Quote:
daToy previously said:
I am one of those that wants to keep the sheet metal intact... Run softly.... I looked a little closer an on the drivers side there is a little deformation of the metal. Not sure if it is what it would look like from the factory.
I looked behind the plastic in the wheel well the there is a gusset near this spot to hold the outer fender in place. I wonder if any added stress comes from this.
Another issue might be that when the sheet metal is stamped there are microscopic stress cracks created in that area that then allow the formation of larger stress cracks.
I think this reeks of design flaw.
Each person needs to report the flaw to the NHTS. The failure of this panel compromises the crash safety of the FJ. The zone will no longer adsorb energy like it was designed to. If a large number of this problem are reported the NHTS must investigate. Go to IVOQ - File a Complaint and file a complaint. |
I like the idea of reporting this to NHTS. I believe the concern is valid, that the cracks have a negative effect in case of a crash.
One more comment on the body mounts: some images from before show that the body stays rigid while the front bumper twists with the ladder frame. this should not be the case. from a design point of view you should not have a relatively weak metal structure from the body in this region to support the massive ladder frame. the body should twist and flex with the frame. this is a pure design issue. the stamping in this area should not effect the mechanical properties of the steel, since the metal is designed for deep draw, which does not yield to excessive work hardening. however, the crumble zone causes a notching effect - on purpose.
conclusion: the front body frame (engine bay) needs redesign
