Transporterhaus adjustable springplates...poor quality

[AircooledEd]

As the title. Fitted for 3500 miles. Lug that the adjuster bolt bears onto has failing weld, bent at 15 degrees or so from true. Looks cracked, thank f**k I found it when resetting for horse shoe plates and it didn't let go cruising at 70 with us both aboard with all our kit.

Not gonna let this lie, this workmanship is bloody dangerous.

 

[audix]

Have you spoken to Alex?

Regards.

 

[Trikky2]

As the title. Fitted for 3500 miles. Lug that the adjuster bolt bears onto has failing weld, bent at 15 degrees or so from true. Looks cracked, thank f**k I found it when resetting for horse shoe plates and it didn't let go cruising at 70 with us both aboard with all our kit.

Not gonna let this lie, this workmanship is bloody dangerous.

I have been flamed for saying this before but in my opinion the design is flawed and I would not have such things on any vehicle of mine. In addition I have yet to see any horseshoe plates that come anywhere close to the structural strength of the original suspension.

These vehicles were built down to a price back in the day and hence there are many possible ways of improving them but I do not count removing components or replacing them with weaker ones as an improvement.

 

[tyg]

Everything will break if hitted hard enough. Several times.
Was it lowered and parts adjusted so, that the outer (splined) part could hit framecastings upper stop?

I think the inner spring plate should be the part to take those hits. Just a thought.

 

[K@rlos]

As the title. Fitted for 3500 miles. Lug that the adjuster bolt bears onto has failing weld, bent at 15 degrees or so from true. Looks cracked, thank f**k I found it when resetting for horse shoe plates and it didn't let go cruising at 70 with us both aboard with all our kit.

Not gonna let this lie, this workmanship is bloody dangerous.

I have been flamed for saying this before but in my opinion the design is flawed and I would not have such things on any vehicle of mine. In addition I have yet to see any horseshoe plates that come anywhere close to the structural strength of the original suspension.

These vehicles were built down to a price back in the day and hence there are many possible ways of improving them but I do not count removing components or replacing them with weaker ones as an improvement.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[AircooledEd]

Trikky, Karlos, I agree with you .....but if the things we add were properly engineered.....well thought through solutions it would be an issue of altered handling and an owner can make an informed choice.

With hindsight (always 20/20!) I realise I was naiive to expect the load bearing lug to do its job when it is effectively only tacked on. It needs to be more substantial and part of the base material or dowelled in for acceptable strength, in my opinion.

Karlos, what set up are you running?

Ed

 

[six]

It's only due to not using the vans much and low load I am sure we don't see more of these failures. But hey I'm old I prefer safety for me and family anyday. And I'm sure someone will be along soon enough to cite that no one has died yet so it's ok. Same as ever.

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[rlepecha]

Trikky, Karlos, I agree with you .....but if the things we add were properly engineered.....well thought through solutions it would be an issue of altered handling and an owner can make an informed choice.

With hindsight (always 20/20!) I realise I was naiive to expect the load bearing lug to do its job when it is effectively only tacked on. It needs to be more substantial and part of the base material or dowelled in for acceptable strength, in my opinion.

Karlos, what set up are you running?

Ed

This..

Everything is poorly engineered or copied from other designs. A lot of companies makes horseshoe plates, they are all pretty much identical and none seem to fix the apparent weaknesses in the design.

Given these parts are all safety critical, as with most industries; welds should be xrayed, NDE done etc. Materials should be checked for conformity to the yeild strengths etc.

Final Components should have been suitably designed, including relevant calculations/FEA etc. Proof load testing and fatigue testing done.

As far as I am aware, not many companies do this. The parts are just copied designs for something that's been sold for many years.

Sounds like the weld on these adjustable plates is not up to spec, it presume it is not a full penetration weld and not checked for flaws, hence the failure which is probably from crack propagation due to fatigue.

 

[K@rlos]

Trikky, Karlos, I agree with you .....but if the things we add were properly engineered.....well thought through solutions it would be an issue of altered handling and an owner can make an informed choice.

With hindsight (always 20/20!) I realise I was naiive to expect the load bearing lug to do its job when it is effectively only tacked on. It needs to be more substantial and part of the base material or dowelled in for acceptable strength, in my opinion.

Karlos, what set up are you running?

Ed

Creative engineering adjustable spring plates with a 2 spine twist and bug pack coilovers. Been fitted 3 years and done 1000's of miles with no problems at all.

 

[six]

The funny thing is when talking about cooling. Stats flaps shrouds, they say vw put millions into design so don't mess with it.. but for some reason it's ok everywhere else?

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[K@rlos]

The funny thing is when talking about cooling. Stats flaps shrouds, they say vw put millions into design so don't mess with it.. but for some reason it's ok everywhere else?

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This is true, on my 2110 I don't run a stat or cooling flaps with a 36 hp shroud. I await the abuse :lol: Runs perfectly and never gets hot, but that's another story. IMO an adjustable spring plate works with the exact same principle as the VW set up, horse shoe plates completely alters the layout in a way which is getting proven regularly that it doesn't work.

 

[rlepecha]

The funny thing is when talking about cooling. Stats flaps shrouds, they say vw put millions into design so don't mess with it.. but for some reason it's ok everywhere else?

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

This is true, on my 2110 I don't run a stat or cooling flaps with a 36 hp shroud. I await the abuse :lol: Runs perfectly and never gets hot, but that's another story. IMO an adjustable spring plate works with the exact same principle as the VW set up, horse shoe plates completely alters the layout in a way which is getting proven regularly that it doesn't work.

Is that apart from the fact all the linear suspension loads are transfered through a small threaded block and lip that are loosely welded in place?
Rather than a fully welded splined tube and plate.

 

[Clem]

The funny thing is when talking about cooling. Stats flaps shrouds, they say vw put millions into design so don't mess with it.. but for some reason it's ok everywhere else?

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This is true, on my 2110 I don't run a stat or cooling flaps with a 36 hp shroud. I await the abuse :lol: Runs perfectly and never gets hot, but that's another story. IMO an adjustable spring plate works with the exact same principle as the VW set up, horse shoe plates completely alters the layout in a way which is getting proven regularly that it doesn't work.

Is that apart from the fact all the linear suspension loads are transfered through a small threaded block and lip that are loosely welded in place?
Rather than a fully welded splined tube and plate.

You'll have to define 'loosley welded'. Mine are Creative plates and are very securely welded in place. There is a massive difference in dismissing badly made or badly thought out modified parts, and parts that are well made and executed but dont happen to be as per factory spec.

 

[Davydomes]

Given these parts are all safety critical, as with most industries; welds should be xrayed, NDE done etc. Materials should be checked for conformity to the yeild strengths etc.

Couldn't agree more!

If access is an issue the welder should do a test plate which can be NDE'd to check his skills on same materials.

 

[six]

And real world tested.. properly tested in conditions it will be used in. Not a pay load of a few beers and a fat mate on a trip to ebi. Motorsport do this. Y not here? Or at least state the test plan so a buyer can decide if the product is fit for its intended purpose.

Being a hobby van these days. Some genuinely have little load don't go far and some 9f these products, after qa with welds etc might be ok. But that's a world away from a fully loaded westy with a roof rack trailer bumping Down the rough back roads thousands of miles a year.

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[Clem]

And real world tested.. properly tested in conditions it will be used in. Not a pay load of a few beers and a fat mate on a trip to ebi. Motorsport do this. Y not here? Or at least state the test plan so a buyer can decide if the product is fit for its intended purpose.

Being a hobby van these days. Some genuinely have little load don't go far and some 9f these products, after qa with welds etc might be ok. But that's a world away from a fully loaded westy with a roof rack trailer bumping Down the rough back roads thousands of miles a year.

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I do see you're point and agree in principle. My van, since being fitted with Creative plates has done three major European holidays. Twice with three people, once with four. Loaded with all the camping gear, bikes on journeys through Alps, Corsican mountains, literally thousands of miles .... the springplates are absolutely fine and I feel justified i reccomending them wholeheartedly. Ive no idea what initial/development testing was done, but I bought 'plates from an established company (Creative) via an established trader (T2D) so effectively reduced the risk of failure by reputation, and it worked out ok. In some ways I could feel naive or gullible but its that same with lots of purchases we make, we dont ask for test certificates and r&d information when we buy from established sources with industry reputation and experience.

 

[neilswheels]

My T haus adjustable spring plates have a full seam tig welded blocks on them. I've not done loads of miles, but they're definitely not 'tacked' on.

 

[weeboll]

Given these parts are all safety critical, as with most industries; welds should be xrayed, NDE done etc. Materials should be checked for conformity to the yeild strengths etc.

we're all happy paying more for this, right?

 

[six]

Yes I would be. Wee boll. Testing costs money but also you get a level of confidence in the product. We happily pay that premium for race proven engine parts etc so y not suspension etc.

Clem. Great news to hear and I am sure there are plenty out there to testify the same. Ensuring consistent product require qa and that is one thing missing imo. I think it is good to buy as you did to minimise risk. If it all goes wrong then at least there is an established company in the chain.

I know I am the exception but I do ask what testing has been done etc. That's why I like stuff like tuv approved. There is at least some framework there.

I love innovation. I want to see more products like these and yet I want to see it done well. Good qa etc. UK produce awesome stuff. But are we as customers asking for testing? T2d. T.haus etc I am sure would do this at a cost if they knew the market would pay for it?

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[six]

Trying to get balance . Has any one asked thaus failure rate on this?. It might be low odds . And he might be well insured etc for damage or worse.

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