Drop links

[westonwarrior]

this is very interesting as I too am on a 3rd drop link on the passenger side as the second (the joint not the rubber) failed havent checked the drivers sid in a while so will do tomorow.

[busguy]

Hi Kirsty

The new drop link Jake supplied to me as the 'improved' one is the Yaco 30070 48 you describe. Out of interest I moved the ball ends by hand on this new link and one ball socket was very tight and the other one moved fairly easily so it is not surprising that with this variable quality we get early failures of ball sockets, even if the rubber boot stays intact.

The previous pair Jake sent through had a smaller shoulder at the boot end and was a very poor fit, hence me returning them as badly engineered. As I returned them I do not have the number of that particular link. He may have just sent the wrong ones out to me in the first place, but his whole attitude was he wanted to improve the Bongo link if there were any issues. This is why I tried to persuade him to find a good quality clone of the generally beefy OEM version with any weaknesses addressed.

John

[missfixit70]

Hi Kirsty

The new drop link Jake supplied to me as the 'improved' one is the Yaco 30070 48 you describe. Out of interest I moved the ball ends by hand on this new link and one ball socket was very tight and the other one moved fairly easily so it is not surprising that with this variable quality we get early failures of ball sockets, even if the rubber boot stays intact.

The previous pair Jake sent through had a smaller shoulder at the boot end and was a very poor fit, hence me returning them as badly engineered. As I returned them I do not have the number of that particular link. He may have just sent the wrong ones out to me in the first place, but his whole attitude was he wanted to improve the Bongo link if there were any issues. This is why I tried to persuade him to find a good quality clone of the generally beefy OEM version with any weaknesses addressed.

John

Jake is telling porkies, it's the same ones he's been supplying for 2 years , I've still got the first ones I fitted from him. The problem with them is usually the boot going first - NOT the joint, it's the ingress of crud that then kills the joint. Sounds like he found an even crapper supply than these, then had to go back to them

[mikexgough]

I have some on the way for my spares box.......... from a Mazda Bongo parts supplier, I was going to use the club shop but that has been covered in the thread, so I decided to avoid Jake and go for a.n other and I decided to go with some O.E spec pattern ones not the O.E ones for the purpose of comparison......
when they arrive..... photos and I will post.... I think the concensus of opinion is around the size/quality of the boot covering the joint......... so that's what I will aim to show in any pictures.....

[mikexgough]

Okay......... well the drop links I purchased are here and the pictures are this...........












As can be seen there is a no problem with the boot being stretched and the inevitable split and the then failure due to moisture ingress....... I would say as good as O.E....

Hope it helps......

[missfixit70]

That looks a bit better , 12mm thread?

[mikexgough]

That looks a bit better , 12mm thread?

Just put the vernier across......... yep 12mm....

[missfixit70]

Getting there then - I must admit I'd still like to see the shoulders on the nuts & not sure if those have the fine pitch thread (to enable better tightening) as per the originals though while we're trying to get this right

[thepickles]

I have some on the way for my spares box.......... from a Mazda Bongo parts supplier, I was going to use the club shop but that has been covered in the thread, so I decided to avoid Jake and go for a.n other and I decided to go with some O.E spec pattern ones not the O.E ones for the purpose of comparison......
when they arrive..... photos and I will post.... I think the concensus of opinion is around the size/quality of the boot covering the joint......... so that's what I will aim to show in any pictures.....

where did you get them from Mike

cheers
Steve

[mikexgough]

I got them from here, I have had parts from them before, most are O.E or as good as

[mikexgough]

Getting there then - I must admit I'd still like to see the shoulders on the nuts & not sure if those have the fine pitch thread (to enable better tightening) as per the originals though while we're trying to get this right

Yep I would too...... but look up to the job

I did notice on the ones I got had metal rings retaining the dustcover....rather than a plastic jobby.

The dust cover has plenty of give and is not stretched at all when the joint is moved to it's limits, I wonder how they will weather when fitted.

[missfixit70]

Just received a little parcel from Bongo Towers with a Blueprint droplink sample to compare, very impressed, identical to the original, Nice big chunky rubber boot with no stress at full stretch, plastic type coating on the rod, which is as sturdy as the original, pressed metal casing on the heads, fine pitch thread same as original ( didn't come with securing nuts, so checked it with one from one of my originals) with a shouldered nut on the base & allen key fitting in the end of the thread for fitting & removal.

Top one original Mazda, bottom one Blueprint sample



Full stretch, no stress on the rubber



Allen key fitting & showing the boot in "rest position"



Not sure what the price will be on these yet & I'd be happier with new securing nuts being supplied with them, which I'm sure Ian will look at But bearing in mind I've now replaced my Vectra type ones 3 times in less than 3 years of ownership, it seems a bit of a false economy, I think I'd be happier paying a bit more for something that lasts & is basically the same as original.
Apparantly he's got another sample on the way from another supplier to try too.

[mikeonb4c]

Just received a little parcel from Bongo Towers with a Blueprint droplink sample to compare, very impressed, identical to the original, Nice big chunky rubber boot with no stress at full stretch, plastic type coating on the rod, which is as sturdy as the original, pressed metal casing on the heads, fine pitch thread same as original ( didn't come with securing nuts, so checked it with one from one of my originals) with a shouldered nut on the base & allen key fitting in the end of the thread for fitting & removal.

Top one original Mazda, bottom one Blueprint sample



Full stretch, no stress on the rubber



Allen key fitting & showing the boot in "rest position"



Not sure what the price will be on these yet & I'd be happier with new securing nuts being supplied with them, which I'm sure Ian will look at But bearing in mind I've now replaced my Vectra type ones 3 times in less than 3 years of ownership, it seems a bit of a false economy, I think I'd be happier paying a bit more for something that lasts & is basically the same as original.
Apparantly he's got another sample on the way from another supplier to try too.

Kirsty - Out of interest, what do you mean by 'Vectra type ones'. Were these being sold as Vectra links? I only ask because the Vectra ones I bought are now 2 years old and appear to be going strong (granted though my mileage is probably much less than yours, and it is hard to be sure how comparable are the road surfaces etc. we are putting each of our Bongos on)

[missfixit70]

Vectra type ones I'm referring to are the ones that have had the boot fail 3 times previously (see my previous post), the ones that are usually sold on ebay & the ones that Ian is currently stocking, where the boot gets stretched beyond where it should so it fails in less than 12 months (I'm not the only one either).
Not trying to scaremonger or anything, as I'm sure I'll get accused of but trying to find a fit & forget replacement that'll last a damn sight longer than 12 months.
Where did you get yours from Mike & any idea of make?

If you look at the pic, the first is a brand new one from Ian (same as Jake sells on ebay), the second is the same part after less than 12 months of use, the 3rd is the original Mazda droplink after 13 years fitted, other than the balljoint itself being slightly worn, still looks in very good nick compared to the other one (see the comparisons on my previous post). The sample of the Blueprint droplink is manufactured to the same standard as the original, just read the note properly that came with it, they'll be going out at around £35 plus delivery each, not cheap, but better than replacing every year. Same Blueprint part at my local motor factor was nearly £50 inc vat.
Let's see what the next supplier comes up with

[busguy]

Those 'Blueprint' links look properly engineered, and the only thing missing to do the job 100% right is supplying the second flanged nut.

Looks like you get what you pay for.

Now if Jake can do them exactly the same quality as this for £35 a pair rather than each, then he may still sell some on ebay!