Torsion_Broke.jpg
While I have absolutely no doubt that a scratch could, and probably will create a stress riser that will eventually cause a failure, close inspection of the actual break of the failed passengers side bar from 3880 shows that these things apparently are tougher than one might think. Check the picture out. This bar has had a DEEP crack in it for quite a while before it finally failed. This thing was stored for 15 years in a shop bay. It hadn't seen a drop of water in 15 years. Yet the picture clearly shows that it had been cracked about 1/4 of the way through for quite some time. You can plainly see rust in the initial fracture. That crack had to have been that way for quite a while for rust to develop in there. I opened and closed that door many time before it finally snapped, and it had to have been already cracked about 1/4 of the way through the whole time. I was really a bit shocked by that. Note the center of rotation when it sheered... about 1/3 of the way in on the opposite side of the rusted fracture. Makes perfect sense. At any rate, the replacement (and the drivers side original) got 3/8" plastic wire loom over their entire length to prevent any scratching in the future. Just thought you guys might find this interesting.