Bracket for front wheel fairing broken

[Flying again!]

Just flew down to Harlingen Texas (KHRL) for a fund raising weekend at my son's school and found the left side bracket that holds the fairing in place had broken just aft of the Allen bolt. Had to leave it to go to a function so will go out tomorrow and take the fairing off (no way to fix it for the flight back home as far as I can see... Will take it off and put in the luggage area)

Questions:
1. Is this common and what can be done to prevent it happening again?
2. Any problem flying back to Fort Worth area (2.5 hours). with the whell fairing removed and the strut fairing in place?

Thanks!

 

[Bill.Peyton]

I cannot imagine how the front wheel pant would adversely affect the flying characteristic other than speed.
Did you notice any shimmy on landing? The shimmy,is a common issue with the 10 and I would stipulate that it could fatigue the bracket

 

[Aerosport1]

[I found that my nose wheel bracket was cracked also. Mine was not all the way thru but close. I repaired it with the same thickness aluminum and riveted
to the existing bracket. I drilled a stop hole which you can see in the first photo.
I had to shim out the retaining washer the thickness
of the new aluminum. It was an easy repair. I check these brackets all the time because I have heard of other people having the same problems.
See photos