rear droplinks snapping

[Northern Bongolow]

this weekend ive had two reports of rear droplinks snapping.
the first went quietly, and gave really strange wallowy handling,this failed by snapping a radius out of the lower bolt loop.
the second failed in the same way,but this time was during enthusiastic driving ,with near serious consequences.
anyone else had this.

remember be carefull out there,

[Kincaid]

I'm getting a knocking at the rear nearside of the van usually whilst at low speed going around a corner or doing the same on a camber. Does this sound like a droplink is snapped or is this more likely to be suspension?

[wonkanoby]

could be or the bracket hold the anti rool bar

[dobby]

this weekend ive had two reports of rear droplinks snapping.
the first went quietly, and gave really strange wallowy handling,this failed by snapping a radius out of the lower bolt loop.
the second failed in the same way,but this time was during enthusiastic driving ,with near serious consequences.
anyone else had this.

remember be carefull out there,

Hi Ady

Were they original fitments or pattern or mazda parts, sounds very worrying Wasn't there a spate of people fitting alternatives from cars?

[Flint]

Interestingly, I just had the same last week, which resulted in a knocking at the rear!

Wellhouse have fitted a new one so all is now sorted!

[sparkymik]

I'm getting a knocking at the rear nearside of the van usually whilst at low speed going around a corner or doing the same on a camber. Does this sound like a droplink is snapped or is this more likely to be suspension?

Sounds more like ARB's but I had the same at the front and it was drop links you have to get under and have a gander

Sparky

[Northern Bongolow]

wouldnt like to say whether gen or copy parts, as ive not seen many of these.
just wanted to alert peeps to be on their guard, and see how wide spread this was.
i must admit i am alarmed at these breaking,imagine a heavily laden bongo getting in a knot in a tight bend.no thanks

[Northern Bongolow]

I'm getting a knocking at the rear nearside of the van usually whilst at low speed going around a corner or doing the same on a camber. Does this sound like a droplink is snapped or is this more likely to be suspension?

stick a jack under the diff,chock the front wheels,axle stands under each end of the axle tube.
then take a 2 foot bar and lever the antiroll bar up and down,with the weight off the suspension the knocking should be fairly obvious.
it may be the droplinks either top or bottom bolt/bush. or the antiroll bar brackets/bushes to the body.
the knocking will not show itself if the motor is on the ground.

[mikexgough]

this weekend ive had two reports of rear droplinks snapping.
the first went quietly, and gave really strange wallowy handling,this failed by snapping a radius out of the lower bolt loop.
the second failed in the same way,but this time was during enthusiastic driving ,with near serious consequences.
anyone else had this.

remember be carefull out there,

Hi Ady

Were they original fitments or pattern or mazda parts, sounds very worrying Wasn't there a spate of people fitting alternatives from cars?

From what happens in Japan with droplinks...... they tend to have shrunk rubber bushes or in the case of front ones the dustcovers perish.....it kind of suggests that the drop links here are either of the cheapo monkey metal variety or for another application.... I replaced mine in '09 when I did my rear ARB brackets/bushes as a matter of course with Mazda ones..... not as good a story for the front ones....the ones I got were the same O.E part number as factory but the quality was poor, however it seems to have been a poor batch as the replacements have been fine.

[Kincaid]

I'm getting a knocking at the rear nearside of the van usually whilst at low speed going around a corner or doing the same on a camber. Does this sound like a droplink is snapped or is this more likely to be suspension?

stick a jack under the diff,chock the front wheels,axle stands under each end of the axle tube.
then take a 2 foot bar and lever the antiroll bar up and down,with the weight off the suspension the knocking should be fairly obvious.
it may be the droplinks either top or bottom bolt/bush. or the antiroll bar brackets/bushes to the body.
the knocking will not show itself if the motor is on the ground.

NB - thanks for the advice, I've been trying to assess the ARB and drop link bushes with the vehicle on the ground (and finding nothing) It's in the garage later this week for other work so I'll ask them to get it up on the lift and have a good check of the suspension and drivetrain.

[mikeonb4c]

I've driven with a broken ARB bracket and missing bush and although I got a clonk on turning I didn't notice any serious change in handling. I wonder if the droplinks snapped because the bush was knackered and the driver had been ignoring the warning clonking sounds. Eventually, I imagine the much hammered bush could give out with fatigue (no smutty replies to this ambiguous jargon please )

[kev2477]

noticed a knocking on the back end this weekend and on investigation it was pretty obvious it was the drop links.



regards kev...

[Northern Bongolow]

glad you spotted that one kev.this is the type of failure im on about.
any markings on it,who made it etc.

[The Great Pretender]

Looks like I should knock up some rose jointed race inspired drop links............
These links have a massive force to control via the anti roll bar but aint a life or death problem on failure as other suspension parts can be.
Failure of the rear bar or links will soften single wheel movement and allow more roll of the Bongo contributing to 'wallow'. This is akin to a fail safe condition, the Bongo will under steer. Around town and during easy driving the only problem normally arising is Knocking or a slight vagueness felt through the steering wheel.
As Lance Corporal Jones said................. DON'T PANIC...........DON'T PANIC.............DON'T PANIC.....

[kev2477]

no markings present on the drop links, have kept them for further analysis.

regards kev..