Front Wishbone

[lovellracing]

Front Wishbone 3200 Does anybody know if anyone can change the bottom ball joints if supplied with the wishbone?? I know this has probably been covered before but maybe someone could point me in the right direction and save me hours of searching

Cheers Ray

 

[Wally]

Not as far as I know. But Eurospares recently has a new part available for an (according to me) acceptable price. (Still good money though....)

http://www.eurospares.co.uk/parts/m...ion-wishbones-and-stabilizer-bar-20160/201787

 

[Needamaser]

Not as far as I know. But Eurospares recently has a new part available for an (according to me) acceptable price. (Still good money though....)

http://www.eurospares.co.uk/parts/m...03/all/rear-suspension-wishbones-20687/198503

Link took me to the rear wishbones but on checking the front either side are £395 plus VAT just now which is a huge improvement on prices from a few months ago!

 

[safrane]

Note these are pattern parts...so should be far better than the factory one made from china clay.

 

[Zep]

Note these are pattern parts...so should be far better than the factory one made from china clay.

I understand they are made by Ocap - who made the OEM ones. Take from that what you will....

 

[Needamaser]

I understand they are made by Ocap - who made the OEM ones. Take from that what you will....

Do you know if it was the original wishbones or the modified ones they made? (or both?)

 

[rs48635]

I have one of these very parts on my workbench, waiting to be fitted. It does indeed look very OEM. For good and bad. I suppose my original 'bone lasted 13 years.

 

[Zep]

Do you know if it was the original wishbones or the modified ones they made? (or both?)

To my knowledge the only 'bones that have had a change are the rear uppers. Whether this was to strengthen them is a matter of conjecture as the new version looks a lot like the version fitted to '02 spyders looking at the eurospares diagram.

There are no known modifications to new front lower wishbones, with the exception of better surface finishing, to my understanding.

 

[Zep]

I have one of these very parts on my workbench, waiting to be fitted. It does indeed look very OEM. For good and bad. I suppose my original 'bone lasted 13 years.

I agree, with regular inspection I feel comfortable with mine.

 

[rs48635]

To my knowledge the only 'bones that have had a change are the rear uppers. Whether this was to strengthen them is a matter of conjecture as the new version looks a lot like the version fitted to '02 spyders looking at the eurospares diagram.

There are no known modifications to new front lower wishbones, with the exception of better surface finishing, to my understanding.

Zep
Look again at the front wishbone, comparing OEM to pattern part and it is apparent why one costs more than double.
The EOM part looks significantly more substantial (thicker radius walls around "flan bloc" bushes) in the critical areas, as well as being very well finished showing evidence of machining. Also noticeable that casting webs are no longer apparent (machined off or never there?)

 

[Needamaser]

My understanding from the "Warning" thread is at some point Maserati changed the design of all the wishbones with the suggestion being to address the cracking issue.
From photos of the old and "new" OEM designs they are very different.
This would appear to be a pattern part very similar to the original design.
I don't think we ever got an acknowledgement that the design had been changed or at what point.

 

[Zep]

My understanding from the "Warning" thread is at some point Maserati changed the design of all the wishbones with the suggestion being to address the cracking issue.
From photos of the old and "new" OEM designs they are very different.
This would appear to be a pattern part very similar to the original design.
I don't think we ever got an acknowledgement that the design had been changed or at what point.

The difference between older and newer front wishbones was the finishing of the casting flash on the inner mounting from my memory of the thread (They are cast as a blank and then forged I believe) The different pictures showed some big differences in the amount of material left after finishing. The only definitive design change I saw on the thread was a change from a half moon shape to a more triangular design on the upper rear, but looking at the diagrams on eurospares the "new" design looks like the drawing of the spyder version from '02.

 

[Zep]

Zep
Look again at the front wishbone, comparing OEM to pattern part and it is apparent why one costs more than double.
The EOM part looks significantly more substantial (thicker radius walls around "flan bloc" bushes) in the critical areas, as well as being very well finished showing evidence of machining. Also noticeable that casting webs are no longer apparent (machined off or never there?)

That's very interesting, you would assume that the pattern part from the OEM supplier would be exactly the same. Are you able to measure the difference or post some pics?

 

[rs48635]

Zep
The original part although described as "forged aluminium" does look to be two part cast alloy. The cracks and splitting are always on the (casting?) web, which reinforces the impression this was a seam. The modified unit now sold by Maserati appears to be machined from a blank, which is materially bigger in the critical location and finished to a higher standard all over. The part number of the item is usefully unchanged (not even superseded) for ease of location. The price has risen by 300%.
No pictures of the new style item.
(how are we supposed to differentiate between the old £400 part and the new £1200 one? Toffee versusTitanium)

 

[Zep]

I agree, whether cast or forged any surface imperfection (the seam) would concentrate the stress in the part making it the point that will fail first.

The newer parts I have seen have a much better finish but appear (to my eye) to be the same. Have I missed a post?

 

[safrane]

Here is the Eurospares pattern part

 

[Zep]

That's the rear one, that is much thicker around the bushes on both old and new...

 

[rs48635]

That's the rear one, that is much thicker around the bushes on both old and new...

Have to say that rear (pattern part) doe look to be more substantial than the original OEM parts.
Will take photo of my new pattern front wishbone later, as it is not being fitted today. (rain stopped play)

 

[Needamaser]

I agree, whether cast or forged any surface imperfection (the seam) would concentrate the stress in the part making it the point that will fail first.

The newer parts I have seen have a much better finish but appear (to my eye) to be the same. Have I missed a post?

Somewhere in the "Warning" thread someone posted up photos of the old and new OEM parts and the difference was very noticeable.

 

[Zep]

Without trawling all the way back I'm pretty sure the new / old photos were of the rear upper as I mentioned above. I'll have a rummage later to see if I'm wrong