Carrying on the theme of useful musings after my bit about jacks and axle stands, it just went through my mind that how i dealt with changing that drop link might be of interest? or maybe not? if so apologies!
As I'd renewed struts, springs, top mounts, etc earlier in the year the top nut came away really easily as It had been undone and reassembled with copa slip at that time. The bottom nut was a completely different proposition. It was heavily corroded and even though I have been coating it with copa slip at each service it looked very "crusty". I find the bottom bolt is often the worse for wear due to being so exposed. I was able to get the Allen key into it's hole in the end of the bolt but there was no possibility it was going to stop the bolt rotating.
Faced with this situation I have two favourite default solutions. First off, the allen key is never going to work, so, give the threads a good wire brushing and soaking in your favourite release oil (I like Plus Gas best although my pal buys PB Blaster which I haven't yet tried. Must get round to that) Then I take my Footprint wrench and grip the narrow metal flange on the ball joint side of the antiroll bar. Socket on the nut and heave! The footprint (or similar design if you like) works much better in this sort of situation than the ubiquitous locking pliers (often generically named after a small burrowing animal which makes an awful mess of ornamental lawns) as it grips tighter the more you heave. You do need to be a little careful of the rubber boot if you are intending to reuse the link, but it's very doable.
If this doesn't work the quickest thing to do is just cut the nut and bolt end off flush with the anti roll bar using an angle grinder. It's very quick but only a solution if you are fitting a new link. If you have to save the link for reuse then before you start, using your angle grinder or even a hacksaw, cut off the threaded portion sticking out of the nut. You don't need it (why do they make that threaded bit so much longer than necessary?) and it's the corrosion on this bit which makes the nut jam up.
When fitting the new link the bolt needs to be held with an Allen key (or hex bit of some sort) to stop it rotating as the nut is tightened. Most of the after market links seem to use nylock nuts so the Allen key can be difficult to hold and a wee length of pipe is a help. as is a "go through" socket set. Here's my Vortex set in use. The ring end of a combination spanner works too but is much slower and once you own a "go through" (or "go thru" as the Yanks call them) set you will find lots of situations where they are useful - strut top mounts anyone?
Then it's on with the torque wrench. I like to torque all chassis and powertrain components.
And here it is all secure and looking good
especially with it's snazzy red star burst ends.
Hope Kenny appreciates it when he does the MOT in a couple of weeks time!
As I'd renewed struts, springs, top mounts, etc earlier in the year the top nut came away really easily as It had been undone and reassembled with copa slip at that time. The bottom nut was a completely different proposition. It was heavily corroded and even though I have been coating it with copa slip at each service it looked very "crusty". I find the bottom bolt is often the worse for wear due to being so exposed. I was able to get the Allen key into it's hole in the end of the bolt but there was no possibility it was going to stop the bolt rotating.
Faced with this situation I have two favourite default solutions. First off, the allen key is never going to work, so, give the threads a good wire brushing and soaking in your favourite release oil (I like Plus Gas best although my pal buys PB Blaster which I haven't yet tried. Must get round to that) Then I take my Footprint wrench and grip the narrow metal flange on the ball joint side of the antiroll bar. Socket on the nut and heave! The footprint (or similar design if you like) works much better in this sort of situation than the ubiquitous locking pliers (often generically named after a small burrowing animal which makes an awful mess of ornamental lawns) as it grips tighter the more you heave. You do need to be a little careful of the rubber boot if you are intending to reuse the link, but it's very doable.
If this doesn't work the quickest thing to do is just cut the nut and bolt end off flush with the anti roll bar using an angle grinder. It's very quick but only a solution if you are fitting a new link. If you have to save the link for reuse then before you start, using your angle grinder or even a hacksaw, cut off the threaded portion sticking out of the nut. You don't need it (why do they make that threaded bit so much longer than necessary?) and it's the corrosion on this bit which makes the nut jam up.
When fitting the new link the bolt needs to be held with an Allen key (or hex bit of some sort) to stop it rotating as the nut is tightened. Most of the after market links seem to use nylock nuts so the Allen key can be difficult to hold and a wee length of pipe is a help. as is a "go through" socket set. Here's my Vortex set in use. The ring end of a combination spanner works too but is much slower and once you own a "go through" (or "go thru" as the Yanks call them) set you will find lots of situations where they are useful - strut top mounts anyone?
Then it's on with the torque wrench. I like to torque all chassis and powertrain components.
And here it is all secure and looking good
especially with it's snazzy red star burst ends.
Hope Kenny appreciates it when he does the MOT in a couple of weeks time!
). But as you point out, sometimes spending more gets you items not available in cheaper sets plus better quality e.g. on the ratchet described.