Broken Front Hub Carrier

Riprocken · 09-14-2011, 03:33 PM

Almost had a nice weekend ride. Till the machine would not come back out of a tight right hand turn, kinda felt like a flat. Got out to look and my front right wheel was hanging on by just the top ball joint.

The hub carrier (Spindle) failed. Where the lower ball joint mounts into it, there is a clamp machined into the carrier. It just sheared off,,, WTF?

The ball joint is supposed to go first. My ball joint is still brand new. This could have been really bad if it had happened at a higher speed. Lucky for us we were in tight woods and only going around 5mph.

It must have had a stress crack in it for who knows how long. And it just went. If it had happened at high speed it would have been uncontrolable. I dont feel comfortable driving this thing no more. I have not got it to the dealer yet. But I am going to make a big deal of this.
The part should be sent to a lab and inspected for air bubbles in the cast. Or it is just a poor design. The way that the clamp is undercut it is very thin and the undercut has some sharp inside corners to it,, they should be rounded.
This could be a recall before it kills.

The Ball Joint should fail before this part. When a ball joint goes, unless it is in a crash. It is usually a slow loosening till it comes apart,, something you notice and get fixed before it kills you. I was flying down a few trails earlier in the day,, I just keep thinking, it it had fell apart then I probably would not be posting this.

I will post more tomorrow when I get it dropped off at the dealer and see what they have to say.

SANDSTAN · 09-14-2011, 06:21 PM

I can not tell to good in the Pic, and from the mud, but is it a fresh crack, or can you see where rust was already there. Sounds to me that it probably had a crack ( air bubble )in it for a while... good luck and keep us up dated...

hledford · 09-14-2011, 10:25 PM

mine did same thing can am did not cover it good luck

Riprocken · 09-15-2011, 11:22 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by hledford

mine did same thing can am did not cover it good luck

How did they manage to justify that?

From an engineering stand point, the ball joint should always fail before a major structural part.

If your ball joint looked anything like mine? There is no reason why they should not cover it. I think alot of what gets covered and what does not has to do with the dealer and how they go about it.

My ball joint is brand new, the lower A-Arm has no hits on it at the ball joint area, it is also brand new looking.

Got any pics from yours? Please post them. Thanks

Riprocken · 09-15-2011, 11:29 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by SANDSTAN

I can not tell to good in the Pic, and from the mud, but is it a fresh crack, or can you see where rust was already there. Sounds to me that it probably had a crack ( air bubble )in it for a while... good luck and keep us up dated...

It is hard to tell looking at it. When it first happend and I got out to look. I was wondering the same thing. I could not make up my mind if that was rust or just mud. I am leaning toward rust though.

You can see in the pic, the undercut area to the left is nice and flat and it has some mud on it, but it is a difffernt color than the break area. The break has a bit more redish to it,,, rust. The break also comes directly off of the undercut.

CanAmCrazy · 09-15-2011, 12:59 PM

I'm real curious to see how Can Am handles this...hopefully with the integrity one would expect when they spend 16k on a machine.

Colo_Commander · 09-15-2011, 01:06 PM

Cheap Chinese Steel strikes again!

CanAmCrazy · 09-15-2011, 01:53 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Colo_Commander

Cheap Chinese Steel strikes again!

Bingo!!!

Riprocken · 09-15-2011, 04:44 PM

Dropped it off at the dealer today.

They looked at it and said it should be covered no problem. But CanAm would have the final say.

Tech said he would probably replace the entire assembly. Spindle ball joints and Aarms. Not sure why they would replace the A-arms. He made it seem like they are replaced with the ball joints. Not sure on that.

I told them I wanted the front diff dissasembled, cleaned, inspected and fixed if there was any thing wrong from the axle pulling out and me dragging it out of the woods. There is deffenatly mud in there, not sure if the spline is damaged on the axle or in the diff. I was not in 4x4 when it happened so that should maybe save the diff and axle. But I don't like the way the CV joint looks after dragging it for a mile or so with all the strain on the CV and upper ball joint.

I will post more when they call to let me know what it going on.

Riprocken · 09-15-2011, 04:44 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Colo_Commander

Cheap Chinese Steel strikes again!

For sure.

09-14-2011, 03:33 PM	#1
Riprocken [OP] Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: sw PA Member #2176 Posts: 242 ()	Broken Front Hub Carrier (Spindle) Almost had a nice weekend ride. Till the machine would not come back out of a tight right hand turn, kinda felt like a flat. Got out to look and my front right wheel was hanging on by just the top ball joint. The hub carrier (Spindle) failed. Where the lower ball joint mounts into it, there is a clamp machined into the carrier. It just sheared off,,, WTF? The ball joint is supposed to go first. My ball joint is still brand new. This could have been really bad if it had happened at a higher speed. Lucky for us we were in tight woods and only going around 5mph. It must have had a stress crack in it for who knows how long. And it just went. If it had happened at high speed it would have been uncontrolable. I dont feel comfortable driving this thing no more. I have not got it to the dealer yet. But I am going to make a big deal of this. The part should be sent to a lab and inspected for air bubbles in the cast. Or it is just a poor design. The way that the clamp is undercut it is very thin and the undercut has some sharp inside corners to it,, they should be rounded. This could be a recall before it kills. The Ball Joint should fail before this part. When a ball joint goes, unless it is in a crash. It is usually a slow loosening till it comes apart,, something you notice and get fixed before it kills you. I was flying down a few trails earlier in the day,, I just keep thinking, it it had fell apart then I probably would not be posting this. I will post more tomorrow when I get it dropped off at the dealer and see what they have to say. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Riprocken; 09-14-2011 at 05:13 PM. Reason: add name Spindle

09-14-2011, 06:21 PM	#2
SANDSTAN Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Alta Loma So Cali U.S. Member #461 Posts: 2,012 ()	I can not tell to good in the Pic, and from the mud, but is it a fresh crack, or can you see where rust was already there. Sounds to me that it probably had a crack ( air bubble )in it for a while... good luck and keep us up dated... __________________ Stan SS

09-15-2011, 12:59 PM	#6
CanAmCrazy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Pike County, Kentucky Member #2986 Posts: 670 ()	I'm real curious to see how Can Am handles this...hopefully with the integrity one would expect when they spend 16k on a machine. __________________ 2012 Commander X Muzzy Black Box Can Am half-windshield UTV Hardtop Roof Can Am rear mesh 2" wheel spacers Wrapped exhaust Thermotec Heat insulation Shark 600 watt marine stereo system *Blingstar Suicide Doors* Hot Brunette riding shotgun!!!!

09-15-2011, 01:06 PM	#7
Colo_Commander Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: NW Colo. Member #1404 Posts: 626 ()	Cheap Chinese Steel strikes again! __________________ 2011-1000XT / 2012-AC WildCat Mods: Sliders, Fr Rack, F&R Bumpers, Harness Bar W 3"/5 pt, Custom: F&R Tows/Tie Downs, Muff Shield and Roof/Rack. Dual Batts W / isolator. Lowrance 5M Baja GPS mtd in Turnkey UTV GPS Dash Panel, Exhaust Wrapped, Pro Armor Doors, Rackzilla, Holz Steering Brace, Mr RPM Remote O.F. Mnt, 2012 Knuckle Mod, Drift HD170 Stealth It's A Rock - Get Over It!: Factory UTV 1/2" 1 Pce, Front & A Arms UHMW Skids Vids

09-15-2011, 01:53 PM	#8
CanAmCrazy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Pike County, Kentucky Member #2986 Posts: 670 ()	Quote: Originally Posted by Colo_Commander Cheap Chinese Steel strikes again! Bingo!!! __________________ 2012 Commander X Muzzy Black Box Can Am half-windshield UTV Hardtop Roof Can Am rear mesh 2" wheel spacers Wrapped exhaust Thermotec Heat insulation Shark 600 watt marine stereo system *Blingstar Suicide Doors* Hot Brunette riding shotgun!!!!

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09-14-2011, 10:25 PM	#3
hledford Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Oklahoma Member #3333 Posts: 19 ()	mine did same thing can am did not cover it good luck

09-15-2011, 11:22 AM	#4
Riprocken [OP] Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: sw PA Member #2176 Posts: 242 ()	Quote: Originally Posted by hledford mine did same thing can am did not cover it good luck How did they manage to justify that? From an engineering stand point, the ball joint should always fail before a major structural part. If your ball joint looked anything like mine? There is no reason why they should not cover it. I think alot of what gets covered and what does not has to do with the dealer and how they go about it. My ball joint is brand new, the lower A-Arm has no hits on it at the ball joint area, it is also brand new looking. Got any pics from yours? Please post them. Thanks

09-15-2011, 11:29 AM	#5
Riprocken [OP] Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: sw PA Member #2176 Posts: 242 ()	Quote: Originally Posted by SANDSTAN I can not tell to good in the Pic, and from the mud, but is it a fresh crack, or can you see where rust was already there. Sounds to me that it probably had a crack ( air bubble )in it for a while... good luck and keep us up dated... It is hard to tell looking at it. When it first happend and I got out to look. I was wondering the same thing. I could not make up my mind if that was rust or just mud. I am leaning toward rust though. You can see in the pic, the undercut area to the left is nice and flat and it has some mud on it, but it is a difffernt color than the break area. The break has a bit more redish to it,,, rust. The break also comes directly off of the undercut.

09-15-2011, 04:44 PM	#9
Riprocken [OP] Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: sw PA Member #2176 Posts: 242 ()	Dropped it off at the dealer today. They looked at it and said it should be covered no problem. But CanAm would have the final say. Tech said he would probably replace the entire assembly. Spindle ball joints and Aarms. Not sure why they would replace the A-arms. He made it seem like they are replaced with the ball joints. Not sure on that. I told them I wanted the front diff dissasembled, cleaned, inspected and fixed if there was any thing wrong from the axle pulling out and me dragging it out of the woods. There is deffenatly mud in there, not sure if the spline is damaged on the axle or in the diff. I was not in 4x4 when it happened so that should maybe save the diff and axle. But I don't like the way the CV joint looks after dragging it for a mile or so with all the strain on the CV and upper ball joint. I will post more when they call to let me know what it going on.

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