Bilstein failure

A front Bilstein shock failed on me on the Sandy Blight Junction Track last week.

The track was very corrugated so we had been moving pretty slowly at 20 to 40 kph on the long straight section south of Mt Leisler. I noted a burning smell so checked under the bonnet and noted that the L hand shocker was smoking.

I was in a group of five vehicles, so we pressed on slowly. Soon afterwards it was apparent the shocker had completely failed as the front axle was bouncing wildly on the corrugations, and the car was floating up and down over the larger dips and peaks in the track. The R shock had gone out in sympathy.

When we pulled into our camping spot for the night I heard something rubbing on the tyre. It was the Bilstein shock. The shaft was broken and it was wedged sideways through the spring which had jumped out of its upper mounting point.

So the car was no longer driveable, and not towable without extensive work.

I bought the Bilsteins some 18 months ago. They were always on the firm side but had performed well on the Mount Davies Road in April last year. I expected the Bilsteins to last a bit longer than this. Maybe they were just too firm. I read this article in the Age today, and it could be that the Hun sets their shocks too stiff for our corrugated tracks.

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/no-testing-in-australia-says-benz-20110805-1iexa.html