Warning - Quadrant suspension fail **Now resolved**

A warning to anyone running Bilstein inserts fitted by quadrant suspension in Vic.
I had a slight knock coming from front end. Threw it on the hoist this morning.
This literally let go as I was removing the wheel. Heard the pop, and watched the wheel drop down as I was removing the wheel nuts.

For anyone who dosen't know, Bilstein inserts are fitted by cutting the original struts, welding on a threaded collar, placing the inserts in, then screwing in the cap.
These were brand new GM struts which were supplied by me, to which Quadrant supplied AND fitted the Bilstein inserts.

These struts have done 50k's. Not 50 000, only 50. Took some special needs kids to a formal, did a couple of runs around the block while testing other work done.

Lucky it let go on the hoist, not the road.

The 'welded' collar has let go.

There is clearly ZERO penetration on the weld. This is a potentially fatal failure.

http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/...510_091755.jpg


http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/...510_112350.jpg


http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/...510_111746.jpg


http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/...510_113025.jpg


I have tried contacting quadrant today, however they must not be open weekends. I am in NSW, they VIC.
I will update with their response, but I can't imagine what they can say that will make this OK.

Holy Shit!

looks like a friday arvo apprentice weld. surprised it held for 50km.

Wow, that's a properly dodgy weld.....

Looking at the outside, it doesn't look like they even had the gas on.....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by C4B

Wow, that's a properly dodgy weld.....

Looking at the outside, it doesn't look like they even had the gas on.....

---

Thats exactly how it looks.
Like the gas either ran out or wasn't on to start with.

That weld's just plain nasty .

Koni's bolt in from the bottom, I shied away from Bilstiens due to the cutNweld thing and I can weld and do have Gas ;)

Never used quadrant but have only heard good things till now. That weld speaks for itself though. Thanks for sharing

WOW, that is stupendously dodgy. I don't think you could intentionally do such a bad job without wanting to kill someone.

I hope they respond with a plausible reply. Please share what they respond with.

It really is a shamefully poor job.
I had these made a few months ago, and the car has basically been sitting since I fitted them.
My father was in intensive care at the time, so I didn't really give it much of my time, as I was obviously concentrating elsewhere.

The stupid thing is, I have 2 qualified welder / fitters working for me, however I assumed that getting it done by the 'professionals' would be the wise move.

As stated, I have not managed to contact Quadrant yet, so I will try not to flame them too hard until they have a chance to respond, and make it right, but I honestly can't imagine a valid excuse for this.

It looks like they've just done a whole series of tacks around it (gas off).

I blame technology! This would never have happened before the iPhone ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by C4B

It looks like they've just done a whole series of tacks around it (gas off).

I blame technology! This would never have happened before the iPhone ;)

---

Hahaha, yes, damn technology and the ability to make public such shoddy workmanship. ........although perhaps said welder could have 'googled' - how.....to....weld.....
before he started.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by C4B

It looks like they've just done a whole series of tacks around it (gas off).

I blame technology! This would never have happened before the iPhone ;)

---

Yes, they must be iPhone users. Would never happen with people who actually know what they are doing and own Android based phones :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Drizt

Yes, they must be iPhone users. Would never happen with people who actually know what they are doing and own Android based phones :)

---

It's common knowledge that Android users are much better at Welding.... It's because their phones go flat by lunchtime so they've got all afternoon to practise. :stick:

Must not know how to change their phones. Darwinism at its finest :)

Thats just not nice.. not nice at all.

This is a major issue and will need to recall all the cars which have had this done. At that workshop anyway.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by offshore

This is a major issue and will need to recall all the cars which have had this done. At that workshop anyway.

---

Yep. That's why I posted here. Quadrant are one of the few Bilstein agents as I understand.
Seriously, this could affect quite a few out there if it's not an isolated case. Pass on the info to anyone who may have used them.

Check your welds.
I dropped the other strut this arvo and it looks TOTALLY different in terms of quality. Actually looks reasonable.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by C4B

It's common knowledge that Android users are much better at Welding.... It's because their phones go flat by lunchtime so they've got all afternoon to practise. :stick:

---

lol off topic but a Galaxy S4 let alone an S5 will out last an Iphone..... No dramas.

Anyway that welding is horrendous, definitely an afternoon get it done job.

Its pretty much shows right away they have failed big time with there quality management system if they have one at all

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Plenty

lol off topic but a Galaxy S4 let alone an S5 will out last an Iphone..... No dramas.

Anyway that welding is horrendous, definitely an afternoon get it done job.

---

I have both. Put the Vaseline away.

Yeah mate definately not a good look, glad no one was injured. I'm sure these guys will put it right so let's not flame em too hard yet. The guy that did the weld and let it go like that certainly needs to take a good hard look at himself.

Looks more like a pigeon shat on it. The weld itself is bad enough however the failure or it would appear absence of quality control is a real concern. Good to know the other side looks ok. Scary stuff.

What could they possibly say to explain that - I look forward to hearing how they explain it ;)

Just plain poor

Subscribed... Curious to see what Quadrant come back with?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by smash69

http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/...510_091755.jpg
.

---

spot the difference
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...23851594_n.jpg

What I'd give to be able to TIG like that :goodjob:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by C4B

It looks like they've just done a whole series of tacks around it (gas off).

I blame technology! This would never have happened before the iPhone ;)

---

Too right! :lmao:
See what happens when people try to weld struts and post status updates of when they last picked their nose to their adoring "friends" during work time...:slap:

To the OP, hope it gets resolved. Not the sort of thing anyone wants to see, but as we all know (well, most know), anything manufactured can fail, as "mere" humans are involved...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by IJ.

What I'd give to be able to TIG like that :goodjob:

---

Same here. I'm very proficient with a MIG and I do own a DC TIG but I just don't do enough of it to ever get a good repeatable result.

Somewhat ironically I can reproduce the TIG "stack of dimes" effect with the MIG fairly accurately. But it's just not the same! :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by IJ.

What I'd give to be able to TIG like that :goodjob:

---

Grinder fixes everything lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by macca_779

Grinder fixes everything lol

---

That's very true, but it's nice to be able to just chuck some Cold Gal over the top of a nice weld and leave it for the world to see.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by C4B

Same here. I'm very proficient with a MIG and I do own a DC TIG but I just don't do enough of it to ever get a good repeatable result.

Somewhat ironically I can reproduce the TIG "stack of dimes" effect with the MIG fairly accurately. But it's just not the same! :)

---

I've had an AD/DC/HF Tig for decades and while not pretty my welds are "good" structurally (made my own mountain bike frame and did 4000+ Km's on it without it failing)

Too oldNshaky these days to get pretty welds no matter how much practice I get, I suspect those are Robot Welds.. ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by macca_779

Grinder fixes everything lol

---

LOL I try not to if I can but yeah Burrs and cartridge rolls in the Die Grinder do a good job at hiding the Ugly!

Negligence and Incompetence and failures at all levels.

Wouldnt be surprised if it was not meant to be sold to public in the first place.

Update us on the feedback/comments.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by IJ.

I've had an AD/DC/HF Tig for decades and while not pretty my welds are "good" structurally (made my own mountain bike frame and did 4000+ Km's on it without it failing)

Too oldNshaky these days to get pretty welds no matter how much practice I get, I suspect those are Robot Welds.. ;)


LOL I try not to if I can but yeah Burrs and cartridge rolls in the Die Grinder do a good job at hiding the Ugly!

---

When I got my Hurricane 8TB manifold I got them to TIG where the trumpets meet the body of the manifold. They didn't do a bad job, but it wasn't "Robot" stuff either :)

There is that saying "Using a grinder to make a weld look good makes you a grinder, not a welder"...but I can't weld for shit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jamolad

There is that saying "Using a grinder to make a weld look good makes you a grinder, not a welder"...but I can't weld for shit.

---

So true......

The welder should be bitch slapped for that.

You would think they would use a robot welding system for major work like that if they were doing a lot of them just to keep every thing consistent but I dont know im not a welder lol. Plus no idea how much a robot system would cost!

Update -
I emailed Quadrant last night and supplied the same pics uploaded here. I then rang them at 9.05 this morning.
I ended up speaking to the same sales manager that I dealt with when I originally purchased the struts.

Their rep was genuinely dumbfounded at the quality of the work supplied. I found him be sincere, and he straight out stated that he could not even begin to formulate an excuse for this terrible work.
They have asked that I box the struts for shipping, and they will have them collected from my home, returned to them for refurbishment, and returned to me at their cost.

He stated that he was not able single out the owner of this work, as they would no longer be employed there. He was a little vague about this, so I asked if he turned over staff regularly, and his response was that anybody involved in this would be no longer employed at this time.
He stressed that this is the first time they have had an issue such as this, however they will review quality control with the up most importance.
He then followed up with an email basically stating the same, and assuring that this would be attended to.
Overall very apologetic, and wanting to fix the issue.

I come away with the impression that they want to put this right. In my opinion, its obviously unacceptable that this happened in the first place, and they have quality issues to address, and questions to ask internally about the quality of other work that has been sent out, however, short of going back in time and welding it properly, I don't know that there is much more I could ask them to do at this point. I just hope that this is isolated, and they do indeed review quality of work sent out.


Thoughts......?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by smash69

Update -
I emailed Quadrant last night and supplied the same pics uploaded here. I then rang them at 9.05 this morning.
I ended up speaking to the same sales manager that I dealt with when I originally purchased the struts.

Their rep was genuinely dumbfounded at the quality of the work supplied. I found him be sincere, and he straight out stated that he could not even begin to formulate an excuse for this terrible work.
They have asked that I box the struts for shipping, and they will have them collected from my home, returned to them for refurbishment, and returned to me at their cost.

He stated that he was not able single out the owner of this work, as they would no longer be employed there. He was a little vague about this, so I asked if he turned over staff regularly, and his response was that anybody involved in this would be no longer employed at this time.
He stressed that this is the first time they have had an issue such as this, however they will review quality control with the up most importance.
He then followed up with an email basically stating the same, and assuring that this would be attended to.
Overall very apologetic, and wanting to fix the issue.

I come away with the impression that they want to put this right. In my opinion, its obviously unacceptable that this happened in the first place, and they have quality issues to address, and questions to ask internally about the quality of other work that has been sent out, however, short of going back in time and welding it properly, I don't know that there is much more I could ask them to do at this point. I just hope that this is isolated, and they do indeed review quality of work sent out.


Thoughts......?

---

A good result there and shows a professional establishment. Shit happens in every business and you would be pretty ignorant to think your chosen workshop etc, is perfect (NONE ARE). Its handling issues like this that show true professionalism. I'd give them the benefit of the doubt.