Rear Axle Beam PE WebEx Presentation to Ford Safety Office 07/21/2010

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Pamela Howard
5 years ago
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1 Ford Windstar Rear Axle Beam Corrosion Failure PE WebEx Presentation to Ford Safety Office 07/21/2010 1

2 Ford Windstar Rear Axle Beam Corrosion Failure The test t vehicle was prepared by creating a release mechanism for the rear axle, installing two five-point harnesses, a V-Box III data collection system, and titanium outriggers. The front outrigger was set at 12 inches and the rear outrigger was set at 14 inches (puck clearance to ground). The test was conducted on the Vehicle Dynamics Area (VDA) at TRCPG by accelerating to 35 mph in a straight line and intercepting a 300-ft radius circle course, then releasing the rear axle fork plate. 2

3 Intended path on test track 3

4 Removed axle to modify for testing 4

5 VRTC fork plate Two of the dowel pins were drilled and fitted with spring-loaded plastic cotter pins 5

6 Release mechanism and test setup as viewed from rear of vehicle 6

7 VRTC rear axle release system initial weld pattern 7

8 VRTC rear axle release system final weld pattern 8

9 Windstar and chase vehicle Freestar prior to test 9

10 Contour HD 1080P cameras 10

11 play video Windstar_Rear_Axle_Test FINAL.wmv 11

12 Actual Windstar path from V-Box GPS data plotted in Google Earth 12

13 View from chase vehicle camera 13

14 View from chase vehicle camera 14

15 View from panning camera 15

16 View from underneath camera 16

17 Post-test view of left front 17

18 Post-test view of left rear 18

19 Post-test view of left-rear wheel well 19

20 Post-test view of right rear 20

21 Post-test view of right-rear wheel well 21

22 Post-test view of right-rear wheel from rear of vehicle 22

23 Post-test view of right-rear wheel from front 23

24 Post-test view of right front 24

25 Post-test view from below rear axle 25

26 Post-test close-up view of right-side axle against floor pan 26

27 VOQs on the Ford Windstar Rear Axle Beam Corrosion Failures 473 VOQs on rear axle failures 6 alleged crashes 2 alleged injuries Numerous loss of control incidents 1 rollover 27

28 VOQ

29 VOQ

30 VOQ

31 VOQ

32 VOQ

33 VOQ

34 The incident was 23 days and 2,291 miles after... 34

35 VOQ

36 Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 36

37 Post-crash view of left front 37

38 Post-test view of left rear 38

39 Post-crash view of left-rear wheel well 39

40 Post-crash view of left-rear wheel well 40

41 Post-crash view of right rear 41

42 Post-crash view of right-rear wheel well Laboratory and cell-phone videos of key turn speed 42

43 Post-crash view of right front 43

44 Post-crash view underneath vehicle 44

45 Post-crash view underneath vehicle 45

46 Post-crash view underneath vehicle showing axle fracture 46

47 Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 47

48 Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 48

49 Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 49

50 Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 50

51 Crash site along service roadway near freeway ramp 51

52 Post-crash view of right front 52

53 Discussion 53

54 For more information contact: Daniel Pearse Transportation ti Safety Engineer United States Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Research and Test Center Defects Analysis Group Post Office Box B State Route 347 East Liberty, OH x267 54

EA Closing Report Page 1 of 9

EA Closing Report Page 1 of 9 EA06-002 Closing Report Page 1 of 9 SUBJECT: Rear coil spring fracture ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT EA No: EA06-002 DATE OPENED: 24-Jan-2006 DATE CLOSED: 05-Feb-2007 SUBJECT VEHICLES: Model Year