Front ARB drop links

Technical questions and answers about the Mazda Bongo

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sotal
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Front ARB drop links

Post by sotal » Fri Jul 31, 2020 12:26 am

Hello, is been a while since I posted on here but I've still got the Bongo!

It appears that the front nearside drop link has gone again. This will be 4 drop links on that side in 5 years of ownership. I don't think we've done one on the other side.

Is there anything that could be making them go? Has anyone else had similar problems?

The previous ones have all been from the local bongo specialist, is it worth trying a different brand?

Also how dangerous is it to drive with a worn out drop link? I take it, even if it snapped nothing disastrous would happen?

It just started knocking, it might have been doing it for a while but the wife could notice it today with the window down. I could barely hear it from the drivers side. Grabbing hold of the drop link though, it moves about 1cm in and out at the top.
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Northern Bongolow
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Re: Front ARB drop links

Post by Northern Bongolow » Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:57 am

Years ago I cut most of the common brands apart for comparison of construction and quality of materials, the results were sent to Ian.
You do get what you pay for in this case.
The cheap eBay brands were just what you would expect.
Blueprint brand were very good against both quality and cost and faired a good second to the originals which were expensive but were worth the money.
It's the old thing, you get what you pay for.
I always did both the mounting bushes and both drop links at the same time.
One thing you may want to check is the nearside front damper strut and spring if this is weaker when absorbing the bumps the anti roll bar will get more work to do.
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sotal
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Re: Front ARB drop links

Post by sotal » Fri Jul 31, 2020 3:08 pm

Northern Bongolow wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:57 am Years ago I cut most of the common brands apart for comparison of construction and quality of materials, the results were sent to Ian.
You do get what you pay for in this case.
The cheap eBay brands were just what you would expect.
Blueprint brand were very good against both quality and cost and faired a good second to the originals which were expensive but were worth the money.
It's the old thing, you get what you pay for.
I always did both the mounting bushes and both drop links at the same time.
One thing you may want to check is the nearside front damper strut and spring if this is weaker when absorbing the bumps the anti roll bar will get more work to do.
Thanks, which bushes is it that you replace at the same time? We have a bit of a clunk when going over bumps that I don't think is the drop link. The drop link is making a noise when the camber changed our if we corner, but there is a louder duller clunk. I thought it was the wishbone but the noise remained after a wishbone change.
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Re: Front ARB drop links

Post by rita » Fri Jul 31, 2020 4:21 pm

The bushes are the ones on the antiroll bar,and as has been said check road springs and strut/top bearings this could all be related to your drop link problem ..

Also check the wishbone ball joints.
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sotal
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Re: Front ARB drop links

Post by sotal » Fri Jul 31, 2020 4:54 pm

Thanks, I've just taken a quick look and the play was in the top, but it seemed to come from the bolt rather than the ball joint. I have just tightened the nut for now which had taken all the play out but I can't understand how it would have come loose, especially given the difficulty in turning the nut. The only explanation I could come up with was stretch but I can't imagine it would have stretched that much. Either way I'll order another and replace it properly but what are your thoughts on the tightening?

Having a look round I can see a hole in the exhaust, so I'll need a new rear section but otherwise I couldn't sort anything else to obviously fail on the MOT
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