Open letter to Sir Jim and Lynne Calder at Ineos automotive

[parb]

So in Australia the aftermarket are developing products with help from Ineos Australia.
We have lots of options and now even chassis extensions for the Quartermaster.
I can’t see why the US companies can’t be doing the same

Exactly

 

[Tazzieman]

So in Australia the aftermarket are developing products with help from Ineos Australia.
We have lots of options and now even chassis extensions for the Quartermaster.
I can’t see why the US companies can’t be doing the same

To quoite the OP main beef
'Own the Driveshaft Issue: Stop the silence. Release a technical bulletin acknowledging the vibration issues on lifted or heavily used rigs. If the OEM part is the weak link, collaborate with a driveshaft specialist to offer a "Heavy Duty" factory-approved replacement."

Australia has not yet solved this

 

[AngusMacG]

Here is my driveshaft. Caught at the dealer when I asked them to look at it after seeing @Logsplitter ’s (I think) post about his non-lifted rig having the failure.

Not that I’m an engineer but it appears to me that the boot is the real issue as it tears first allowing debris to get in the joint and cause the failure. My vehicle was non-lifted with only surface road and highway miles on it. My guess is the boot material needs to revisited or made thicker/reinforced.

 

[Logsplitter]

Here is my driveshaft. Caught at the dealer when I asked them to look at it after seeing @Logsplitter ’s (I think) post about his non-lifted rig having the failure.

Not that I’m an engineer but it appears to me that the boot is the real issue as it tears first allowing debris to get in the joint and cause the failure. My vehicle was non-lifted with only surface road and highway miles on it. My guess is the boot material needs to revisited or made thicker/reinforced.

Thanks for sharing that, really useful to see one caught early on a stock vehicle.
The boot as the starting point makes sense; once contamination gets in, the joint doesn’t stand much of a chance.
Add that to the propshaft failure list thread.

 

[linksK9rig]

Here is my driveshaft. Caught at the dealer when I asked them to look at it after seeing @Logsplitter ’s (I think) post about his non-lifted rig having the failure.

Not that I’m an engineer but it appears to me that the boot is the real issue as it tears first allowing debris to get in the joint and cause the failure. My vehicle was non-lifted with only surface road and highway miles on it. My guess is the boot material needs to revisited or made thicker/reinforced.

How many miles do you have on it?

 

[HereinDaRockies]

lol we were suppose to have a part 3 of the Lynn Calder interview where she supposedly addressed the driveshaft issue…

I assume that interview will never drop

 

[AngusMacG]

How many miles do you have on it?

At the time I had just over 27k mikes…no issues after replacement and I’m around 88k now

 

[Commodore]

lol we were suppose to have a part 3 of the Lynn Calder interview where she supposedly addressed the driveshaft issue…

I assume that interview will never drop

For some strange reason that episode just never seems to get released.

 

[Dlucky]

lol we were suppose to have a part 3 of the Lynn Calder interview where she supposedly addressed the driveshaft issue…

I assume that interview will never drop

Sadly Don’t count on it.

 

[jert]

Hasn’t there been a promise from Lynn to establish a regular exchange between the forum and specialists from IA?
If I recall correctly, that was one of her own ideas. What happened to this?
Nothing again? Shame on you.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

Hasn’t there been a promise from Lynn to establish a regular exchange between the forum and specialists from IA?
If I recall correctly, that was one of her own ideas. What happened to this?
Nothing again? Shame on you.

The initial engagement was high after “the letter,” the start of AMA and the first 2 podcasts. I agree it’s disappointing since then, but my GUESS is they have some important steps ahead and we’re just in the quiet period before announcements. Fusilier plans, ODB2 access, service network plan - just my guesses and/or delusional fantasies. Maybe @Stu_Barnes and @Krabby know something but are under “press embargo” non-disclosure restrictions. Let’s see where things go this year - other than WWIII I mean, which seems to be well on its way.

 

[Sammyd]

At the time I had just over 27k mikes…no issues after replacement and I’m around 88k now

Is the replacement boot any different than the original oem one ?
You’ve put on over 60k miles on the new one alone. How is that lasting significantly longer than the original?

 

[Commodore]

Hasn’t there been a promise from Lynn to establish a regular exchange between the forum and specialists from IA?
If I recall correctly, that was one of her own ideas. What happened to this?
Nothing again? Shame on you.

She got asked hard questions she didn’t want to answer so she took her ball as ran home.

I love my Grenadier but the company’s total un willingness to address the front driveshaft will become a criminal issue when someone get injured because it failed at 80 mph. They know it’s a problem and have chosen to stick their head in the ground.

 

[Zimm]

They aren’t in the OEM parts design business and there isn’t a cv off the shelf that can fix this. I don’t know that their heads in the sand, I just think they are in a jam. The fix is a redesigned front axle and linkage with a new driveshaft, and a recall and 15k loss for every car sold isn’t in the budget.

 

[Stealthn]

You missed the ability for the customer to reset the service warnings…I would really like to pull ODB info from my truck.

 

[C-Mack]

There is basically no chance in hell of a fix for the front driveshaft issue coming from IA voluntarily. It would literally take someone dying (in their best selling market) as a result of a failure along with a government enforced recall or stop sell to scare IA into action. The irony is their willingness to remain quiet on the issue, slowly but surely, is getting out ahead of the brand and will lose them sales and ultimately the loyalty of those who have already purchased a vehicle.

For now, there seems to be just enough buyers, who are not aware of the issue, willing to purchasing vehicles creating enough momentum so-to-speak to keep IA viable. Either the broader financial issues of Ineos Corporate will force a sale of the automotive division or lack of fixing issues will hurt their reputation and curtail sales. Curious to see which gets them first and as an owner, I don’t want to see either happen but it’s up to IA to sort it out.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

There is basically no chance in hell of a fix for the front driveshaft issue coming from IA voluntarily. It would literally take someone dying (in their best selling market) as a result of a failure along with a government enforced recall or stop sell to scare IA into action. The irony is their willingness to remain quiet on the issue, slowly but surely, is getting out ahead of the brand and will lose them sales and ultimately the loyalty of those who have already purchased a vehicle.

For now, there seems to be just enough buyers, who are not aware of the issue, willing to purchasing vehicles creating enough momentum so-to-speak to keep IA viable. Either the broader financial issues of Ineos Corporate will force a sale of the automotive division or lack of fixing issues will hurt their reputation and curtail sales. Curious to see which gets them first and as an owner, I don’t want to see either happen but it’s up to IA to sort it out.

Which automotive manufacturer will buy the grenadier IP? They would be signing up to the driveshaft liabilities.

 

[C-Mack]

Which automotive manufacturer will buy the grenadier IP? They would be signing up to the driveshaft liabilities.

Good point and that might be the only “real” reason for IA to address the issue is to clean up the liabilities in order to secure a sale. Somehow though, I think they’d just lower the selling price of the business to offset the liabilities.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

What are people’s thoughts on the van outfitters and grenadier aftermarket people all confidently promoting this as a minor issue with only trivial maintenance cost implications?

They have a legit view point? Zero sense of CYA (cover your ass) from those people