General Drop Link Bushes

[Shepherd]

Drop Link Rods

I have replaced my JTD Drop Link Rods twice in the last 18 months. When I replace them the car is as silent as can be with no knocking for about 3-4 months but then they start knocking again. They don't seem to last very long. Has anyone else experienced the same?

 

[Peat]

Are you buying cheapies? You know you get what you pay for!

I found that by carefully removing the circlip and adding more grease the links lasted longer and especially since replacing the Roll-bar rubbers with polyurethane ones whittled down from the SAAB 9000 bushes.

Peat

 

[joipalli]

Has anyone else experienced the same?

Yes, but my bushes around the anti roll bar are also worn, that could be the problem.

That's on my to do list this spring

 

[BikeDoc]

...carefully removing the circlip and adding more grease...

Are they metal ball joints then?
I'd assumed they were rubber bushes.

 

[Shepherd]

Are you buying cheapies? You know you get what you pay for!

Peat

Thanks Peat. To be honest I did purchase the first replacement pair from eBay and the second pair from my local car parts dealer, but obviously none of these were Fiat parts. Can anyone recommend a good place to get them other than Fiat or are these the only decent ones? No doubt I will put more grease in the new ones before fitting. It just seem a bit much to have to fit new ones every year.

 

[Peat]

Are they metal ball joints then?
I'd assumed they were rubber bushes.

Not metal on metal but metal ball on plastic cup with the smallest dob of grease going on the new items.
An extra dollop of grease has certainly increased the life cycle on mainly poor secondary roads.

That last pair I bought were Delphi. See :-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FIAT-MULTIPLA-:-2-DELPHI-ANTI-ROLL-BAR-DROP-LINKS-front_W0QQitemZ260523520542QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxq20091215?IMSfp=TL091215155002r4906

HTH
Peat

 

[Shepherd]

Not metal on metal but metal ball on plastic cup with the smallest dob of grease going on the new items.
An extra dollop of grease has certainly increased the life cycle on mainly poor secondary roads.

That last pair I bought were Delphi. See :-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FIAT-MULTIPLA-:-2-DELPHI-ANTI-ROLL-BAR-DROP-LINKS-front_W0QQitemZ260523520542QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxq20091215?IMSfp=TL091215155002r4906

HTH
Peat

Thanks for that Peat. These look good and are a nice price too. I'll be buying them soon.

How long would you expect these to last if I pack them with extra grease?

Thanks again
Jim

 

[Peat]

How long would you expect these to last if I pack them with extra grease?
Jim

Now you know that's like asking the length of a piece of string

It will be dependant on your driving and the roads you drive on. I have done 20k on my present links driving 'briskly' on poor secondary roads in the main. They are still silent and as said previously, I'm sure the polyurethane ARB bushes will improve total mileage.

Peat

 

[Shepherd]

Now you know that's like asking the length of a piece of string

They are still silent and as said previously, I'm sure the polyurethane ARB bushes will improve total mileage.

Peat

Thanks again Peat. Are the ARB bushes as easy to fit as the drop links?

 

[Peat]

I would say that they are easier to fit than the drop links.

Loosen the two bracket retaining screws (13mm) and use either and old chisel or screwdriver or similar to gently separate the top and bottom half of the bracket. Remove same and clean up & chamfer the lug so that the two parts fit easily together.

You can bind the bar with a thick plastic sheet made from old oil can to take up slack if fitting existing bushes but the best solution is to purchase SAAB 9000 polyurethane 18mm bushes and whittle them down to fit.

Make a template from the brackets and the old bushes to get it right. I left an extra 1mm. all round to make sure the fit was 'snug'!

On refitting, screw up each side sequentially tapping bracket occasionally to ensure they mate correctly.

HTH
Peat