broken rear mudguard brackets

[Paul M]

Hi All

Don't normally ask fixing advice but lockdown means getting hands dirty, and not in that way.

Have been really using the Nomad on the farm last few weeks but the brackets holding the rear mudguard keep breaking, and in different places. I suspect that my weld repairs are not the best but also that once one breaks, it puts pressure on the others so I'm now getting into a vicious circle where 3 out of 4 have now broken in the last 4 weeks.

Wondering whether best to cut my losses and ask Crewkerne to send me a set of 4 new ones anyway but would appreciate any thoughts / advice. If it helps, I've had the Nomad a year now and probably 500 of it's 1500 miles have been off-road on bumpy farm tracks.

Hope you're all well
Paul

[John Scherrer]

Not had the pleasure of Nomad ownership myself, but I think I'd contact Henry at the factory and ask his advice.

I'd bet that he's had more than his fair share of broken brackets and will know of a fix and maybe have experience of how to strengthen them.

I suspect that, like the wishbones, they are designed to be 'just' strong enough, so that in the event of a bump, they break and protect the more expensive parts.

Final advice : Stop using it to plough the fields

[Karl V]

I had 2 new 'Rear mudguard stays' at the car's 4,500 mile service. This is when I swapped to Fox suspension - so before I took it down BOATs and tracks.

Not sure if we are talking the same bracket here Paul (I don't have the car at the moment to be able to take pictures), but essentially the mudguard stayed above the wheel - I.e. it didn't 'collapse' - but it moved in an arc forwards and backwards above the wheel.

Theory at the time was that the extra weight of the mudflaps may have been the culprit (?). To be fair, they've all been OK over the last 6,000 miles - even with mud flappage.

[Paul M]

Thanks Guys,

There are two brackets on each rear wheel and both have broken at different times so the mudguard didn't collapse as such. The broken stay did knock against the hub just at the right point to cause a brake fluid leak however. Luckily we spotted this and a bolt just needed tightening.

Appreciate the just strong enough advice, similar to if you don't ever break your car you're not going fast enough. I suspect that finding a fix will just expose the next weakest link in the chain. I've contacted Crewkerne as well.

Will explore weight of mud under guards also.

Paul

[Karl V]

Was it this that broke by any chance? My new project after a wee run this morning.

image.png (2.18 MiB) Viewed 1537 times

Looks like one of my mudguard support struts is on it's way out too.

image.png (2.11 MiB) Viewed 1537 times

#Lockdownwascheaper