Jam2 rear linkage snapped

[Paul Croydon]

Hi I have got an jam2 factory spec 2018 emtb and the linkage for the rear triangle has snapped for the second time in 12 months has anyone else had this problem

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

Don't think @Zimmerframe would experience this, he usually breaks well before the bike does!

 

[steve_sordy]

Obvious manufacturing defect. The crack goes right through the weld. Sadly, out of warranty. So, it's either a new rear triangle, or you get that bit rewelded (yes it can be done!).
Now I've said it can be done, that is based upon seeing on here that an alloy frame has been repaired by welding. Let the "search" function be your guide.

 

[Paul Croydon]

Obvious manufacturing defect. The crack goes right through the weld. Sadly, out of warranty. So, it's either a new rear triangle, or you get that bit rewelded (yes it can be done!).
Now I've said it can be done, that is based upon seeing on here that an alloy frame has been repaired by welding. Let the "search" function be your guide.

I've looked into it and the frame carries a 10 Yr warranty but it is being contested at the minute by the manufacturer, however my consumer rights will kick in and I will get it sorted, my concern now is that it's happened twice within 12 months and without any reason as the bike is only used for xc and trails

 

[RustyMTB]

What are Focus saying to you?

 

[Paul Croydon]

What are Focus saying to you?

They are not dealing with me directly because I have to go through the bike shop where I bought it from

 

[RustyMTB]

OK... what are Focus saying to your dealer? You said They're contesting the claim. On what grounds?

 

[Paul Croydon]

OK... what are Focus saying to your dealer? You said They're contesting the claim. On what grounds?

I'm not completely sure as yet but I have been back to the dealer today and said that I will give them a week and if nothing is happening I will escalate it up to legal action

 

[steve_sordy]

A ten-year frame guarantee is good.
Not sure how they are going to wriggle out of that, especially if the rest of the bike shows no damage.

 

[RustyMTB]

A ten-year frame guarantee is good.
Not sure how they are going to wriggle out of that, especially if the rest of the bike shows no damage.

Because, if you read the T&C's there are caveats...which is why I asked. I'm trying to gauge Focus' attitude to warranty claims.

 

[Paul Croydon]

I'm not completely sure as yet but I have been back to the dealer today and said that I will give them a week and if nothing is happening I will escalate it up to legal action

More importantly I want some reassuring that if it happens again that they are going to accept back as not fit for purpose

 

[steve_sordy]

Apart from a bit of pig-headedness (see later), I have no complaints about Focus's the attitude to warranty claims.

I had a claim on Focus for a faulty charger. Other Focus owners across the globe were having the same problem. After a week of tests, the bike shop agreed that it was the charger and not the battery. Focus disagreed and without testing the battery/charger combo, they sent a new battery and told the LBS to swap it. The LBS did so, but were so convinced that it was the charger that they also gave me a different model of charger (which did not exhibit any of the problems discovered). Unfortunately, they took the faulty charger so I had no chance to confirm one way or the other.

Focus could have solved the problem with a £60 charger, instead they solved it with a £600 battery +fitting costs. During fitting the LBS trapped a wire that stopped the bike dead a week later, so they also copped for a warranty claim on that as well. Because the LBS gave me a charger and I had no further problems, Focus believe they were correct to change the battery.

 

[Paul Croydon]

Apart from a bit of pig-headedness (see later), I have no complaints about Focus's the attitude to warranty claims.

I had a claim on Focus for a faulty charger. Other Focus owners across the globe were having the same problem. After a week of tests, the bike shop agreed that it was the charger and not the battery. Focus disagreed and without testing the battery/charger combo, they sent a new battery and told the LBS to swap it. The LBS did so, but were so convinced that it was the charger that they also gave me a different model of charger (which did not exhibit any of the problems discovered). Unfortunately, they took the faulty charger so I had no chance to confirm one way or the other.

Focus could have solved the problem with a £60 charger, instead they solved it with a £600 battery +fitting costs. During fitting the LBS trapped a wire that stopped the bike dead a week later, so they also copped for a warranty claim on that as well. Because the LBS gave me a charger and I had no further problems, Focus believe they were correct to change the battery.

Tbh I've had a lot of issues with the bike since I bought it but mainly the rear wheel and free hub, so my dealer said that I needed to upgrade my back wheel because the free hub kept failing. To cut the long story short the free hub problem was that during the first repair they left a spacer out causing the bearings to keep failing which I eventually found and resolved myself

 

[steve_sordy]

Tbh I've had a lot of issues with the bike since I bought it but mainly the rear wheel and free hub, so my dealer said that I needed to upgrade my back wheel because the free hub kept failing. To cut the long story short the free hub problem was that during the first repair they left a spacer out causing the bearings to keep failing which I eventually found and resolved myself

That problem is not the fault of Focus but that of your LBS.
I never had a problem with my hubs, front or rear. I don't count changing the bearings after a year as a "fault".

 

[Mikerb]

It would be surprising for that weld to crack due to inline leverage from the chainstays, even more surprising for it to happen twice.
It looks more likely to be due to some lateral pressure on that arm, and based on the rectangular profile of the arm it is not designed to be strong in that direction.
So have you removed the rear wheel and shock, and checked the bottom pivot of that arm for play or seizure?? If you have had a previous identical failure it points to something else rather than the component being faulty and creating a force on that arm in a direction it is not designed to withstand. Check also that everything involved in the rear triangle linkage looks symmetrical. Assuming you get the replacement part you need to find out the root cause of these failures.

 

[Paul Croydon]

It would be surprising for that weld to crack due to inline leverage from the chainstays, even more surprising for it to happen twice.
It looks more likely to be due to some lateral pressure on that arm, and based on the rectangular profile of the arm it is not designed to be strong in that direction.
So have you removed the rear wheel and shock, and checked the bottom pivot of that arm for play or seizure?? If you have had a previous identical failure it points to something else rather than the component being faulty and creating a force on that arm in a direction it is not designed to withstand. Check also that everything involved in the rear triangle linkage looks symmetrical. Assuming you get the replacement part you need to find out the root cause of these failures.

I agree but that should be investigated by the dealer when rebuilding

 

[Mikerb]

I agree but that should be investigated by the dealer when rebuilding

agree but I would want to check it first....otherwise how do you know the LBS will do anything more than replace it? I do not have the trust in any LBS mechanic that you clearly have!!

 

[steve_sordy]

agree but I would want to check it first....otherwise how do you know the LBS will do anything more than replace it? I do not have the trust in any LBS mechanic that you clearly have!!

I fell for this when I bought my Focus Jam2. I spent quite a long time with the mechanic. He was in his late 50's, a biker himself, wiry and fit, intelligent in his conversation, seemed to know his stuff, talked a convincing story. I had confidence in him. But the first big drop I did, the bar went one way and the wheel went another. I went down hard and didn't want to move for quite a while. Yes, I know I should have checked and torqued all the bolts myself. But I didn't and learned my lesson all over again.

 

[Paul Croydon]

agree but I would want to check it first....otherwise how do you know the LBS will do anything more than replace it? I do not have the trust in any LBS mechanic that you clearly have!!

It's not that I have trust in them but more a necessity to maintain any warranty