Is there a 'how to' or wiki anywhere on this? I've got a front end clunk that has been diagnosed as front drop links.

Interested in doing the job myself unless it requires a lift etc.

Cheers,

Ben

Drop link goes from the strut to the anti-roll-bar




Easy job but you will need to remove the wheels to allow access

[]

I just put mine on off-road setting and turned the wheel on full lock as I did each side - no need to remove the wheel - literally took me 10 mins to change..... Stolen / Gone: 2006MY Supercharged LPG Autobiography - Zambezi Silver with Sand/Jet/Jet Oxford Leather.....

Something interesting happened the other day when I removed one of my drop links to check for wear in the ball joints and found I had to put the suspension into fullheight setting otherwise the bottom joint was under tension. In other words the nut could be undone but couldnt remove the threaded portion unless the car was in off road setting. The same when replacing (having ordered 2 new ones in the meantime!).
Now surely the ARB should be under no rotational force unless one wheel is higher than the other? This was with the car sitting on the flat and all wheels on the ground and visibly at least the corner heights are all level.
So why would the ARB be under torsional force??! Any ideas anyone?
T

^^ i suppose that if one of the wheels was even slightly higher than the other then there would be some tortional stress on the roll bar. So the suspension calibration would have to be dead on and the floor dead level to have the roll bar under equal torsion on both wheels.

I think. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
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2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial

Very easy job to do, even for DIY beginners. Just remember to take careful note of the position of the specially hardened washers mate. The reason women's minds are cleaner than a mans mind is that women change their minds more often!
When women say fine a mans in deep doodoo as fine has so many meanings.

Sorry I wasnt asking how I was asking about the apparent preload on the bar. On any other car I have done the ARB has been in a neutral position regardless of load as long as the wheels are level. I think maybe northern monkey is right in that although it looked level it wasnt.

Whether you take the wheels off or not, you need an 18mm longish socket & breaker bar/ratchet and an open ended 18mm spanner.

The open ended spanner fits onto a flat on the "blind" side of the ball joints enabling you to undo the nuts on the splines. More important to hold the position of the splines/ball joints when doing up the new one.

Make sure the special hardened washers goes back in the same place.

As stated above, one or both sides may be under some load on the ARB, use a long bar or length of wood to lever the ARB either up or down to release the splines from the fixing holes.

This is all easier to get at with the wheels off, jack up correctly and get an axle stand under the subframe! .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
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Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Am I going mental here? Maybe I have been working too hard.

ambulancekidd wrote:

Very easy job to do, even for DIY beginners. Just remember to take careful note of the position of the specially hardened washers mate.

The same place as they were before you took them off!

(Yes, I fell for it!) .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Thanks Joe, as my memory isn't what it used to be do you remember, nut or bolt side of the drop link? Now if I could just remember where I abandoned the car. Ed 0-60 takes 5 and a half seconds...and about 17 gallons of fuel....

Current fleet
2005 RR td6
1997 300 Discovery
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1981 2.5 Opel Commodore

Im doing mine today. I believe washers are bolt side not the nut side.  Present :2008 TDV8 HSE
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Last edited by Googsy on 15th Jun 2013 9:49am. Edited 1 time in total

The hardened washer goes on the ball joint side (you are normally helped by the markings left on the washer which show the "flats" on the bolt). There is only one washer (?), for the top joint on the front drop links.

So, in order

Drop link ball joint
^
Washer
^
Strut mounting point
^
Nut .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

If it hasn't be said, buy genuine, fit once and forget (well for a few years)