S4 front bumper has weak area.
07-23-2000, 11:40 AM
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S4 front bumper has weak area.
<p>Jim De Arras
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
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<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
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Michelin Pilot Sports.
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07-23-2000, 11:42 AM
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Re: S4 front bumper has weak area.
<center><img src="http://www.imola.org/images/DSCF0322.JPG"></center><p>Impact area circled, note the break occured inches to the left (viewed from the front.<p>Jim De Arras
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
07-23-2000, 11:43 AM
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Top view
<center><img src="http://www.imola.org/images/DSCF0323.JPG"></center><p>Note the drilled hole, and cut-out lined up with the fracture<p>Jim De Arras
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
07-23-2000, 11:49 AM
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Bottom view
<center><img src="http://www.imola.org/images/DSCF0324.JPG"></center><p>Note another hole on the bottom, again on the fracture line, along with the longer relief area for the extra fan on the front.
The top hole, and relief, the center big hole in the front, and the bottom relief and hole shown in these photos delineate the weakest point in the entire bumper. Had this point held, the two mounts would not have jammed, and would have taken up part of the movement in the "shocks".<p>Jim De Arras
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
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The top hole, and relief, the center big hole in the front, and the bottom relief and hole shown in these photos delineate the weakest point in the entire bumper. Had this point held, the two mounts would not have jammed, and would have taken up part of the movement in the "shocks".<p>Jim De Arras
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
07-23-2000, 11:49 AM
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Yep!
<p>Jim De Arras
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
07-23-2000, 12:04 PM
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I disagree, you want the bumper mounts to deform/compress before the car structure. This is a defect
That will only show up with a point impact, as oppose to a flat front impact. In both cases, bumper must deal with same total force.<p>Jim De Arras
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
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07-23-2000, 12:24 PM
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Back view
<center><img src="http://www.imola.org/images/DSCF0325.JPG"></center><p>Note the LARGE cutout to clear the aux fan.<p>Jim De Arras
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
07-23-2000, 12:35 PM
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Overall Back view
<center><img src="http://www.imola.org/images/DSCF0326.JPG"></center><p>As you should be able to see, this is not a desirable failure point, by bending in the middle like this, you GUARENTEE frame damage by causing the two mounts to be force apart as the bumper folds through. The bumper mounts with one vertial bolt per side, you can see the hole in the bumper on each end, at the point the side cutouts reaches full width. That point is not on the front surface, and also the whole assembly is normally bowed out. If you force a point in as seen above, some of the force is redirected sideways, to spread the mounts apart, this damages the actual frame, and binds the compressable mounts so they are unable to take up any of the impact, it is left to go directly to the frame.
I'm NOT blaming Audi for my accident, but feel that the frame spread would have been avoided if the bumper had not folded, but instead gone in flat, compressing the collapsible "shocks".
Instead, those collapsible mounts bound with the sideways force, and did not absorb any shock.
I think they had a good initial design, but had one two many "ECOs" to accomidate changes/options.<p>Jim De Arras
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor
I'm NOT blaming Audi for my accident, but feel that the frame spread would have been avoided if the bumper had not folded, but instead gone in flat, compressing the collapsible "shocks".
Instead, those collapsible mounts bound with the sideways force, and did not absorb any shock.
I think they had a good initial design, but had one two many "ECOs" to accomidate changes/options.<p>Jim De Arras
<a href="http://www.imola.org">2000 00 Imola/Onyx/Alcantera S4</a>
MTM Stage II (Stage III on order)
MTM Full Suspension
MTM/Pagid Brake pads
UUC Short Shifter (original 20%)
Michelin Pilot Sports.
SmartTire Tire Monitor