Half beam problems.

[Mechbuilds]

These parts:



They always snap in the end. Does anybody else have this problem? I own 10 half beams in gray and 8 of them are snapped in the other end. 
The red part shown in image snaps in the thinner end. 

It's really frustrating when i'm trying to build a moc that uses these parts.. But the fun thing is, they're already snapped when i start installing them. It's like they snap on their own. 
I had some left from the bucketwheel excavator set that i disassembled. I left the parts in my shelf for +6 months.. When i tried the parts on an axle, i noticed that they were snapped. Then i proceeded to go trough all of the half beams i own and most of them are snapped while not being used. (The split line is visible on the end.)

[doug72]

2 hours ago, Mechbuilds said:

These parts:



They always snap in the end. Does anybody else have this problem? I own 10 half beams in gray and 8 of them are snapped in the other end. 
The red part shown in image snaps in the thinner end. 
 

YES !

I use "Plastic Magic" liquid to repair them, works on most plastics including ABS.
Use a fine tip paint brush to apply to the crack and then squeeze togther for a few seconds.

Aslo works repairing other parts with X holes at the ends.

Edited May 6, 2019 by Doug72

[Pvdb]

Yes.  I have plenty of these broken parts.  It is pretty annoying.  Also annoying are splitting axle hole connectors parts.

[Erik Leppen]

I already have snapped beams 5 x 0.5 with axle hole ends. And this is a relatively new part.

And I even have some snapped axle holes on some old 4x6 and 5x9 bent beams.

Unfortunately, all similarly-designed axle holes have this (those of bushes/connectors, and those at the ends of beams). To be honest, this is one aspect I really dislike about those new 11x11 quarter circle gear racks.

[Lipko]

Strangely I only have a few broken and most of those were bought used. I have many of these half beams both assembled and not assembled.

However, I have much bigger percentage of bushing style surfaces cracked (about half of the older ones are cracked). It's especially annoying on parts with bright colors.

[Mechbuilds]

I wonder if lego could engineer a different profile to it to enhance durability.. Say.. The slot in the 0.5 bushing's side. I wonder if that slot could be used in a half beam to enhance the structural integrity. 

[Davidz90]

Yes, they tend to break all the time, even when not stressed at all. It seems that better structural solution is there arleady - I've never had issues with the shortest half beams (with two x holes).

Edited May 6, 2019 by Davidz90

[zoo]

Was it always like this? I don't remember having this trouble back in the early 90s myself.

[mahjqa]

I can't recall this ever happening to me. Y'all treating them right? Temperature fluctuations and mechanical stress don't go well together.

[Mechbuilds]

5 minutes ago, mahjqa said:

I can't recall this ever happening to me. Y'all treating them right? Temperature fluctuations and mechanical stress don't go well together.

For me, they were built on the bucket wheel excavator as guard rail pieces. (decorative) So they were not under any stress at all. They were solid. I disassembled them and put them on storage, (drawer storage box thing) next to my computer. Temperature constantly at 20-22 celcius. They were not used at all because i was more focused on larger mocs.. Now i needed them for the first time after the BWE, and put them as wheel hub pieces, most of them were broken on their own. It's like there was a mould line seam or something that broke. 
They only break from one side i think. (The side with the injection moulding mark.)

Edited May 6, 2019 by Mechbuilds

[Pvdb]

1 hour ago, Davidz90 said:

Yes, they tend to break all the time, even when not stressed at all. It seems that better structural solution is there arleady - I've never had issues with the shortest half beams (with two x holes).

Correct.  These ones NEVER seem to break for me

[Johnny1360]

I guess I have just been lucky, so far, I have hundreds not a single damaged one. I did pick up some random used Technic parts recently and several of the bushes were cracked though, old style. 

[designer-han]

Same here, I can not recall I had ever snapping these parts.... only bushes and the long-pin-with-stop-bushes do snap after a while.

[1gor]

1 hour ago, zoo said:

Was it always like this? I don't remember having this trouble back in the early 90s myself.

That crossed my mind several times in past 10 years. As @Davidz90 said only shortest 2 do not tend to brake, but in my experience sometimes they are "worn out"

[MxWinters]

No I cant say I've ever had any issues with any half beams. I guess your putting to much stress on them. They are only plastic and not metal so they can't handle huge amount of force.

These parts below I've broken a few times on my old 4x4 truck, but that was due to bad engineering on my part by having the entire weight of the truck on just 8 of these.

[pleegwat]

I think the only parts I've broken a significant amount of are half bushes and the old 'flex' cords.

[Pvdb]

If putting an axle through a part that is designed to have an axle put through it is "too much stress" then my bad.   I accept that age can play a part, but some of these new parts break far too easily in my view. 

2 hours ago, zoo said:

Was it always like this? I don't remember having this trouble back in the early 90s myself.

I guess if you still have some parts from the 90's like I probably do, they are bound to start getting a bit brittle by now.  Perhaps that is the problem.  We have been playing with our Lego for too long?

Edited May 6, 2019 by Pvdb
Clarification

[MxWinters]

By "too much stress", I mean applying forces onto the axle hole in directions to subjects the plastic to more stress than what I is designed to handle. See pic:
 

[allanp]

My experience has been much the same as most others. I've had a few 3M and 4M half beams crack, but not one 2M or 5M. I notice it most when dismantling sets that have been left assembled for a long time. Just having an axle through it places it under some stress, or there would be no friction. Some crack, some don't. Maybe it's to do with how separate flows of plastic meet in the mould?

[TechnicRCRacer]

13 hours ago, Lipko said:

Strangely I only have a few broken and most of those were bought used

Same for me, I have tons and only one is broken (the L shaped one in old light gray).

[Mechbuilds]

I have a 4x4 crawler that uses these half beams to hold the wheel hubs to the axle.. I guess i need to set an order for a bunch of these half beams if i tend to keep this moc for a longer time. 

[Lakop]

I know those parts well. Yes they always break but after all these years I think the trick is to pinch the end with your fingers as you put the axle through. I've done that recently with the 5 long half beams and they seem to not break (so far). I think storage conditions and age also play a part. I was considering repairing some as mentioned above with some glue but I will see.

H