wtf ! RC front endlink broke in half...

[legend_217]

Last night, I made a U-turn and heard a big knock sound. This morning I take off my wheel and see this...

Seriously, I NEVER make any hard turns, and I've been tightened the bolt from the right f/e more than 3 times. I about to replace it with the stock one but can't find it. My question is can I drive my car without the right f/e ?

[SniperJoe]

That's pretty crappy!

Not that it would cause you to have an accident, but I'd be glad that nothing serious happened to you and your car. If you find out what caused the bolt to shear off please post it here.

[mcheddadi]

wow! did you mount your endlinks with the car lifted or not?

[legend_217]

What do you think ? Of course yes. It's impossible to install front endlinks without lifting the car.

[dldjros69]

Thats beat man, sorry to hear. did u email joe yet?

[legend_217]

I emailed already. Hopefully, I can get a replacement for free. hic

[ESP]

My front endlink came off a few weeks ago. Every time I turned the wheels hard to the right I would hear a "clunk" and then this horrible rubbing sound. Also, whenever I hit a lumpy patch of ice or something that wasn't perfectly smooth I would hear a "clunk" sound. Turns out the clunking was my front sway bar smacking around and the rubbing was my tire pushing on the fallen endlink bar and gouging the inside of my wheel well.

In the summer time I corner pretty hard, but it's been winter here for what seems like forever and I haven't had a chance to corner with any significant amount of g-forces for at least three months! Never had a problem with it until recently.

Just replace it with your OEM one until Joe can send you a replacement.

[dldjros69]

So did your endlink go back on with out any issues.

I havent done this mod and i am afraid to do it now

[ESP]

Yeah, I got it back on okay. Mine didn't snap though...the nuts just got loosened and the top end of the "sleeve" was detached. Even though there is a locking nut, I'd still suggest using Locktite when doing the install. This isn't the first instance I've heard of endlinks coming apart...

[Strik3r69]

guess no endlinks for me after hearing this......

[ESP]

No, no, no...don't worry about it! Just use some Locktite and you'll be fine! That being said, the rear endlinks are far more beneficial than the fronts IMHO. For example, just driving around "responsibly" this winter I didn't really notice a difference in handling with the missing front endlink.......

[legend_217]

Ok ! I got my replacement and I don't know how to install it. It's not the whole front endlink but only ball joint and rod end. If anyone know how to install it. Please let me know. Thank you

[vonivo]

I already started up a thread about Racingline's endlinks breaking problems here it is http://forums.altimas.org/zerothread?id=400705 it seems that we are seeing more and more of them breaking or "poping off" and these are just the people that are posting about it here i'm sure theres more. It seems like my old thread was right ( i posted a picture of Racinglines endlink that had a stamp on it labled China as in manufactured in) and their china made part is substandard and not even close to the quality or tensile strength as the factory stocker's

[LongBeachCoupe]

Von this isnt Dateline lol...

If i remember correctly racingline explained what little part was made in china (or am i wrong?)

Trust me when I tell you that if any of the guys had an issue with it, they would post it, people post when they cant get their windows to go "auto-up" anymore, a broken part makes the threads.

[Racingline]

LOL, You do realize the "superior stock endlink" is plastic inside the ball joints right?

The shearing is an isolated incident and has been rectified. ( the pars are to rebuild the ones you already have by reusing the black shaft and discarding everything else)

as far as rears "popping off", all sets are send with 2 nuts for each bolt( 1 serrated, 1 reg). they are to be tighten and installed as supplied, ans I suspect many people are just installing the first nut. The second acts as a lock to prevent backing off of the first due to the bushings creating a "spring effect" and pushing against the installation.

The reason a nylon lock nut is not used is because when exposed to salt and contaminants the nylon actually breaks down and the nut becomes useless.

As far as China components..... quality and china have nothing in common despite your perception. Some very amazing quality parts come out of china, conversely "made in usa" does not automatically mean quality either. Quality is a matter of what your willing to pay to have it made. Just because it CAN be made cheap in china does not mean everything IS cheap from china. Most all coilover sets you see (even the "JDM quality" & "higher end" stuff is all made from the same 2 - 3 factories in china and taiwan)

[legend_217]

A shop installed F/E for me so I don't know anything about it. I will install it in other day because it's raining for two days now. lol

[michaelthepsycho]

Sorry but being from Taiwan... I gotta defend Taiwanese manufacturing against Chinese manufacturing... Two different worlds... Totally. Even Taiwanese people don't want to buy Chinese junk, haha!

[Racingline]

using the stereotypes, TW parts are slightly better but also cost more then CN, agreed

but I've seen some crappy TW parts as well.

Like I said above, it comes down to what people are willing to pay. If they pay the CN factory more, they will make it better. good/poor Quality transends all regions of the world. Cash is king everywhere

[vonivo]

LOL, You do realize the "superior stock endlink" is plastic inside the ball joints right?

The shearing is an isolated incident and has been rectified. ( the pars are to rebuild the ones you already have by reusing the black shaft and discarding everything else)

as far as rears "popping off", all sets are send with 2 nuts for each bolt( 1 serrated, 1 reg). they are to be tighten and installed as supplied, ans I suspect many people are just installing the first nut. The second acts as a lock to prevent backing off of the first due to the bushings creating a "spring effect" and pushing against the installation.

The reason a nylon lock nut is not used is because when exposed to salt and contaminants the nylon actually breaks down and the nut becomes useless.

As far as China components..... quality and china have nothing in common despite your perception. Some very amazing quality parts come out of china, conversely "made in usa" does not automatically mean quality either. Quality is a matter of what your willing to pay to have it made. Just because it CAN be made cheap in china does not mean everything IS cheap from china. Most all coilover sets you see (even the "JDM quality" & "higher end" stuff is all made from the same 2 - 3 factories in china and taiwan)

...the ball joint is not whats breaking its the shaft and connectors of poor quality metal that is not nearly strong enough to hold up to the pressure put on it. so why couldn't / didn't you go with a local manufacturer that has higher standards? it just seems that you wanted to save a buck or two to add into your profit instead of a seriously beefed up part thats of good quality? It is not just my opinion of China being junk products look at walmart they mover all of their manufacturing there because it was cheaper not because the quality was better. Im sure that the consumers of this product would have not minded paying a couple dollars more foe a better quality part and also because buying localy helped keep our workforce healthy and strong so we could be proud of the high quality we produce over China and our jobs are staying here.

[Racingline]

1.The links are purchased from a domestic manufacturer who has them made to their specs and are rated at near 10,000lbs of load EACH. There could be many reasons why it broke.

2. 250 sets sold this year alone and 1 snapped..............

3. walmart does not manufacture anything

4. your $200 Nikes are made in either China or Indonesia ( worse conditions many times)

5. the stock endlinks are also out of china originally, and distributed outside china

China on it's own means nothing. It's what a supplier asks China to build that matters.

I can switch to an Aurora joint that costs 5x more and is rated the same, only has a very light dicromite treatment to the exterior instead of a full chrome dip, but is made in the usa. would that be a better alternative for you

[vonivo]

1. as i stated in my previous post its not the links its the shaft that is weak.

2. Its still just trying to make a couple dollars more while using sub-par products with low quality metal. China is known for their slave labor factory work force also...so they have no pride or care in what they are making its just the flavor of the week and it will just change next week where locally they would be proud of the products made using skilled tradesmen and knowing that it came locally would satisfy the quality standards.

3. True but like 80% of their products in the store are Chinese made by the lowest bidder with the cheapest parts to make it more profitable while paying the worker almost nothing and taking away skilled local jobs.

4. I don't wear Nike's and my sneakers are made in the U.S.A.

5. Wheres your proof? I don't see China stamped on them anywhere but on yours i do.

and like i said again you don't get it its not the joint so you don't need to bother with the Aurora its the shaft and the screw-in pieces i never said anything about the joint but nice try on trying to twist my post around.

[dldjros69]

2. Its still just trying to make a couple dollars more while using sub-par products with low quality metal. China is known for their slave labor factory work force also...so they have no pride or care in what they are making its just the flavor of the week and it will just change next week where locally they would be proud of the products made using skilled tradesmen and knowing that it came locally would satisfy the quality standards.

This is crap, u think i care about the quality of work i produce or any of the people that work under me. I think not. I go to work to get paid. Im a manager, if im bored i work, if i dont feel like talking to people i work. Im sure most americans agree. Look at our big three, those cars stink.

i bet the people in china are afraid of getting beat or sent home with out pay. They put more time and effort in.

Back off joe and racingline

[vonivo]

This is crap, u think i care about the quality of work i produce or any of the people that work under me. I think not. I go to work to get paid. Im a manager, if im bored i work, if i dont feel like talking to people i work. Im sure most americans agree. Look at our big three, those cars stink.

i bet the people in china are afraid of getting beat or sent home with out pay. They put more time and effort in.

Back off joe and racingline

so if their not proud of it at least it still came from a skilled tradesman (if you don't care about the quality of a product that you make or how it turns out then your just sad you have no self worth and pride in what you do / make, where i do take pride in my job and my duties and it shows by the quality of people we have working there)...and its made to a higher standard with higher quality pieces. Joe n Racingline don't need you to hold their hand in a forum debate...so no i wont back off as you put it.

[jaxcoupe]

Maybe Racingline ought to just include a free sample of locktite with all endlink orders

I mean, in the other threads (and it was even mentioned in here by ESP) where people reported problems that's all that was needed to fix it.

[Racingline]

as far as rears "popping off", all sets are send with 2 nuts for each bolt( 1 serrated, 1 reg). they are to be tighten and installed as supplied, ans I suspect many people are just installing the first nut. The second acts as a lock to prevent backing off of the first due to the bushings creating a "spring effect" and pushing against the installation.

the shaft is 6061-t6 aircraft grade aluminum and made in Canada. and your still only reading the parts of my post you want to hear so im done trying to appease and justify things to you. The reputation of Racingline more than speaks for itself, as well as our dedication to the A/C community

Modified by Racingline at 6:19 PM 2/6/2009
Modified by Racingline at 6:20 PM 2/6/2009

[LongBeachCoupe]

so if their not proud of it at least it still came from a skilled tradesman (if you don't care about the quality of a product that you make or how it turns out then your just sad you have no self worth and pride in what you do / make, where i do take pride in my job and my duties and it shows by the quality of people we have working there)...and its made to a higher standard with higher quality pieces. Joe n Racingline don't need you to hold their hand in a forum debate...so no i wont back off as you put it.

I have yet to see you post anything insightful on this thread, or any other for that matter. If you dont like what Racingline sells, dont buy it!

I dont want to see you hating on a sponsor that you have no parts from... When people who own the parts complain and dont get issues rectified thats one thing... but you dont own their parts, nothing has failed on your car from Racingline... So leave the opinions to people who are involved.

[legend_217]

First off. I know what you trying to do here Von. I'm appreciated it. However, if most people don't agree with you at some certian points, please don't try to convince people or make them to do so. Everyone have their own opinions so do you. . I also thanks Racingline for taking responsible for this and give free replacement. Like i said, I will let everyone know once I installed the replacement.

[audtatious]

..so no i wont back off as you put it.

Seems to me they are working on the issue with anyone who has had a problem. What does it matter to you as it seem you don't have the part nor any issues but some personal vendetta which is causing you to be an azz.

While we are at it why don't you clean up that sig image as well.

[vonivo]

I do have the endlinks and i dont like them...im done here

[audtatious]

Then sell them to someone else? I don't like the Eibach's on my Maxima and the WarpSpeed Y-pipe for it is sitting in the garage due to my dislike. I don't blame the manufacturers for me buying something I eventually dislike. If the company selling them was not stepping up to the plate to resolve issues then the rest of us would be with you.