Fox 2.0 Coilovers failure

I'm going to have to check that spray out. Mine get fluid filmed when I do the frame.

I heard they don't use salt on the roads in Colorado, is that true? They over salt our roads out here in MA

@tacobell007 @Bruce988jl @DrFunker check this spray out. Maybe it will help us in the northeast.

 

You in Massachusetts? truck looks familiar

 

Tossed would be extreme. The internals are likely salvageable for the most part. Definitely recommend new bodies.

Send them in for a full service somewhere where parts are readily available. I’d definitely contact Eibach as stated if they do have a warranty.

 

Coil bind is also a thing and could contribute to spring fatigue/breaking. This looks like a rush issue though, even if you’re undersprung for your bumper they shouldn’t break unless we’re missing something about hitting a huge jump or some big impact. Call eibach and just for the sake of trying, call fox

 

I'm in SW Colorado (Pagosa Springs) they don't use much of anything on roads out here except plows. They use mag chloride on dirt roads to lessen dust in summer but we get so much snow in winter salt or mag chloride for that purpose is pointless, you'd need so much of it. Parking lots and sidewalks mainly. Mostly front range cities and interstates use it or so I've been told by local road maintenance people.

Having said that I live on a dirt/gravel road and drive on them quite a bit all seasons, my 6112/5160's look fine (2 years old give or take). My frame looks a whole lot worse but it is not rotted out anywhere just surface rust. One rust/corrosion prevention tip I've heard as far as shock bodies and reservoirs is spray some clear coat on them while new (after wiping down with alcohol or similar). Probably not great idea on the threaded part. I have not used this myself but others swear by it.

 

I blame Samsung....

100% wrong, if you have seen or replaced as many coil springs from all manufactures ranging from race shocks to OEM bolt ins that I have over the last 15 years you would see the light. OP's case may be extreme but not that uncommon when rust/ corrosion/ coil bind are mixed in with time and lack of cleaning/maintenance on a vehicle from back east.

 

LOL I worked at a race suspension shop for years, albeit road racing. You jump off big dirt berms a lot different story. You have to exceed elastic deformation limits and then cycle it to fatigue and that just does not happen in a properly set up suspension. Plus OP's springs look like they rusted/rotted out under the coating first, then broke. Look how nasty the upper coils are far away from the break, with bubbles under the coating. To my eye looks like manuf issue, improperly coated/heat-treated, or plain old cheap/wrong type steel. It happens, happened to me as I explained above with H&R, and they admitted it.

Bottom line 4 year old powder coated Eibach springs should a) not rust like that or b) break, under almost any circumstances except severe abuse or improper install etc. Maybe a bad wreck or repeated hard bottoming out w/o proper stops could break them but hard to rust them like that outside of manuf issues. As I said earlier it looks like they rusted/rotted first though, then broke.

Curious to see what Eibach/Fox says.

edit: one thing I have seen a lot is people trying to lower their cars by cutting off a coil or two with a torch. This destroys the heat treating and makes them prone to fatiguing then breaking. Raises the spring rate and causes more torsion force per inch of compression. Also using a spring compressor with a sharp edge on it will sometimes score the spring, introducing a flaw that repeated load cycling then eventually breaks. High quality spring steel is good for literally millions of cycles without losing shape or K when the elastic deformation limit is not exceeded. Exceed it and bad things happen really fast. So if you're saying that people do dumb stuff sometimes and unwittingly damage their springs, causing them to eventually break and that makes them a "wear item" then yeah I would agree with that. But that's like saying head gaskets are a wear item because somebody forgot to fill up the radiator with antifreeze.

 

I have a feeling op, put on the coilovers with the springs already pre installed like they come from vendors, considering he wasn't sure how to get the spring off. There is a lot of preload on the coilover, so maybe they were adjusted while the coilovers were under the weight of the truck and not drooped, which that alone can cause some binding combined with the amount of preload. But I agree, mostly looks like a rust issue.

 

Plan is calling the 2 companies tomorrow.

Was reading the 2.0s are aluminum bodied for rust resistance which seems odd.

If a full replacement is needed well, gotta do what ya gotta do, but the aluminum bodied 2.0s seem like my best option for fighting this Pennsylvania salt.

Is that my best option, while maintaining them better next time ?

Who has the best prices on these ?

 

The shocks were never adjusted, no spanner.

 

You have the 2.5” steel bodies with no reservoir. The 2.0 has an aluminum body but only offers 0-2” lift.

I doubt you’ll need a FULL replacement but I wouldn’t expect the repair bill to be amall. There are other coating options as well that are being played with to prevent corrosion. Maybe look into one of those? The cerakote that Fox has been using seems to be holding up well.

 

I wouldn't blame the manufacturer for the problem. Instead you should focus on what you can do to prevent what happened. I live in Florida and clean the under body and coat with Fluid Film or protectant at least twice a year or more. I have the same shocks and they look like brand new after 60000 miles. This is precisely why manufactures have "limited warranties".

 

OP, I wouldn't be surprised if the insides of the shocks are toast from bottoming out depending on how it collapsed vs condition of bump stops. You can bend a rod doing that or damage piston etc.. Hard to tell from pics but looks like there's oil or something splattered around, or maybe that is water. They'll tell you that right away though. Also check your tie rod boots, one in the pic is torn open to the elements.

Good luck and let us know what Eibach/Fox say.

 

Without my purchase order receipt Eibach can only offer discount on replacements.
$140 for new springs

Fox said basicly im SOL, Warrenty is 1 year

 

Gonna order a new 2.0 front and rear setup, then rebuild the old set later.

Any ideas on the best deal going ?

I have the all pro offroad +3 leaf spring kit in the rear.

Will the 2.0s at +2 height work with the +3 rear springs ?