those $%^$$ drop links!

hwyaden · Post by **hwyaden** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:27 pm

i finally managed to change the front ones myself. they were a complete mare to remove and after an afternoon of cursing, bruised arms, bruised elbows etc i cadged an angle grinder off a neighbour and cut the damn things off.
i popped the new ones on and everything has been wonderful for the past 3 days, but this morning the old rattle was back and worse than ever! what on earth have i done wrong????

Post by **Muzorewa** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:30 pm

It's normal to renew the anti-roll bar bushes at the same time otherwise you might just be transferring the problem further down the line. Easy enough to do while you've got the thing in the air

Driver+Passengers · Post by **Driver+Passengers** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:35 pm

The "old rattle", or a "new rattle"...?

ARB bushes are a commonly replaced item. You can do it with the bar in place, just take both brackets off, replace the rubbers and bolt both brackets back on again.

You can't torque the front drop links without taking into account the additional friction due to lock nuts or deformed/oval nuts... also, good to clean up the mating "faces" before re-assembly. It might be you just need to nip up the nuts on the links you just fitted.

hwyaden · Post by **hwyaden** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:41 pm

i have no idea what that last post meant, sorry! i just stuck 'em on and tightened them up

i'll get some bushes and see if that does the trick, thanks

mikeWalsall · Post by **mikeWalsall** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 3:07 pm

Don't now if you did .. but when tightening suspension components it shoud be done with the weight of the vehicle on them .. ie: not with the wheels suspended in the air .. but when the wheels are 'planted' on the ground (or ramps)..

hwyaden · Post by **hwyaden** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 4:17 pm

ooooh i didn't know that! i've just tightened them up (not on the ground unfortunatley) and one of them was pretty loose (the one i put on when my neighbour came to 'supervise' and i did it in a rush). no clonking yet but i'll tighten them on the ground to make sure and if it starts knocking again i'll try changing the bushes.
btw - are the front and rear bushes different? i have a back pair but not front ones.

Partick Monkey · Post by **Partick Monkey** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 5:21 pm

What is it that actually makes the clunking noise? What is loose?
I've had my Bongo 1 year now and it's always had a clunk when going over slightly bumpy roads. In the 12 months we've had the van I've had the front drop links changed twice and it still clunks on bumpy roads!
Whats the problem and is it dangerous?

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 5:22 pm

hwyaden wrote:ooooh i didn't know that! i've just tightened them up (not on the ground unfortunatley) and one of them was pretty loose (the one i put on when my neighbour came to 'supervise' and i did it in a rush). no clonking yet but i'll tighten them on the ground to make sure and if it starts knocking again i'll try changing the bushes.
btw - are the front and rear bushes different? i have a back pair but not front ones.

I think front and back are the same. You can cheat and sleeve worn bushes with bicycle inner tube. I did that and it worked a treat and has done for 7 years now

hwyaden · Post by **hwyaden** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 5:35 pm

great, i'll try changing the bushes too then. i don't think it's anything dangerous, just annoying. it's a knocking noise when i'm driving. it'll go fine then i'll go over a pothole and it'll start knocking for a while then stop again until the next pothole.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 6:34 pm

hwyaden wrote:great, i'll try changing the bushes too then. i don't think it's anything dangerous, just annoying. it's a knocking noise when i'm driving. it'll go fine then i'll go over a pothole and it'll start knocking for a while then stop again until the next pothole.

Ideally, put new brackets on too as they tend to give out from having to compress new bushes. And be prepared for more stiff nuts(!) though access is easier

hwyaden · Post by **hwyaden** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:43 pm

thanks

stuc · Post by **stuc** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 2:08 pm

Front and rear arb bushes are different, the fronts are bigger. Just done both mine yesterday and front and rear drop links. Brackets are usually ok as long as they are not too badly corroded. Do not over tighten as you will snap the bolts. I found that out the hard way on my last bongo, it is a right pain to drill out the snapped stud to fit a new one in.
Like a new car now

hwyaden · Post by **hwyaden** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:32 pm

thanks - will get some new ones for the front then

Northern Bongolow · Post by **Northern Bongolow** » Tue Jun 17, 2014 10:08 pm

Partick Monkey wrote:What is it that actually makes the clunking noise? What is loose?
I've had my Bongo 1 year now and it's always had a clunk when going over slightly bumpy roads. In the 12 months we've had the van I've had the front drop links changed twice and it still clunks on bumpy roads!
Whats the problem and is it dangerous?

it maybe the bottom ball joint, this make a real thump when it starts to go, or the rubber bushes at the end on the wishbone.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mazda ... B600%3B400

hwyaden · Post by **hwyaden** » Fri Jun 20, 2014 7:09 pm

all knocking gone for now (touch wood).

those $%^$$ drop links!

those $%^$$ drop links!

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