Bongo Fury

Hi,
I've got a pretty aweful 'clunking' sound coming from underneath the vehicle whenever I go over bumpy ground. I'm pretty sure the cause of this is broken ant-roll bar brackets. First of all, is it easy to get hold of these parts and if so, from where? And secondly, is this a job I could do myself - taking into account that I'm certainly no mechanic! What tools would I need? Can I do it without jacking the car up and using axcle stands?
If however it is a garage job - any ideas on the price?

Thanks,
JTR

Does the sound come from the rear or front? If the rear, could be the brackets and could also be the droplinks. Yes it's easy enough to fix yourself but you need to know what the problem is first. Unless you are very thin, you need to get the back end up on stands. Find the anti-roll bar and trace it through from end to end. Check the 'eyes' of the droplinks for any signs of wear (both sides of the bushing where possible). Also check the brackets that hold the ARB to the chassis for splits and again for wear with the bushes. If all looks ok, turn your attention to the shock absorber bushes, again looking for wear on the bushes. Prices? Under £30 for a pair of droplinks, about £70 for shocks, not sure about the brackets but you may get them from Ian, ebay or Bongobits. Tools - spanners and club hammer. I replaced my droplinks at the weekend - half hour job including having to grind a bolt off.

If the front - similar thing really although a faulty front droplink is a bit harder to identify. I believe Ian has some in stock.

Thanks mate!

Getting my van back from Manchester Campers this weekend so will scramble underneath (I'm pretty thin!!) and take a look.

Cheers,
JTR

Let us know what they did, if you'd be so kind.

What Manchester Campers did?

Well, I'm having the middle conversion done with compressor fridge!

CAnt wait!

JTR

Silly question Veg_Ian but I've never had to grind a nut or a bolt off. How is it done. Use an angle grinder presumably but whats the process. Also how to you then get the right replacement nut and bolt for the one that has been destroyed. (you can tell I havent been to a motor factors in years!).

Also, where's the best place for buying shock absorbers, drop links etc

Your advice would be much appreciated.cos I suspect getting these jobs done sooner than later is good for the car (and reduces hassle with bolts that wont undo) and makes ofr a much quieter ride?

I've got 2 weeks off work coming up and might tackle some of these jobs if I think I can hack it.

Best

Mike
Mike

Jeez Mike, you've got the enthusiasm of a little kid waiting for christmas only this has being going on for months (Only kidding).

First of all, I don't get into the habit of replacing parts unless necessary otherwise running a vehicle like a Bongo gets to be too expensive a hobby.

I replaced my shocks soon after buying the vehicle. Although serviceable as they had just passed an MOT, the casing shrouds were rotten so I knew they didn't have that much life left in them and as it was summer ..... better to change in the dry than winter I thought. When I came to search for replacements, pukka shocks were going for 75 quid each and the cheapest were about 46 I think, advertised on here. I did a bit of research into lengths etc and bought a pair of US sports shocks from Procomp for about £70 for the pair as I've bought from them in the past. I'll hunt out the part numbers and details if you like. Droplinks I usually get from my local factors who stock Pearl Products stuff. For most vehicles they will come in at less than a tenner each. However with the rears I couldn't see an immediate match in their catalogue and as I wanted them quickly I bought a pair off ebay for about £30 delivered.

Grinding bolts off? Yep a 4.5 inch angle grinder. For the places that are difficult to get into, a Dremmel comes into its own. However, the Dremmel is very expensive but MachineMart do their own version for a lot less. Hard slog cutting big bolts with a Dremmel but you get there in the end. Replacing bolts? I usually have something that fits from my huge stock of bolts I've collected over the years from steam fairs and the odd Sunday market (from the odd occassion I get dragged round one by the missus). Alternatively B&Q stock the standard sizes.

If you are going to get into diy mechanicing seriously then get yourself the basic tools and add to your collection over time looking for bargains maybe at carboots or wishlists as presents. A set of decent set of spanners (open and ring), trolley jack and axle stands for starters. Oh and a big jar of swarfega ......

Fantastic Veg_Ian - what a great help that is. And not just for me, but any others using Bongo DIY as a therapy for their midlife crisis (cant tell you what fun it is rediscovering how to work on cars after 30+ years).

So far I have the Swarfega. I've got an old AF socket set, a fe wmetirc sockets and spanners and have bought a torque wrench and axle stands. Somewhere I have a 2 ton hydraulic jack and a grease gun (and maybe even some grease!). I can probably borrow an angle grinder but have never used one!

Must spend some time taking all this expert knowledge and getting it into Ozrics dbase. I cant imagine owning a Bongo without Bongo Fury.

Mike

Well seeing as you how find it so much fun you can come round and fix mine the next time it goes wrong

but any others using Bongo DIY as a therapy for their midlife crisis

You must be strange, most of us drive sports cars or powerful bikes as a result of the midlife crisis not fixing Bongos !!!

Listen mate, I get out of the wifes way (Objective 1 achieved) then I fix the car in peace (she draws the line at crawling underneath the car to shout at me so Objective 2 achieved). I then return to say I've saved £150 quid on garage charges that is now available to spend down the shops (Obective 3 achieved) and that we will be able to take her Dad on holiday with us in the spacious 2 ton indestructible MPV I have bought and serviced into A1 condition (Objective 4) achieved. She still refuses to drive it so I get to (Objective 5 - final objective achieved). I considered fast cars and motor bikes but they just couldnt meet all the key objectives (which as we all know these days is the only criterion by which perfomance is measured).

But I couldnt do it without tips on angle grinders, Swarfega and Shocks

Bwahawhaw I think it's a divorce you're after Mike, not a Bongo.

Someone said (and its true) that you should see marriage as a temple. It needs a roof to keep the rain off and a couple of columns to hold the roof up. But those columns do not have to be right next to each other. Space in between is often the best structure. That about sums it up. Believe it or not, I love my wife. But she just doesnt do Bongos and camping, or most of the stuff I'm into, and I dont do Desperate Housewives (no rude comments PLEASE!!!)

How very true. Sadly I think we can all associate or sympathise with everything you've said there Mike ......

Mike, if you've never used an angle grinder before, wear goggles as eyes are non replacable, gloves, practise on some scrap metal BEFORE attacking your Bongo and be aware of the shower of sparks. The sparks will etch glass with rust, so imagine what it will do to your waxy bottom if directed at it! Shakey.