Anti roll bar drop links

[Lemp1953]

Hello everyone,
On servicing my front callipers I noticed that the drop link rubbers have perished so need replacing. I've ordered new links but would like to ask, is the replacement straight forward and does the lower arm need supporting meaning jacking up to relieve any tension.
cheers Mike

[ramjam2005]

Hi Mike

Can't recall exactly but if they are perished might be worthwhile dropping the ARB and checking the two mounting rubbers also. Might help in the process with fitting the drop-links too.

Did you go for the Poly version on drop-links ? Check the mounting point on lower arm too for cracks whilst there.

Ray

[trunt]

Replacing them is simple, no extra support needed, just release the top nut on both sides at the same time so you can swing the roll bar up a bit to get room to get them out and in, then pull it down again to secure the new ones.

[sujitroy]

Horrible job if u have an automatic. The nuts on the alternator side are difficult to get too.

[Stag About Town]

Horrible job if u have an automatic. The nuts on the alternator side are difficult to get too.

I agree with this comment. I changed my anti-roll bar bushes and fitted new links a while back. Took ages fiddling with the nuts as above. I found I had to jack up the suspension arms to get the links lined up to the roll bar and get the nuts on. If you are not changing the roll bar bushes it is quite easy. Just those very hard to line up roll bar nuts and bolts on autos. If I remember right the oil cooler gets in the way too. Some owners never found that an issue so maybe a tiny difference between cars might explain it.

[APS]

I recently rebuilt my front suspension. The drop links are very easy to replace, the only thing special to advise on refitting these that I found was to tighten the nut on top of the link first so that the bushes and cup washers remain aligned. My first attempt was to tighten the nut on the drag strut first, but that seemed to pull the link at a slight angle making alignment of bush and cup washers difficult.

As mentioned above the offside ARB bush is quite tricky. I had to undo the bolts for the alternator and move it over to get a socket on the nuts from above and loosen the bolts on the oil cooler to be able to get my fingers on the nuts to get them restarted on the clamp threads.
The nearside ARB is a doddle in comparison.

[Lemp1953]

Thanks everyone, why is nothing simple

[jbuckl]

Had trouble with new standard ones snapping. (Too thin)

Used the ‘uprated’ ones from trw.