# hymer leaf spring



## micktheb (Jan 4, 2008)

hi.
not been on 4 a while.
i have a hymer 544, bought new in 2005. i have not many problems with the vehicle till about 5 weeks ago. i was driving from london to the midlands and suddenly the offside started to dip, like a slow puncture, on stopping i found that the offside rear leaf spring had snapped in half directly beloww the u-bolts. i managed to get it to a garage i know in the area and they checked it out. they said that they have never seen a leaf spring snap like that and it looked like a flaw in the metal work. i had no warning the leaf spring was about to fail. it took the garage 2 weeks to source the right part from fiat as it is not a common ducato part. at a cost of £550 plus fitting was not to pleased.
i showed a major hymer dealer in newark but even before they saw the spring denied it was anything to do with them(typicall). i said it was not fit for purpose but they would not do anything. i was worried that it may be a problem with a batch of fiat leaf springs. fiat said it must have been overloaded and did not want to know. i have been motorhoming for 20 years so i would know how to load a motorhome .
i have e-mailed hymer in germany but to date have had no reply.
what do u think.
cheers. 
m.p.brown.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

What bad news!
That seems quite a lot of money, can you check it out with another dealer or Citroen/ Pug? or even a Auto factor?


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## micktheb (Jan 4, 2008)

*re-leaf spring*

tried other companys but as the spring was a few mill thicker than the standard spring i had no choice , time was also a factor as i needed the van.
mick


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Sounds like a faulty spring. You could have it checked but I don't think that would change the attitude from Fiat or Hymer as you are well out of warranty.

I am not trying to be clever but for future reference there are many spring manufacturers who will make leaf and coil springs quite cheaply. Here is one example http://www.rossroadsprings.co.uk/ a small company doing this can be found in most cities. Usually they want an old one for a template. Many will make and fit them. Most of their work tends to be on commercial vehicles but cars and vans are no problem for them. Two years ago our local man made and fitted two front springs to a 7.5 ton MAN for me for £330.00.

Sorry to be clever after the event but maybe this will help others, Alan.


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## micktheb (Jan 4, 2008)

*re-leaf spring*

hi.
thanks for that. will save that link. hopefully i will not need it ha ha .
so far i have not heard of any leaf springs failing on the ducato's,,
my main concern.
wonder what could have happened if it failed at speed , doesn't bear thinking about.
thanks again. mickpb


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## jonandjules (Jun 21, 2009)

Sorry to hear of your trouble but leaf springs can and do break. My first job as a youngster was a diesel fitter and broken rear leaf springs was very common. These were Bedford TK trucks, fitted with multi leaf springs.


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

I agree with the posters who say that springs can be fabricated using the original as a pattern. I even had some made up in India overnight by a seikh engineer. I have a suspiscion he used old railway lines!!
But I am aware of your urgency to have the fault rectified.
I see you have also experienced Fiats usual high standard of customer care!!


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## Angelfire (Aug 27, 2010)

As an ex trucker I can vouch for the fact that leaf springs do sometimes just break, for no apparent reason. It's a pain when it happens that's for sure.

Angelfire/Phil*


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