Bongo Fury

I think my front anti roll bar bushes may need replacing as it seems to wallow a bit on roundabouts. Is this an easy DIY job or should I just take it to a garage? any help or tips greatly appreciated

Easy DIY job.
I did ours recently, took about a hour and a half.
Jack it up, wheels off, axle stands in place.
Undo the drop link from the suspension strut on both sides. Some drop links have flats on to get a spanner on the back but I found it easier to just grab it with the moles.
Undo the anti roll bar brackets and remove the roll bar completely and then remove the drop links from the roll bar. I found it easier to do this rather than remove the drop link while the roll bar was still in place.
Fasten the new drop links to the suspension struts.
Put anti roll bar back on with new bushes and brackets if necessary and then reconnect the drop links to the roll bar.
Check everything is tight, job done.
Oh yes, don't forget to put the wheels back on.
Few pics here.









Hope this helps.

excellent pics... One thing I always advise too......is that if you are changing the bushes and don't know the history of when the drop links were last changed, then change the drop links too.....while your there....

As with most things......if you change the weakest part of the set up then other parts generally do fail and it has been seen here many times, bushes have been changed and then the "knock" is back a week or so later and then the Links need replacing and indeed the opposite way around.....
I always say....replace all the components connected to the anti roll bar......job done...

briwy wrote:Easy DIY job.
I did ours recently, took about a hour and a half.
Jack it up, wheels off, axle stands in place.
Undo the drop link from the suspension strut on both sides. Some drop links have flats on to get a spanner on the back but I found it easier to just grab it with the moles.
Undo the anti roll bar brackets and remove the roll bar completely and then remove the drop links from the roll bar. I found it easier to do this rather than remove the drop link while the roll bar was still in place.
Fasten the new drop links to the suspension struts.
Put anti roll bar back on with new bushes and brackets if necessary and then reconnect the drop links to the roll bar.
Check everything is tight, job done.
Oh yes, don't forget to put the wheels back on.
Few pics here.









Hope this helps.

Hi,
Did you use Saab drop links?

Not that I know of, I bought them from Ian at the Bongo Fury shop.

Been trying to undo nearside droplink today as shock absorber is leaking.

Used professional quality socket with air driven rattle gun but would they shift? No and they would have needed more than Mole grips. Going to have to the angle grinder I guess. Still they have been done up for twelve years!

Anyway, after trying hard on the top end of the droplink, my friend with the compressor and air tools said "You dont need to undo the top end 'cos you're throwing away the strut and the link".

Incidentally, the 22mm? nuts on the struts didn't respond to the impact driver but were persuaded by a professioal quality single ended ring spanner levered with 3ft of scaffold pole. couldnt use it on the drop link due to lack of levering space and grip on the opposite end.

The nuts and bolts on the struts were not corroded externally like the ones in the picture:





Frank

Hi,

When I did mine they were seized too - I usually find you can get it undone enough that you can get a hacksaw in to cut them off if you dont have an angle grinder (I didnt). Taking the roll bar off also helps loads.

One thing, you'll need to do the final tightening with the wieght of the car on the wheels (for best results) - after a bit of head scratching, I used a couple of trolley jacks under the hubs whilst the Bongo was still on the axle stands -safest and no f@rting around with ramps (nightmare when you have an auto!).

cheers,

Steve

If it's wallowing it's more likely to be struts than bushes. If it was just bushes you would have knocking and rattling rather than wallowing.

I've just changed my struts and the difference is amazing.

Thanks for all advice and pics, great help as always!!

I'm about to change the bushes and drop links, the pics are really usefull.

Can you tell me what torque settings you used for the bushes and drop links?

Thanks,

Andy

scanner wrote:If it's wallowing it's more likely to be struts than bushes. If it was just bushes you would have knocking and rattling rather than wallowing.

I've just changed my struts and the difference is amazing.

Interesting. When you say struts scanner, do you mean the dampers?

Oldboybob wrote:I think my front anti roll bar bushes may need replacing as it seems to wallow a bit on roundabouts. Is this an easy DIY job or should I just take it to a garage? any help or tips greatly appreciated

If by 'wallow' you mean understeer your problem is probably at the back axle not the front.