DUE TO OPERATIONAL CONDITIONS, STEERING ARMS COULD CRACK AND BREAK.
STEERING ARMS CRACK AND BREAK FROM PRESSURES EXERTED IN OPERATIONS IN URBAN TRAFFIC ENVIRONEMNTS.
IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT OF TIE ROD ARMS CAUSES ARMS TO BE SUBJECT TO YIELDING AND FATIGUE CRACKS.
STEERING ARM MAY FRACTURE DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL, MAINTENANCE, OR OTHER FACTORS.
A NUMBER OF FACTORS COULD CAUSE LONGITIDUNAL AND - OR TRANSVERSE CRACKS IN THE SPINDLE END THAT COULD LEAD TO SPINDLE END FAILURE AND SEPARATION OF WHEELS FROM VEHICLE.
INCORRECTLY WELDED SUSPENSION BRACKETS TO THE AXLE HOUSING MAY CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE HOLDING BRACKET WELD.
FRACTURE OF THE SPINDLE END AND SEPARATION OF THE DUAL WHEELS FROM THE VEHICLE.
DUE TO METAL FATIGUE, CRACKING AND BREAKING OF THE FRONT AXLE BEAM CENTER COULD OCCUR.
ORIGINAL SPECIFIED REAR BRAKE DRUMS ARE INADEQUATE IN STRENGTH FOR BRAKE LOADS BEING IMPOSED ON THESE DRUMS.
THE SPRING HANGER BRACKET MAY CONTAIN INCORRECT WELDS.
THE BRAKE MOUNTING NUTS WHICH FASTEN THE TWO BRAKE ASSEMBLIES TO THE AXLE KNUCKLE ON THE FRONT STEERING AXLE ASSEMBLIES OR THE WHEEL END KITS WERE NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF SUFFICIENT LOOSENING OF THE BRAKE ASSEMBLIES SHOULD OCCUR DURING VEHICLE MOVEMENT, BRAKE DRAG, POSSIBLE SEVERE HEAT BUILD-UP OR WHEEL LOCKUP COULD OCCUR, CAUSING DECREASED STEERING CONTROL, VEHICLE INSTABILITY AND A POTENTIAL FOR VEHICLE CRASH.
FRONT AXLE BEAMS CONTAIN SHEAR CRACKS AT THE BEAM ENDS WHERE THE KING PINS AND STEERING KNUCKLES ARE ATTACHED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF FAILURE OF THE AXLE BEAMS AS PART OF THE FRONT STEERING AXLE SHOULD OCCUR, THE COMPONENTS ATTACHED TO THE BEAMS INCLUDING WHEELS, TIRES, BRAKE ASSEMBLIES AND STEERING KNUCKLES MAY BECOME DISENGAGED FROM THE VEHICLE, AND ROLL FREE WITH A RISK TO TRAFFIC SAFETY. THE VEHICLE MAY LOSE STEERING CONTROL, CAUSING VEHICLE INSTABILITY AND POTENTIAL FOR VEHICLE CRASH. THIS FAILURE COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING TO THE OPERATOR.
SOME UNIVERSAL JOINT YOKES WERE FORGED WITH INCORRECT STEEL, RESULTING IN BRITTLE WELDS BETWEEN THE YOKE AND ITS MATING SHAFT. FIELD SERVICE LOADS MAY CAUSE FAILURE OF THE WELD AND CAUSE THE YOKE TO SEPARATE FROM ITS SHAFT.
CRACKS MAY DEVELOP IN THE RADIAL SPOKES NEAR THE HUB. THESE CRACKS COULD PROPAGATE AND MAY EVENTUALLY CAUSE HUB FAILURE. HUB FAILURE COULD ALLOW THE WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, CASTING DEFICIENCES EXIST IN THE AREA OF THE WHEEL MOUNTING FLANGE OR THE INNER WHEEL BEARING. WHEN A FLANGE FAILURE OCCURS, THE FLANGE, ALONG WITH THE WHEEL AND TIRE, BECOME DISENGAGED FROM THE VEHICLE AND MAY ROLL FREE. WHEN A BARREL SECTION FAILURE OCCURS, THE HUB IS RETAINED ON THE AXLE SPINDLE BY THE WHEEL BEARING ADJUSTING NUT. CONTINUED OPERATION MAY THEN LEAD TO HUB FAILURE, PROGRESSIVE DAMAGE TO THE HUB, AND EVENTUALLY, SEPARATION OF THE HUB, WITH THE WHEEL AND TIRE, FROM THE VEHICLE.
THE INVOLVED HUBS MAY DEVELOP CRACKS IN THE AREA OF THE WHEEL MOUNTING FLANGE. EVENTUALLY, THE HUB COULD FAIL CAUSING THE FLANGE ALONG WITH THE WHEEL AND TIRE TO BECOME DISENGAGED FROM THE VEHICLE AND ROLL IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER.
THE INVOLVED ALUMINUM HUBS MAY DEVELOP CRACKS IN THE BARREL BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER BEARING, WHICH COULD LEAD TO HUB FAILURE. UPON FAILURE, THE SEPARATED HUB IS RETAINED ON THE AXLE SPINDLE BY THE WHEEL BEARING ADJUSTING NUTS.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE HUBS IN THAT THEY MAY DEVELOP CRACKS WHICH COULD LEAD TO HUB FAILURE.