Pathetic suspension components

[Red Dog]

I got the verdict back from my mechanic today and I have bent the steering knuckle and lower link!
Apparently bending the steering knuckle is a common thing: when the mechanic went to enquire about getting the suspension checked it was the first thing that the suspension guy said once it was mentioned the vehicle is a D40.
You'd think that being a four weel drive and given the advancement in foundering and alloying of metals, that nissan would would at least source a part that suseptable to abuse that was of a reasonable quality. But apparently being nissan every thing is done have arsed - point of reference: the hold down strap for the bonnet recall.

 

[krunchi]

Red Dog can you fill us in on how you broke this and what syptoms u noticed?
Ill never buy anothe Nissan, love my D40 while it works
Cheers

 

[Red Dog]

I was crawling through a camp ground and accidently steered into a tree which skidded off the side of my bullbar onto my brushbar with my wheel, which was pointing straight at it at the time, taking the full force of about 5-10 km/h.
This envoked quite a large noise from the passenger seat as my removable airbag (wife) went right off screaming "Didn't you see that tree" and I just replied "well I hit it didn't I".

Upon checking the damage, I noticed that the wheel alignment was out (60mm) and when my mechanic did an alignment on it he could only get it to within about 14mm.

He then examined the steering and suspension components and noticed flaking on the surface of the knuckle, which as any metal worker will tell you, is a sure sign that it has moved.

His suspension specialist even told him not to bother bringing it in because he has seen so many D40s with bent steering knuckles from taking knocks that he would consider quite soft ie. hitting rocks or landing in a hole on a track, or hitting a pothole on the road, and the components aren't even worth trying to straighten due to the inferiority of the cast alloying.