718 GT4/Spyders?
12-19-2020, 09:48 PM
#101
As soon as people start hitting ****, we’ll see claims of strut tower ‘failures’ in the 718, just like the 981...
12-19-2020, 10:01 PM
#102
12-20-2020, 12:26 AM
#103
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Last edited by GrantG; 12-20-2020 at 12:30 AM.
12-20-2020, 12:36 AM
#104
Rennlist Member
12-20-2020, 12:48 AM
#105
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Huh? Suspension stiffness and travel length are independent. You could have really soft (bouncy, floaty) suspension but still have very long travel or really firm suspension and very short (or long) travel. And are you sure you can claim that tower failure on the 981 was due to bottoming out? It could have been, but it certainly could occur without any bottoming. Really stiff suspension can transmit a lot of force without ever bottoming.
I’m only repeating what was discovered in the investigation of tub damage in 981 and 991 cars and reported on Rennlist. I don’t have any independent data, nor any personal experience with this (thankfully).