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https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/suspension-problem-on-model-s.69204/ https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/suspension-problem-o...

by maratd 10y ago

userbinator 10y ago
Wow. That ball joint is completely dry. It looks like it's never been greased, or any grease left the joint a long time ago.
- abakker 10y ago
  I really wish companies would build better ball joints in general. My Toyota Tundra had them go bad 3 times in 2 years before I went with aftermarket control arms with uniballs. I agree though, it looks like the boot that would hold grease on the ball joint failed, and then all the grease just bled away. Edit: I did not realize, but it appears from the thread that the upper arm is made from aluminum on the tesla? Can anyone confirm? It would very inappropriate to spec steel hardware in an aluminum socket like that for reasons of galvanic corrosion.
  - zaroth 10y ago
    The thread must have about 5 full pages of speculation about galvanic corrosion. After someone makes the convincing point that it would be the aluminum disintegrating, not the steel, they switch to speculation about corrosion due to stray current.
    - abakker 10y ago
      Right, I was just wondering if someone could confirm that the upper A arm and ball socket were actually aluminum. It seems a very unlikely material choice for that part to me. I just don't have a tesla to go check on myself. Honestly, if the boot failed and the guy drove through saltwater, the steel of that part still shouldn't have rusted that badly. My armchair guess is that Tesla or their supplier didn't spec it wrong, but got a bad batch of metal in there that was improperly treated or alloyed.
      - userbinator 10y ago
        There are pictures of a rusted one here. Poster claims it is steel and I'm inclined to believe because aluminium does not rust like this: https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/posts/1512181/ https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/posts/1512181/
zaroth 10y ago
Taking some time to read through that thread, the only conclusion I can come to is there are some anti-Tesla fanatics who are working very hard to find any signs of defects and then fan the flames as much as possible. Looks like the same troll coming back several times under several different accounts to push the narrative of deadly failings of the Model S. The sad part is that, while the anecdata are scientifically useless, the effect of reading all that non-sense has succeeded in planting questions in my mind about these components.

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/suspension-problem-on-model-s.69204/ https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/suspension-problem-o...

by maratd 10y ago

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/suspension-problem-on-model-s.69204/ https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/suspension-problem-o...

userbinator 10y ago

Wow. That ball joint is completely dry. It looks like it's never been greased, or any grease left the joint a long time ago.

abakker 10y ago
I really wish companies would build better ball joints in general. My Toyota Tundra had them go bad 3 times in 2 years before I went with aftermarket control arms with uniballs. I agree though, it looks like the boot that would hold grease on the ball joint failed, and then all the grease just bled away. Edit: I did not realize, but it appears from the thread that the upper arm is made from aluminum on the tesla? Can anyone confirm? It would very inappropriate to spec steel hardware in an aluminum socket like that for reasons of galvanic corrosion.
- zaroth 10y ago
  The thread must have about 5 full pages of speculation about galvanic corrosion. After someone makes the convincing point that it would be the aluminum disintegrating, not the steel, they switch to speculation about corrosion due to stray current.
  - abakker 10y ago
    Right, I was just wondering if someone could confirm that the upper A arm and ball socket were actually aluminum. It seems a very unlikely material choice for that part to me. I just don't have a tesla to go check on myself. Honestly, if the boot failed and the guy drove through saltwater, the steel of that part still shouldn't have rusted that badly. My armchair guess is that Tesla or their supplier didn't spec it wrong, but got a bad batch of metal in there that was improperly treated or alloyed.
    - userbinator 10y ago
      There are pictures of a rusted one here. Poster claims it is steel and I'm inclined to believe because aluminium does not rust like this: https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/posts/1512181/ https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/posts/1512181/

zaroth 10y ago

Taking some time to read through that thread, the only conclusion I can come to is there are some anti-Tesla fanatics who are working very hard to find any signs of defects and then fan the flames as much as possible. Looks like the same troll coming back several times under several different accounts to push the narrative of deadly failings of the Model S. The sad part is that, while the anecdata are scientifically useless, the effect of reading all that non-sense has succeeded in planting questions in my mind about these components.