Bongo Fury

I think its time I changed the drop links front and rear. I have clonking and bumping from somewhere on the suspension but its difficult to pinpoint so I will change all four links.
I am going to try and obtain
Anti Roll Bar Drop Links (Front) S10H-34150 Vauxhall Vectra
Anti Roll Bar Drop Links (Rear) Pearl PLB601 Ford Galaxy
as suggested in the Compatible Parts Database because I am hoping they will be a lot cheaper than Mazda prices, do you have to go to the Vauxhall/Ford main dealers or can you get them off the internet?

I suppose I should also change the rubber bushes on the anti-roll bars, does anyone know of a cheaper compatible part for this as the Bongo ones on E-Bay are £6.95 each and I have to be a bit careful with the dosh or her indoors will moan.

Its a bit breezy here today so no lying under Bongos for me till the weather changes.

No you don't have to go to a dealer for the droplinks. E-bay or a Motor factors for non-OEM. £6.95 for bushes don't sound bad. Try Bongobits' website and compare prices.

ARB's £6.50 in the bongo shop, cheaper for members, check ebay, online parts suppliers & your local motor factors, for all the bits, there tends to be a big variation in the droplink prices.
Give all the bolts a good soaking in penetrating oil at least 24 hrs before.

And remember, there are 3 (optionally 4) separate types of things you are replacing:

2 x Front droplinks
2 x rear droplinks
2 x rear anti-roll bar rubber bushes
2 x (metal) rear anti-roll bar rubber bush brackets

It might be worth checking that the relevant bolts are going to undo (i.e. are not seized) and/or WD40ing them etc. before assuming the job will be simple. It is simple provided the bolts comply! Also, when doing the job (can someone confirm I've got this right) make sure before you tighten the droplinks/bush brackets up that the vehicle is levelled (side to side really, fore and aft not so important) and that a normal running load/compression is on the suspension. Otherwise you will leave the various rubber bushes in a torqued condition when the vehicle is in its normal running attitude and this will cause premature failure. In practice this mean axle stands are fine but doing things one at a time using the vehicle jack is not.

Mike

You've got it spot on Mike - good advice

dandywarhol wrote:You've got it spot on Mike - good advice

Praise indeed DW. I reckon I should come up to your college, do the course and get meself a sustificate. Problem is even that wouldn't make my back fit enough to do most of the jobs

I've read elsewher4e on the forum that if I am only changing the front anti-roll bushes then I can do it by wheel jack only - is that right?
Ron

Thanks for the advice every-one.

Kirsty - on ramps - so that means I can get to the bushes/brackets without needing to take the wheel off?
Ron

You shouldn't have to take the wheels off, I did mine on hydraulic ramps, but a pair of ramps on the driveway should easily give you enough room. I would recomend replacing the ARB brackets it you're going to do the bushes, I didn't & one of them snapped a few months after fitting the new bushes, for a few extra quid while you're onder there anyway, it's just as well to get them done.

Thanks Kirsty - ordering now ready for the good weather due soon!!!
Ron

After an inspection today - my mate sat in the back and located the clunk, then I rocked the van while he was underneath it - it was determined that the nearside rear anti roll bar bracket has broken and the rubber 'D' bush was no longer located in the correct position. The rubber 'D' bush was worn and looked as if it was cracked anyway so I have ordered two of them and a new rear anti roll bar bracket and will replace both of them.

Will let you know if it was an easy job or not later..............

I've now got the front ARB bushes and brackets from the shop. I am about to go under the Freda for the first time! I've bought a pair of axle stands from Halfords and I've had a quick look under the Freda to see where to site them. I would really appreciate some advice on this - it may seem a naive question but better safe than sorry. I can see a drive shaft probably about 2ft approx long between what I take to be the CV joints. Should both axle stands be positioned under this? When I unbolt the ARB brackets is anything under tension that I should watch out for?

I guess this is one of the simpler jobs underneath and a good one to start with.
Ron

prices have been reduced in the club shop, they didn't seem a lot worse than anywhere else to me

and I went with them, 'cos I'm lazy... and I didn't have to worry about them being wrong

but rear links, are a doddle.... about 10 mins a side, and no need to remove anything.... I just put it up on wheel ramps and undid the 2 bolts each side.... no real tension, just a bit of jiffleing to get the new droplink in.

the fronts were flinking blipping things though, there is a nut on each end to undo and mine were solid, I tried all sorts but the nuts seem to be that special high tensile chocolate that rounds just when you think it'll go!..... ended up grinding the nuts off, with a 4" grinder, it took a few minutes being careful to grind nothing else.... but worth knowing as a last resort, as there are no bits of the old links needed!!! GGGRRRRR!!



didn't do the bushes... but there was a thread on hear just after I ordered the bits, and I think I would if I was doing it again.....

but to be honest, they've moved right down the list for the time being!!


John

Me n my mate replaced the rear rubber bushes and brackets on the rear torsion bar over the weekend. Not a difficult job just that the nuts were VERY tight and luckily they did unscrew eventually.

It has certainly cured the knocking noise.

Total cost about £20.00 from http://www.autojapspares.co.uk, delivered next day, and an hours work.