Rear Drop Links

[Steve Medlock]

My car was in yesterday having some gas put in the aircon unit. Although I've never used it, I thought it might be handy to have it working. Anyway they rang me to say that the tracking was a little out and so i gave them the go-ahead to adjust it. Driving around today though it was obvious that the steering wheel hadn't been centred properly and so i took it back to have it done again.

Getting to the point, when up on the lift, they noticed that one of the drop links had come adrift from the end of the roll bar. I think the old ones were held in place by rust but once you've painted your roll bar and fitted new links, there's not really much to retain them in place. Memory tells me that this problem isn't uncommon, but is there a fix? Perhaps worth trying to find a spring nut that size to keep the link on the bar?

Steve.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Changed mine last year, they're still on, nothing but hope holds them in place. Surprising there's no positive locating device, but there's no sideways load on them so no real reason to fall off. No real reason why you couldn't fit some type of star washer, if the right size is out there.

 

[Steve Medlock]

Yes, there's almost no lateral load until the link goes into tension and the roll bar end deflects slightly. Then there is a small lateral component of the reaction to the vertical load. I know i've read about the drop links coming adrift but can't remember where. I'll have a look to see if there's room for a star washer on the end.

 

[Gremlin]

I wouldn't have thought if the rubber is in good condition they would come off. I know when I changed mine they were tight to get off and I had to use W.D 40 to wriggle them off and the new ones were even tighter to get on. You will have to stop cornering so hard lol.

 

[Antm72]

It was a member on here that was struggling to get them to stay on. Not sure on the out come removing the anti roll bar and threading the ends was mentioned in the thread but can not remember how it was resolved.

 

[Steve Medlock]

Not investigated this further just yet. I know i'm not the only one that this has happened to though so as soon as I get a spare moment.........

 

[5harp3y]

Iirc they changed the design of the droplinks to stop them wandering off.

All I know for sure is they are a pain to put on

 

[Dickymint]

I remember doing mine and there was something I did that would have made them come off so I changed what I did but cant remember what I did...... I slept since then but I have a feeling the bracket that holds the drop link could be either the wrong way around or the wrong side as they were slightly different by a few mm.
sorry I cant be more specific but it may spark a thought somewhere

 

[colb]

Star washer would be a quick soloution alternative would be to drill a hole through the bar end and fit a split pin.

 

[t-tony]

Star washer would be a quick soloution alternative would be to drill a hole through the bar end and fit a split pin.

Good luck drilling a hardened anti-roll bar. not saying it's not possible but a pain in the arse definitely. Star washers probably best option .

These go up to 16mm Dia. only

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Star-lock...902012&hash=item25e142270b:g:CacAAOSwal5YKMQ-

Tony.

 

[Nodzed]

Hi.
Usually the reason they slide off is that the rubbers are worn. I had this issue on my 2.8 once new ones are fitted ( and its a pig of a job as the new ones are tight but I found a quick method) no more problem, personally if you are fitting new ones I wouldn't use any kind of oil based lubricant to help them onto the ARB, the lubrication will remain and there's more chance of them coming off again, plus some oils will not do the rubber any good. I used a 9 inch D Clamp to pull them on using the ARB as the leverage, you can just about get one through the spring but its a major pain,TBH its easier as the car is up on stands to just remove the spring out of the way and then its an easy (ish) job.