drop links yet again...

[hwyaden]

the nice peeps on here who said it was my front drop links knocking were right - i had a look and one of the front ones is rattling despite them only being changed last year (must have been cheapy ones). i got a pair and confidently set about changing them today as so many people keep saying it's a 30 minute job. one whole afternoon later, much cursing and many aching muscles later i've given up and put the car back together.
the top nut came off with some persuasion but the bottom nut will not budge. it doesn't help that it's a bit rounded to start with. i've sprayed the nuts with wd40 a couple of times in the last two days to help but i'm at a loss now.
is it worth investing in a blowtorch to heat them up or an angle grinder to chop the bolts off? i'm really angry now that the bloody things have defeated me

[Driver+Passengers]

Unlucky... I've just removed my perished and floppy 16 month old front drop links today - wasn't easy by any means (the nylon of the nylocks ended up travelling down a thread or two as I was undoing, making them hiddeously stiff) but they came off - managed to whack my knuckles on the ground from a foot up!

Cut them off - blow torch, grinder or hacksaw, whatever works... it may be easier to take the two anti roll bar brackets off and drop the ARB together with the drop link(s), provided you can get both top bolts off.

Whatever you're undoing, make sure to really have a go at the exposed threads with a wire brush and spray - any corrosion really doesn't help.

[winchman]

Unless you know what you are doing with a grinder stay well away.
It may be worth letting a garage change them for you as a few mins with an impact gun will have them off
I use these when they are rounded, this is a part set not cheap but very good
http://www.screwfix.com/p/irwin-bolt-gr ... tAod3WMACQ

[dave_aber]

It's not only the rounding of the nuts that's the problem. As the joint is loose / knocking, then the pin can just spin when you are undoing the nut. Some types have flats for a spanner - but some don't. Just slice them off with a cutting disc in a grinder - it's not as if you will be re-using any part of the removed link is it?

Chop them off, bin them, fit new ones, simples.

Usual disclaimers apply when using power tools - Grinders are quite likely to hurt you. Make sure you don't use cheap discs, and wear the appropriate PPE.

[helen&tony]

Hi
As Dave says, the nut's not the only problem, and the pin will almost certainly turn. There are flats where you can grip the pin, but in my experience, they are inadequate. I've lost count of the drop links i've replaced, all original, as I won't fit anything else, and the roads here knock 'em out in no time. I now get the local mechanics to do them...they're now EXPERTS.....
If you haven't got an angle grinder, or are a bit wary, I did use a nut splitter once, and widened the split with a cold chisel and lump hammer, chasing the crack along the split with the chisel (well, Tony did), and had new nuts made by a guy in the village with some neat machinery, but whatever you may decide, suffice it to say, nearly every member on here has used the words you'll find handy to use whilst attempting the job.....so.....go on, knock yersel' out and cuss like a demon!
Cheers
Helen