Chassis cracks around rear spring tophats?

[RJG]

Hi Everyone,
Reading around the web I have noticed some info on chassis cracking around the rear spring tophats and bending of the tophats. Does anyone know if this is confined to a certain model year/s and if it was addressed by Nissan and when?

[MudRunnerTD]

***Edited this post for the sake of the thread.


This is a problem across teh range of GQ and GU and is a know weakness.. Its a Biatch.

NO is the answer, Nissan has done nothing about it and likely wont. You can get a brace kit for the spring towers from Superiors for $120, Single piece. but you need to have a 2" body lidft to fit it in so a GQ with a BL is ok but not common on a GU. The Coil cab guys just lift the tray off and install them.

You can get a Weld on brace kit to that can be added to a GU but cant tell you much more about it. It will add gussets to the towers and resolve some of the trouble.

Heavy touring + Heavy load + corrugations and you win the prize!!

Superor also make a very impressive bolt in tower brace kit for the GU and it is on my list of future mods for sure. It can be donw without a body lift and is a solid bit of kit.

I have the spring tower brace plate in my GQ from Superior as seen in the posts below

[RJG]

Ive seen the brace kit, I wonder what it would cost to have it welded in? The single piece brace would obviously stop the towers from flexing to a degree but I can see why you need a 2" body lift to accomodate it.

[MudRunnerTD]

here is a link to a list of parts from Superiors mate

http://www.superiorengineering.com.au/store.php?cPath=31_32_34_190

there is a few different pieces for weld on to make a kit and then the Single piece bolt on with a body life.

[RJG]

Hey thanks Plasnart and Mudrunner for the links and info. Have to wonder if this isnt a good bit of insurance for the longevity of the vehicle.

[AB]

I remember when I put the GU 2" lift in my GQ the guy mentioned that there is a slight risk of mine cracking with the GU lift.

[RJG]

Spoke to Peter at ATOC in Belgrave this morning it doesnt matter if it is a new or old GU or even a GQ on the lHS rear this can can occur. He welds in a steel renforcement into the rear spring towers which he claims he has never had a issue after being completed. For under $1k I might invest in this just to protect my investment in the patrol.

[Graeme W Gilbert]

I have just been under the back of my 2008 GU and it appears that my chassis is bent. There is deformation on both outer sides of the chassis rail at the rear of the spring tower. The chassis is also cracked both sides approx 250mm between and beyond the spring tower. I have completed a number of trips with a camper trailer, Cape York, Flinders Ranges, Simpson Desert west to East and most recently through the Victorian High Country with Billy Goat's Bluff included.
Has anyone else had any problems with cracking in this area and what was the fix?

[macca]

When we were in Birdsville a few years back a Patrol that was very heavily loaded had broken the chassis and was dragging its but on the ground.
5 blokes and 8 gerrys plus swags etc on the roof, it was chokkers.
They were organising to get it freighted out, one of our mob was getting his car serviced and said the mechanic reckoned it needed a new chassis.
The passengers were trying to get flights out, which was quite a problem. We got the impression they were not talking to each other!
Fair dinkum it looked bloody sad.

A few blokes in our club have had troubles with Coil rear utes, one had the Superior Brace but he did give it a caning in the NT causing some cracks.
I have sent a link for ATOC to our Nissan owners.
Shows where to look for damage, a great reference.
Might save them some bucks in the long run. Interesting topic

[q6r99]

here is a link to a list of parts from Superiors mate

http://www.superiorengineering.com.au/store.php?cPath=31_32_34_190

there is a few different pieces for weld on to make a kit and then the Single piece bolt on with a body life.



a lots of kits already have

[MudRunnerTD]

a lots of kits already have

Wow this is an old thread!!

So my original comment in this thread is rubbish! Lol. My GQ which gets used hard suffered from a very large tear from the rear spring towers. I will try and find some pics from my bud thread at some point but I have fitted the Superiorspring tower brace and would like to also fit the bolt in kit for the GUIV when I can. This is a fairly big problem that should be taken seriously by anyone looking to do allot of touring in their GQ or GU

[Wizard52]

For $120 + freight from Superior at Burpengary the brace is excellent value.
My ute has not seen corrugations until this Cape trip but the towers had started to bend up so fitted the brace before I left.
A bit messy to fit without lifting the tray but drop coils out and it is a lot easier.

[MudRunnerTD]

So here is a pic of my rear spring tower before the Superior Brace kit went in!!!

HOLY CRAP!!

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/

From my build thread

[MudRunnerTD]

Some more from my build thread


No rust.

It is the counterlever design of the spring tower on the GQ and the GU. A known weak spot. Superior do a top of tower brace kit as per the previous pages of this build and also to a Bolt In kit for the GU and GQs without a BodyLift.

I know many people that have experienced this tear. Very common in heavily loaded touring rigs that have seen allot of corrugated roads too.

Everyone should check their rear towers and keep an eye on them.

[MudRunnerTD]

Some more


Rear gear is out and time to fit the shock tower brace!!

Both shock towers are bent and I have already had the left side tower repaired thanks to Danny and the guys at Sparks Trailers in Geelong.

Time for the brace. Bugger of a job!!

2934429345

......

[my third 256]

for those concerned if they have this damage or want to inspect but dont know what to look for
plasnat put the link up erlier (thanks plasnat)
so here again is the pictures showing areas to be inspected
http://atocauto.com.au/Product_SpringSeat.htm