Dave:
Glad to hear no one got hurt. This is the reason I sold my Tiger. I had
rebuilt the entire front end and rack using the CAT "Time Bomb" article as a
guide. Every fastener was replaced with grade 8. Followed it to the letter.
A lot of good that did me!
I had new reproduction lower fulcrum pins and stock rubber bushes. The left
one cracked while I was pulling out of a gas station, dumping the car onto
the tire and wrecking the front valance.
Upon removal, I compared the repro part to a stock fulcrum pin. The repro
pins had been counterbored so much around the mounting bolt holes that a
1/4" less material was between the mounting bolt holes than on an OEM
fulcrum pin. It cracked and split right at his point. The vendor that sold
the part flat out denied that he ever sold this item ( to anyone)- until I
dug out the invoice. Made me wonder how many other people got their Tigers
trashed.
FYI- I never asked for, filed suit for, or recived any financial
compensation because of these defective parts. All I asked of the vendor was
to track down who the parts were sold to and notify them of the danger. This
request was met by silence.
I know he was just reselling parts that someone else made. But, to keep
silent, not make any effort to contact anyone else who bought these fulcrum
pins is unfathomable.
I caught a lot of crap when I posted this story a few years back, but the
truth is often ugly and needed to be told.
The type of accident your son had became my biggest fear. I decided that I
couldn't risk my life or others lives just to be driving a Tiger.
After 20 years of Tigering, it became clear: it was time to give it a rest.
So the lesson we should all take to heart is:
Just because Joe Blow's Tiger Supply has the latest poly-carbon
fiber-unobtainium suspenion bits in his catalog, NEVER assume for a second
that they've been tested anywhere near the level that OEM parts were.
Of course, the QH ball joints were made and tested by drunks under a bridge
in Coventry.
That's a story for another day.
Paul
on 10/10/01 11:27 PM, DJoh797014@aol.com at DJoh797014@aol.com wrote:
>
> Delron bushing are meant for racing applications. This means that as part of
> the preseason checkout, the pins should be removed and magnafluxed. They are
> NOT meant to be installed and the pins never checked again. If you insist on
> using delron, you must check and magnaflux the pins often no matter what the
> pin is made of.
>
> If you think you can ignore this, I recommend you read the metalurgistbs
> qualifications and his recommendations and base that against what makes you
> think you can ignore him. Remember what happened to me.
>
> Dave Johnson B382002668(under repair) Aurora, IL
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