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Re: How the Fulcrum Pin Broke

To: RMEbstein@aol.com
Subject: Re: How the Fulcrum Pin Broke
From: Theo Smit <theo.smit@dynastream.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2006 17:55:34 -0600
Reducing the front end weight will help. However, the pin life will 
still be largely determined by the tires and wheels you have on the car, 
the suspension bushings you have on the A-arms, how you drive it, where 
you drive it, and most of all, how and from what the pin was made. If 
the fabricator doesn't use the right cutting tools to cut the taper, or 
leaves the notches for the mounting bolts with sharp edges, the 
resulting stress risers can cut the life of the pin by a factor of ten. 
Don't forget that besides the cornering loads, the lower fulcrum pin 
also takes half the front end weight (in an upward bending load) because 
it's acting against the suspension spring and shock, which are located 
halfway out on the control arm. Every bump you hit flexes the lower 
fulcrum pins whether you're cornering or not. Fatigue is the enemy of 
the fulcrum pins, but the ackerman gets the blame because it can provide 
the high static load that breaks the pins after it's been flexed a 
million times out on the road.

Best regards,
Theo




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