22 replies to this topic

[bobbyjimmy]

Had a set of the Whiteline KTA124 arms (Liberty specific parts) installed for between 14 - 16 months, loved the adjustment and ability to get a wheel alignment right, and recommended them to friends and on forums.

2 days ago the car was up on a hoist getting checked over and the mechanic points in amazement at the left hand, front of the rear Lateral Link (which adjusts Toe), this is what we found;







I have another picture of it still on the car (it's on a different computer, and will upload it later today or tonight), as it couldn't be changed - back to the stock arm, as I don't carry a spare Lateral Link in the car...

The car has never been ran up a gutter or been involved in a rear ender.

I sent the (still to be uploaded here) picture of the arm still on the car to Whiteline - I admit it's not the best or clearest picture, I was using a phone, but you could still see where the arm had separated.
Whiteline got back to me saying (quote from email);

Hi,

As these are looking older and you said you bought them well over a year ago they are out of warranty.
I can also see allot of other performance bits on the car so I gather it gets some kind of hard work !.

We helped out with free bushes but we are unable to send out free arms as we do not have separate pieces they are made in kit form.

The photo does not show the crack maybe you can get it welded or it is a matter of buying new arms.

They look older as they where covered in grease/road grime as it's a daily driver (100km a day), and just like their sway bar bushes, the Lateral Link bushes squeak too.

The car has Whiteline swaybars, Whiteline ALK, Whiteline R.C.K (gee what a great thing they are, 4 sets I needed and they flogged out the knuckles on both sides...), Tein Flex coilovers, and these Lateral Links.

The "free bushes" he's talking about where to replace the Lateral Link bushes as no amount of grease would shut them up.

The car has never seen a track in it's life and rarely gets "beaten on", it is afterall an Outback.
And as I told him, the hardest work it gets is driving up a driveway or putting the dog in the back.

After pulling the arm off the car, I do not feel confident in getting it welded up.
They want to gouge me $524 (plus postage!!) for a new set of arms.



Summing up, if you have these make sure you check them - and if you have a R.C.K, check them too - and if you have a A.L.K on a newer STi, check them too - if you've got Whiteline Sway Bar Links, check them too.



C/N's - Lateral Link broke, Whiteline say GTFO.


UPDATE - After having a chat with Andy Nolan at Whiteline, he's sending out a new kit and i'll be sending back the old kit for them to find out what happened.

[Alex]

Wow.

I'm sorry to read about your poor experiences with Whiteline.

One would have expected them to come to the party in regards to repairing this.

Ever since their manufacturing has gone off shore, their already questionable quality has now gone well and truly down the toilet.

Perhaps if this went viral to all the other car forums, and dent their business, perhaps they'll take more notice of you?

If you don't mind, I'll post this on RSLC?

[buzzda]

Man that sucks. As Alex said, make some noise. Make them aware that your not gonna bend over and cop it sweet.

[buzzda]

I can also see allot of other performance bits on the car so I gather it gets some kind of hard work !.

That's a joke! Ummm, excuse me mr whiteline but isn't that what your aftermarket "performance" parts are supposed to handle??

[Morgan]

Sorry to hear Luke.
That is less than satisfactory

Definitly scare them by threatening to spraed it through all the forums as that seems to be a massive means of sales.

[CodeBurn3r]

not that i know a shitload about welding but looking at that 2nd image i would expect the break to be uniform, well i mean the whole break to look like the right hand few mm

to me it looks like where it has broken is due to a inconsistency with the metal, like they have done a shit weld and heated the steel too much in that point.

i would go for the argument of it not being of mechantable quality... $524 for a part that should be upto standards for motorsport use and to only have 12 month warranty seems a bit tight.

maybe go down the path of having a qualified metal/welding workshop check and write a report on the part and see what they say when you challenge that their part is not meeting au standards?

[bobbyjimmy]

It's been posted up on 6 different forums now, a few of which Whiteline do "visit".

When he sent me that reply I quoted, as pointed out the "Quality Control" as of late, the next reply was "Buy new arms at $524 or shop around to get the cheaper" - must be a sore point hunh?

If worst comes to worst, i'll take it to an engineer down the road and get a professionals independent opinion.

Everyone at work here I've shown them too (I work at a car dealership...) says what a forking joke.

[Xon]

Could you consider this a safety concern? If so, I'm sure if your engineer friend considered it to be of unsafe quality you'd have some good ammo to go back to whiteline with...

[Alex]

Could you consider this a safety concern?

Surely, someone of your limited mechanical knowledge could acknowledge the fact that this is insanely dangerous. No?

An engineer could not do much but recognise that its an inferior product. Unfortunately, Whiteline aren't coming to the Party nicely.


If we rock a few boats here and there, surely Whiteline would be a little more obliging in terms of preserving their "good" name.

(i use the word "good" loosely)

[alexGT]

"Race or circuit use only. Not designed for street use." whiteline probably use this to cover their arses!

every brand has lemons guys. look at the ferrari 458! it is a shame that whiteline hasn't come to the party, i have had a swaybar issue before and they have jumped at it. do you know who you spoke to at redranger?

[Xon]

Surely, someone of your limited mechanical knowledge could acknowledge the fact that this is insanely dangerous. No?

Thanks for clearing that up.

[fatcat67]

There must be thousands of sets of these arms getting around and this is the first failure I've seen. Sure the bushes squeak sometime but I managed to shut mine up with a shot of Lithium grease.
Point is, shit happens, but luckily nobody is injured.
That looks like a manufacturer problem but best of luck with getting something/anything out of Whiteline.

[bobbyjimmy]

do you know who you spoke to at redranger?

Wayne Bolton, listed as Technical/Customer Service.

Oh, I also left out, when I got the arms they had a part number of "PROTOTYPE".

[bobbyjimmy]

Talked to Andy Nolan at Whiteline, he's sending out a new set of arms and I'm sending back the old ones so they can check them out.

[buzzda]

So you just talked to a different guy and they're gonna replace them

[bobbyjimmy]

So you just talked to a different guy and they're gonna replace them

Basically. It got pushed up to higher management.

The new arms just showed up too, along with another box.
In the box was a T-Shirt, hat and lanyard.

So thanks go out to Andy at Whiteline - good fella!!

[Morgan]

Well done mate. Persistance has paid off

[skillionaire]

Hi,

They know what's up. Good work, thanks for reporting it to us. Perhaps a moderator could change the thread title to reflect the fact Whiteline have come to the party on this one? Seems only fair.

Cheers,
Nik

[bobbyjimmy]

Perhaps a moderator could change the thread title to reflect the fact Whiteline have come to the party on this one? Seems only fair.

I back up this statement.

[buzzda]

I don't think the title should be changed. It's still accurate. The part failed end. Maybe just edit the 1st post to include what they've done. Just because they replaced the part doesn't change the fact that it failed in the 1st place.