Broken chassis end eye of panhard rod

Has this happened to anyone else? -Everyone says they've never seen anything like it. The eye has obviously been broken for some time given the patina on the broken ends. It's broken in a curved shape round where the rod is welded to the eye. It looks like the eye has then stretched over time until it has finally snapped on the other side. The first break wasn't visible because it was on the upper side of the eye hidden in the bracket. Needless to say, it was a bit scary when I lost steering but I was lucky to be on a quite straight bit of road going slowly!

According to Suzuki this is normal wear and tear at 55,000 miles and 7 years! I have only done very light green laning because I drive this every day - so it's had a pampered life really.

If you need panhard rods i have a pair with good bushes
just PM me.

Thanks very much but I've just fitted a nearly new one at the front and the rear one is ok.

According to Suzuki this is normal wear and tear at 55,000 miles and 7 years! I have only done very light green laning because I drive this every day - so it's had a pampered life really.


More like component failure, that could have been very nasty.

Yes, that's what everyone except Suzuki GB think so make sure you check your panhard rod eyes carefully by actually disconnecting them and checking all round. Several mechanics obviously didn't spot this so I'll be doing everything except welding myself from now on. As it happens I was doing under 30 on a quiet straight road. I hate to think what would have happened had I decided to go home the other way . It would have been 60 mph on a winding A road. Doubt I would have missed everything. This is my 3rd and last Suzuku. I am really disappointed with the Jimny compared to the Samurai I had. I mean, pathetic bearings, no steering damper, rubbish bushes and components. I might feel diffferently when I get over the shock and the amazingly patheric response from Suzuki. I would want to know if a failed component had nearly killed someone.

Everything is built down to a price nowadays.
If you compare a brand new Landrover to one produced in the 60s or 70s you could say the same.

Poor quality components, thinner chassis, weaker bearings shabby paint, they don't even galvanise the body cappings anymore.

On balance, I prefer my Jimny to the Landrovers I've had, if the Jimny was permanent 4wd it would be pretty near perfect.

Well I've had my jimny from new (1999), Never seen anything like that, but now I have I think I'll bend a bit of flat bar and weld it to the tube a few inches up.

If It did go it would'nt go far, like it might wobble, but not come adrift.

Andy

I completely agree. My partner has 3 Landrovers: 1956 Series 109, 1984 HiCap and 1997 Disco. I like the HiCap with the Perkins engine but it's currenlty being rebuilt on a new galvanised chassis. Might try that with a SWB 1970's one.