What is it with drop links needing replacing constantly?!

[Kitegirl]

I've had my Bongo 5 years (I think) and am now looking to replace the drop links for the 3rd time... I always replace the bushes and brackets at the same time.. Last time was around the same time last year, shortly before heading off to Brittany..

I've tended to buy cheaper replacements, but now wondering whether

A) I should buy more expensive ones and if so £83 per pair ones from imaynards' or 'heavy duty' Meyle ones from ebay at £45 per pair...

B) Might the problem be wishbones?! I'm wondering if this might be an underlying issue, and should my mechanic be able to tell? What would be the symptoms of broken/worn wishbones?!

I'd never heard of droplinks before owning a Bongo, but mine seem to last a few months before the knocking's back.. gradually getting worse as the weeks go by until, like now, the poor love sounds like a bag of spanners whenever it hits uneven surface.

What should I ask the mechanic to look for, to see what needs replacing? There are no dedicated or knowledgeable Bongo garages for miles around, and I have a trusted garage at the top of my street. I went from Hull to Huddersfield last year, cost a packet in fuel, and still not sure I got to the bottom of the drop link issue... although he did tell me I didn't need a new handbrake shoe, which was a bonus!

Any ideas from you techies most appreciated.

Dee

[Kitegirl]

Oh, and I think there may be uneven wear on the tyres, if that makes any difference to the problem...

[missfixit70]

Sounds like you may need tracking & balancing first, then look at maybe getting the nore expensive droplinks. I am now on the Blueprint ones supplied by Ian, after the last 3 years of the cheaper ones not lasting more than 10 months before going, main issue I think being the rubber going, allowing crap into the joint. Some people have got away with cheaper ones for years with no issues, bit of a large thread here detailing some of the "research" done - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... t=droplink - may help you decide (or help you sleepm )
I guess it could be to do with things like spring & shock absorbers, wishbone bushes being a bit worn after all these years & therefore the droplinks having to work a bit harder? Could also be to do with tyre sizes/pressures, speed bumps, state of roads, etc, but i think the main issue is the quality of the droplinks in the first place.

[Northern Bongolow]

nuff said .

[Kitegirl]

Thanks Missy, after a long day at work all I needed was 8 pages of techie talk!!!

Couldn't really make out what the end result was of that thread, whether there was one definitive part that everyone bought or not... Seems like everyone has different ideas, some going with cheap and being stung after a few months (like me), some going cheap and still going strong years later, and some opting for 'Ian's'...

Well I've just ordered the Meyle ones, with 4 years warranty... will get the tracking & balancing done asap as getting 2 new tyres too...

And yes, the road surface here is shocking, pot holes & speedbumps galore.. I'm pretty sure that's a lot to do with it.

Cheers people

[missfixit70]

As with most things techie, there is no "definative" answer I got fed up with the yearly replacements & have gone with the BP ones in the hope that they last even half the time of the originals, ie 5 years +. Not heard of or seen the Meyle ones, but 4 years guarantee is probably a good sign if the supplier's still around in 4 years & depending what the terms of the guarantee are.
Try the stretch test on them to see if the rubber is being stretched too much, usually a good indicator.