Wanna see my 6/7 month old front droplinks

[You've Been Bongod]

i run on 18" wheels 245/40/18
BUT where i live the surrounding street which i go up 4 times a day has quite a few 6" deep pot holes which i crawl over , i have done around 6,000 miles on these droplinks which isnt a lot really

[Trouble at t'Mill]

Thanks, Helen - that's a good idea.

Worth a try - I'm fairly 'au fait' with mechanics having had a number of old 'classics' which needed constant attention...

Many thanks.

[missfixit70]

Hi
Trouble at t'Mill.
I found the best way to check was for Tony to grab a drop link (keeping well out of the way), and for me to rock the Bongo until it clonked....you can feel the knocking anywhere along the rollbar assy. and roughly gauge where the sound feels as though it's coming from. Are you any good at "feeling' a noise?
Cheers
Helen

Pretty much the same here, get someone to rock it side to side, you should hear it clonking, but it's very hard to pinpoint unless by feel, usual H&S disclaimers apply

[bigdaddycain]

I'm feeling a bit left out here,so have decided to bite the bullet and say "i've never had to replace my droplinks"!... there.... that should break em!

[mikeonb4c]

...thing is, the job is so quick and relatively inexpensive once you've manage to undo the nuts during the original replacement, that it don't fuss me much (I fitted Vectra front droplinks @ £20 or so a pair and v. quick to fit)

[bigdaddycain]

Yours still going strong mike?

[You've Been Bongod]

i am goin to give betty bongo a nice christmas prezzie tommorrow

i am goin to change her worn out drop links YES ON CHRISTMAS DAY

[mikeonb4c]

Yours still going strong mike?

Yup, including the Dandywarhol inner bike tube method of sleeving the antiroll bar bushes. Only been on 9 months mind but I've done a few thousand miles and on 17" wheels which are probably harder than std 15" on the suspension. But so far, all is good

[cheffy34]

The vectra ones stand the test of time then mike i know what i'll be doing next time if these new ones don't last

Dar

[mikeonb4c]

The vectra ones stand the test of time then mike i know what i'll be doing next time if these new ones don't last

Dar

They seem to, and for what they cost and time to fit it's certainly worth a punt if your local motor factors can supply them at a reasonable price.

[Bongoplod]

Forgive my ignorance gang,i can only change a battery,but,are drop link bushes the same thing as anti roll bar bushes?

Brian

[francophile1947]

Forgive my ignorance gang,i can only change a battery,but,are drop link bushes the same thing as anti roll bar bushes?

Brian

No - but I've had a bit too much dinky doos to explain the difference

[mikeonb4c]

Forgive my ignorance gang,i can only change a battery,but,are drop link bushes the same thing as anti roll bar bushes?

Brian

I'll help old Franco out then Brian.

Droplinks are rods with connectors at either end. They connect the end of the antiroll bar to the wheel hub, allowing for any necessary rotational movement. The antiroll bar itself has to be held in place and on the Bongo this is done with 2 x u-shape clamps at roughly 1/3 and 2/3 positions along the bar. These clamps have rubber bushes that hold the bar firmly whilst absorbing shock movements and allowing the bar to do the small bit of limited rotation it might make when the suspension dips.

I think that is how it all goes but no doubt I'l be corrected if I've got that wrong.

Changing your own links and bushes is simple and satisfying PROVIDED you don't have trouble undoing nuts that have rusted into place over many years. With a six sided socket (not a star one) to give good purchase, and an extension bar to attach to it, I had no problems.

[bigdaddycain]

The vectra ones stand the test of time then mike i know what i'll be doing next time if these new ones don't last

Dar

They seem to, and for what they cost and time to fit it's certainly worth a punt if your local motor factors can supply them at a reasonable price.

Probably the best part of a vectra.... I suppose they have to come in handy for summat...

[bigdaddycain]

Forgive my ignorance gang,i can only change a battery,but,are drop link bushes the same thing as anti roll bar bushes?

Brian

I'll help old Franco out then Brian.

Droplinks are rods with connectors at either end. They connect the end of the antiroll bar to the wheel hub, allowing for any necessary rotational movement. The antiroll bar itself has to be held in place and on the Bongo this is done with 2 x u-shape clamps at roughly 1/3 and 2/3 positions along the bar. These clamps have rubber bushes that hold the bar firmly whilst absorbing shock movements and allowing the bar to do the small bit of limited rotation it might make when the suspension dips.

I think that is how it all goes but no doubt I'l be corrected if I've got that wrong.

Changing your own links and bushes is simple and satisfying PROVIDED you don't have trouble undoing nuts that have rusted into place over many years. With a six sided socket (not a star one) to give good purchase, and an extension bar to attach to it, I had no problems.

Good explanation michael!