Hamish Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Hi I just wanted to raise a safety issue as discovered by my dad (mid eighties) this week end. I don't want to name names at this time as the issue only showed itself this weekend and the supplier hasn't had the chance to be informed to reply. In february this year My dad bought and fitted a replacement steering wheel for his new (to him) vitesse. From a well know oil and assessory supplier and a well known steering wheel type. Well when visiting a car meeting sporting six club ?? the rim came off on his hands. I thank my god as he does that it was on the show field thus not highway speed and he didn't hit anything. But he and my mum had been travelling on the south Devon roads to get there. It appears all the rivets holding the rim failed. Or we're never correctly fitted/ spec'd. They were under the trim area wheel spoke to rim. Especially if you have bought a new wheel over Xmas to this spring please check your steering wheels Thank you H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GT6M Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Yip it aint funny, and in my case, a deffo scary moment as it wer on a hillclimb, went into 90deg corner, turned wheel, still going straight on turned some moer, center bit flew up, hit me face thru me helmet and just manged t,stop wid inches t,spare frae the bales did just what was in your pic I ed heard a creaking noise fora few weeks coming frae the wheel ya rivet must,v gon, then another, which put too much strain ont wheel and it litterally turned itself inside oot, v v scary moment M Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iain Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 That is disgraceful! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlejim Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Be interested to know country of manufacture. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Hi Hamish, in this instance, may I suggest that you name names - right bloody now . . . . . Supplier's right of reply is all well and good, but it does not override the necessity of advising the motoring community of a potentially catastrophic failure, especially when common sense suggests that it is more likely to be a batch failure than a one-off instance. There is nothing unreasonable in blowing the whistle immediately - you are after all merely highlighting a problem, and quoting chapter and verse in terms of supplier and manufacturer. What you don't do is try and apportion blame. Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Dreadful. They look like pop rivets! One manufacturer can be excluded as there's no script stamped on the spokes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 When equipment faults are found and reported in a medical journal, the form is that the reporter's and the manufacturer's letters appear simultaneously. Journals always press for a rapid response and expidite publication. We should be seeking not to pillory the supplier but to know what they will do about this gross failure. And this report with the response should be publicised through the classic car world. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 yet, no name and shame... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 This has just reminded me of something that happened to my Son's mini about 18 months ago, not the same fault but a well know steering wheel manufacturer beginning with M. The boss put together by them came apart as he was driving along, fortunately he managed to stop safely. When we got it home all of the screws that hold the boss together (not to the wheel) came out, they weren't loctited in or any form of securing the screws apart from being fairly tight, I sent it back to the well known Mini Parts Suppier and asked them to send it back to the manufacturer and to get them to report back to me. They sent me a replacement boss which again the screws were just done up tight, so I loctited them in and peened the end of the screws over. I never heard anything again from them, I now feel quite GUILTY that I never chased them up as I was going to post a warning on here too but unfortunately my memory is not what it used to be, sorry. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
roy53 Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 100 percent with Alec Hi Hamish, in this instance, may I suggest that you name names - right bloody now . . . . . Supplier's right of reply is all well and good, but it does not override the necessity of advising the motoring community of a potentially catastrophic failure, especially when common sense suggests that it is more likely to be a batch failure than a one-off instance. There is nothing unreasonable in blowing the whistle immediately - you are after all merely highlighting a problem, and quoting chapter and verse in terms of supplier and manufacturer. What you don't do is try and apportion blame. Cheers, Alec 100% agree this is a major safety issue and should be out there now. ROY Quote Link to post Share on other sites
david ferry Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 This has just reminded me of something that happened to my Son's mini about 18 months ago, not the same fault but a well know steering wheel manufacturer beginning with M. The boss put together by them came apart as he was driving along, fortunately he managed to stop safely. When we got it home all of the screws that hold the boss together (not to the wheel) came out, they weren't loctited in or any form of securing the screws apart from being fairly tight, I sent it back to the well known Mini Parts Suppier and asked them to send it back to the manufacturer and to get them to report back to me. They sent me a replacement boss which again the screws were just done up tight, so I loctited them in and peened the end of the screws over. I never heard anything again from them, I now feel quite GUILTY that I never chased them up as I was going to post a warning on here too but unfortunately my memory is not what it used to be, sorry. Trouble is that there are at least three well known manufacturers with names starting with M! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Trouble is that there are at least three well known manufacturers with names starting with M! Here you go, Mountney. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlejim Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Here you go, Mountney. Made at home (UK) or imported from overseas?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 These are the most serious failures I have ever heard of - and there are three posted already. Guys, PLEASE name the seller and manufacturers. And tell your insurer. And local Trading Standards. These sws must be removed form the market and the cars they have been fitted to. Practical Classics might be interested too- send them photos. Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 I agree with you Peter. I may be 'old fashioned' but I've always been a 'standard' steering wheel man! (Stand-by for the flack from the usual suspect!) Tom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish Posted June 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 (edited) Here you go, Mountney.I am lead to believe from my father this is the make concerned in his case. I will share more as and when I know more. My dad doesn't like this public exposure however I felt it should be shared and chose a generic steering wheel check method. Incidentally I bought a cheaper make wheel couple years ago but the type where the wood sandwiched the Ali rim that you could see was all part of the spoke and hub ring assembly. It appears that the more rigorous checks need to be on the leather leather effect type where you can't readily see the manufacturing type. Edited June 19, 2017 by Hamish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 No mention of place of manufacture on the fitting instructions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waldi Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Gi Hamish, Telling who is the supplier may not be relevent at this moment in time, but informing others about the manufacturer and type is important. People with a similar steering wheel will be very interested, and tgey are probably not only applied in TR's. In situations like this I always ask myself: What if it goes wrong (someone else get's an accidend due to a similar defect), would I have acted/escalated? This is an entirely different issue than say a non-fitting part. Regards, Waldi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish Posted June 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Waldi see above H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waldi Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Hamish, Sorry, senior moment from me. Waldi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andy Moltu Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 I had the original one on my early 6 snap off the rim coming off the M69. At least that was over 30 years old at the time! Fortunately able to turn it with the spokes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Nothing uncommon about steering wheel spokes being secured to the rim by rivets of one sort or another - now or back in the day. Rivets failing for a pastime isn't so common, hence my suggestion of a possible batch fault. Mind you, think of a smaller steering wheel on any TR, then think larger section more modern tyres, then think of the resultant effort required to turn the steering wheel at slow speeds. How many of these aftermarket steering wheels are designed primarily for modern cars with power steering ? Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Has anyone exeperiencing s/w failure had a response from the seller(s) And are they recalling the line? Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iain Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 Hi Hamish The manufacturer should be very very worried. This could have resulted in a colossal liability claim against them. No response is no good. They should promptly, like within hours, issue a statement of intent re this product. If thy don't go to the Motoring Press to ensure someone isn't killed by such a catastrophic failure. Iain Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted June 19, 2017 Report Share Posted June 19, 2017 I had the original one on my early 6 snap off the rim coming off the M69. At least that was over 30 years old at the time! Fortunately able to turn it with the spokes I hope that is a one-off. Or are there more original s/w coming apart that we don't know about? Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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