Broken springs? Yes, plural. Anyone else?

3srsntswngr · 07-30-2018, 05:13 PM

Front driver's side broke last winter. Rear driver's just now. Is this a thing? I searched and only found a couple of broken springs. Just curious if im unlucky or if I should whine to BMW

08 xi 126k miles. Harsh winters

Emilime75 · 07-30-2018, 08:10 PM

How many wheels and tires have you destroyed on this car?

avocet · 07-30-2018, 10:44 PM

Lots and lots of salt? Post some pics of your springs and car.

I spent years and years in a mountain ski town and always tried to leave my car outside during cold spells while lots of salt was being used. Reason? It kept the salt suspended in ice, and if I parked in a garage every night the salt would melt with the water(created salt water) and soak into every nook and cranny(and every paint chip on the spings). When it warmed I would give the underside the best rinse off I could at a spray and wash.

Went though lots of exhausts(most cars didn't have ss then as oem, and as a fledging ski bum I sure as hell wasn't going to spent the cash on one for a replacement... lots of coat hangars were used in my life...) and every car I owned rusted through the fenders but never a spring.

Car chassis rustproofing has come a long way in 10 yrs... but in a harsh winter environment it's gotta be tough on things like springs...

My 2 cents probably won't give you any answers you are looking for but gives some perspective.

3srsntswngr · 07-31-2018, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emilime75

How many wheels and tires have you destroyed on this car?

No damaged wheels or tires. You are insinuating that i drive in holes? I dont. Mostly interstate. I have a truck for the shitty roads. All of them broke while the care was bone stock with 16" wheels. The front one snapped while the car was parked. I know because it was immediately obvious when I drove off.
It tried to cut a hole in my new tire, but I caught it pretty quickly. That is the only damaged wheel or tire on this car

Emilime75 · 07-31-2018, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3srsntswngr

No damaged wheels or tires. You are insinuating that i drive in holes?

Just asking. Springs don't just break very often. Yes, rust in harsh winter/salt areas can be a problem, but still, it isn't very common.

How is the rest of the car as far as rust? Body panels? Suspension bits? Brake lines?

3srsntswngr · 07-31-2018, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emilime75

Just asking. Springs don't just break very often. Yes, rust in harsh winter/salt areas can be a problem, but still, it isn't very common.

How is the rest of the car as far as rust? Body panels? Suspension bits? Brake lines?

not much rust. wv has a good bit of salt but not like michigan or some; not extreme.

Thanks, just wondering if it was odd to you guys too, as i didnt find much on this

feuer · 07-31-2018, 11:51 AM

Is common on all vehicles that don't get proper wash.

3srsntswngr · 07-31-2018, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by feuer

Is common on all vehicles that don't get proper wash.

broken springs?

feuer · 07-31-2018, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3srsntswngr

broken springs?

Yes, broken springs. They always break on the bottom. The first cool collapse and break off from all the salt and debris that hasn't been power washed off. Here in Chicago is very common as people tent to use the car wash drive thru. With e9x getting old we will see more and more.

SpartaEvolution · 07-31-2018, 05:35 PM

The fact that you broke both front and rear springs is weird, since obviously springs are matched left to right, and f/r springs are completely different. Is it possible you managed to get debris wedged between the coils? Do you have pictures of the broken springs? I am curious where on the spring the fracture occurred (ie 1.5 coils from end, 1.75 coils from end), and where on the wire the fracture began (ID or OD of spring).

3srsntswngr · 07-31-2018, 06:35 PM

The front broke in the middle; a very long spiral fracture. There was no impact or obstruction. I got in and it was very obvious that it had broken overnight.

I haven't examined the rear in detail. It looks to be on the lower part of the spring, but not in the bucket where the moisture would be trapped. The springs arent very rusty at all. feuer makes a very good point though, and I have heard that. The rear could have been any time. It drives pretty well, but I started hearing it clang. I think it may have happened when backing out of a driveway. The car was diagonal off the curb and there was a lot of weight on that wheel. It made a clunk, and I did hear the clang after that

bluewater328 · 07-31-2018, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by feuer

Yes, broken springs. They always break on the bottom. The first cool collapse and break off from all the salt and debris that hasn't been power washed off. Here in Chicago is very common as people tent to use the car wash drive thru. With e9x getting old we will see more and more.

This is good knowledge.

3srsntswngr · 07-31-2018, 08:02 PM

Im sorry guys. I have one pic of the broken front that is not that good. I still have it, in the scrap some where. Pics are a pain in the ass too. I cant remember what image host site i use.

I remember the (front) coil appeared to be cracked for a while as half of the crack surface was rusted on both pieces

3srsntswngr · 08-13-2018, 01:50 PM

Update, I have pics but damn the uploading...

Rear broke well above the lower bucket. No trapped salt or moisture. surface rust on all the oe springs; no other signs of damage. Realized that the rear spring may have been halfway broken for a very long time as it stopped making a rattle that i attributed to tools in the trunkwell after the replacement. It may have more recently snapped all the way. No clue,but the noise and look of the car had suddenly changed enough for me to look at it again.

Also, new springs are H&R sports. FYI the car looked best with the H&Rs on the front and the oe in the back (with one broken). Ha! It looks and handles great with them all around, but i feel most would regard the rear a tad low relative to the front. #xiprobs. Its pretty low, but id like the front to match, ideally.

bluewater328 · 08-14-2018, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3srsntswngr

Update, I have pics but damn the uploading...

Rear broke well above the lower bucket. No trapped salt or moisture. surface rust on all the oe springs; no other signs of damage. Realized that the rear spring may have been halfway broken for a very long time as it stopped making a rattle that i attributed to tools in the trunkwell after the replacement. It may have more recently snapped all the way. No clue,but the noise and look of the car had suddenly changed enough for me to look at it again.

Also, new springs are H&R sports. FYI the car looked best with the H&Rs on the front and the oe in the back (with one broken). Ha! It looks and handles great with them all around, but i feel most would regard the rear a tad low relative to the front. #xiprobs. Its pretty low, but id like the front to match, ideally.

There's an actual something posted in the Bently manual about debris and how if the spring isnt seated properly that debris can get inside and damage the coating to the spring at the mounts...resulting in potential rust (due to elements) and springs snapping.

Conjecture: Rust might only be visible in the seated areas at the point of the coating damage, but then cause the spring to fail at another point due to internal deterioration and stress.

3srsntswngr · 08-15-2018, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluewater328

There's an actual something posted in the Bently manual about debris and how if the spring isnt seated properly that debris can get inside and damage the coating to the spring at the mounts...resulting in potential rust (due to elements) and springs snapping.

Conjecture: Rust might only be visible in the seated areas at the point of the coating damage, but then cause the spring to fail at another point due to internal deterioration and stress.

The springs all had spots of rust, but didnt seem to break at one. The front one was cracked for a long time. I could tell because half of the fracture surface was rusty and the rest was clean metal where the break continued to failure.

I can see how deep rust and pitting can create a stress riser, but, none of the rust seemed like it was severe enough, and the worst rust was no where near the breaks

Im fairly confident that both springs were at least cracked at well under 100k mi, when the car was less than 10 years old. They both appeared to have been broken for some time before complete (and premature) failure

Im not upset, but I think its noteworthy

07-30-2018, 05:13 PM	#1
3srsntswngr Private 5 Rep 60 Posts Drives: 08 beige 328xi Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: WV iTrader: (0)	Broken springs? Yes, plural. Anyone else? Front driver's side broke last winter. Rear driver's just now. Is this a thing? I searched and only found a couple of broken springs. Just curious if im unlucky or if I should whine to BMW 08 xi 126k miles. Harsh winters
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07-30-2018, 08:10 PM	#2
Emilime75 Colonel 1209 Rep 2,476 Posts Drives: 2010 335i E92 LeMans Blue Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Merica! iTrader: (1)	How many wheels and tires have you destroyed on this car?
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07-30-2018, 10:44 PM	#3
avocet Major 252 Rep 1,157 Posts Drives: 2007 328i 2011 X5d Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Vancouver bc iTrader: (0)	Lots and lots of salt? Post some pics of your springs and car. I spent years and years in a mountain ski town and always tried to leave my car outside during cold spells while lots of salt was being used. Reason? It kept the salt suspended in ice, and if I parked in a garage every night the salt would melt with the water(created salt water) and soak into every nook and cranny(and every paint chip on the spings). When it warmed I would give the underside the best rinse off I could at a spray and wash. Went though lots of exhausts(most cars didn't have ss then as oem, and as a fledging ski bum I sure as hell wasn't going to spent the cash on one for a replacement... lots of coat hangars were used in my life...) and every car I owned rusted through the fenders but never a spring. Car chassis rustproofing has come a long way in 10 yrs... but in a harsh winter environment it's gotta be tough on things like springs... My 2 cents probably won't give you any answers you are looking for but gives some perspective.
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07-31-2018, 11:51 AM	#7
feuer Major General 4276 Rep 9,206 Posts Drives: wife crazy! Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (5)	Is common on all vehicles that don't get proper wash.
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07-31-2018, 05:35 PM	#10
SpartaEvolution Second Lieutenant 178 Rep 267 Posts Drives: E46 M3, E39 M5, E36 328racecar Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Redmond, WA iTrader: (0)	The fact that you broke both front and rear springs is weird, since obviously springs are matched left to right, and f/r springs are completely different. Is it possible you managed to get debris wedged between the coils? Do you have pictures of the broken springs? I am curious where on the spring the fracture occurred (ie 1.5 coils from end, 1.75 coils from end), and where on the wire the fracture began (ID or OD of spring).
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07-31-2018, 06:35 PM	#11
3srsntswngr Private 5 Rep 60 Posts Drives: 08 beige 328xi Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: WV iTrader: (0)	The front broke in the middle; a very long spiral fracture. There was no impact or obstruction. I got in and it was very obvious that it had broken overnight. I haven't examined the rear in detail. It looks to be on the lower part of the spring, but not in the bucket where the moisture would be trapped. The springs arent very rusty at all. feuer makes a very good point though, and I have heard that. The rear could have been any time. It drives pretty well, but I started hearing it clang. I think it may have happened when backing out of a driveway. The car was diagonal off the curb and there was a lot of weight on that wheel. It made a clunk, and I did hear the clang after that
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07-31-2018, 08:02 PM	#13
3srsntswngr Private 5 Rep 60 Posts Drives: 08 beige 328xi Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: WV iTrader: (0)	Im sorry guys. I have one pic of the broken front that is not that good. I still have it, in the scrap some where. Pics are a pain in the ass too. I cant remember what image host site i use. I remember the (front) coil appeared to be cracked for a while as half of the crack surface was rusted on both pieces
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08-13-2018, 01:50 PM	#14
3srsntswngr Private 5 Rep 60 Posts Drives: 08 beige 328xi Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: WV iTrader: (0)	Update, I have pics but damn the uploading... Rear broke well above the lower bucket. No trapped salt or moisture. surface rust on all the oe springs; no other signs of damage. Realized that the rear spring may have been halfway broken for a very long time as it stopped making a rattle that i attributed to tools in the trunkwell after the replacement. It may have more recently snapped all the way. No clue,but the noise and look of the car had suddenly changed enough for me to look at it again. Also, new springs are H&R sports. FYI the car looked best with the H&Rs on the front and the oe in the back (with one broken). Ha! It looks and handles great with them all around, but i feel most would regard the rear a tad low relative to the front. #xiprobs. Its pretty low, but id like the front to match, ideally.
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