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Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 5:44 pm
by sotal
Not too bad from the MOT today.
One patch of welding required on the sill.
Plus drop links failed (not surprised given my recent post on here!) And rear ARB bushes failed.
I have ordered heavy duty replacements for the front drop links as I am sick of replacing them annually! So fingers crossed paying double will mean they will last.
I have also ordered the rear ARB bushes.
Am I right in saying that the front drop links can be tightened with the wheels off the ground? How about the rear bushes, I've not done those before, are they ready enough. Can they just be done on axle stands? Any tips? Anything to watch out for?
Other than that I got an advisory for a slight wobble on the front discs, so will replace them in the next few weeks as you can feel the wobble on heavy braking.
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 6:46 pm
by Northern Bongolow
Rear bushes can be pain, and need tightening when the load is on the suspension.
Getting them off can be the problem, one of the bolts goes through so if it breaks it can be replaced easily, the other isn't and can break off and need drilling out/through to put a new bolt in.
Lube with a release agent before attempting to remove.
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 6:52 pm
by sotal
Northern Bongolow wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2020 6:46 pm
Rear bushes can be pain, and need tightening when the load is on the suspension.
Getting them off can be the problem, one of the bolts goes through so if it breaks it can be replaced easily, the other isn't and can break off and need drilling out/through to put a new bolt in.
Lube with a release agent before attempting to remove.
Sounds like fun
Am I best reversing up the little ramps that I have then, so as to give some space but also keeping the weight on?
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:57 pm
by Northern Bongolow
Do the job while it's well supported but in the air, then do the final tightening while it's on the floor.
Support well as your under the middle and will be pushing and pulling.
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 2:28 pm
by sotal
I've put it up on my ramps which lifts the whole thing about 30cm.
It actually makes the bongo fairly level as the drive slopes.
So it is nice and secure like that and gives me a bit of room to get under.
I've just put it up to soak the bolts with penetrating oil at the moment but it should stay there.
I take it the wheels stay stable etc with the bushes unbolted? And as it is under its own weight on the ramps, I should be able to tighten fully etc?
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 3:57 pm
by sotal
Well that was easy enough in the end, all four nuts removed easily.
Is it standard procedure to reuse the old nuts. They look ok.
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 3:59 pm
by sotal
Bits removed...
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 8:31 pm
by Northern Bongolow
It must be one of those rare cared for none rusty underneath bongo,s.
It must be worth 2 k more than the others.lol.
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 11:17 pm
by sotal
Northern Bongolow wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 8:31 pm
It must be one of those rare cared for none rusty underneath bongo,s.
It must be worth 2 k more than the others.lol.
Haha, if only!
To be fair the underside isn't too bad on the whole, but as is evident from the welding required for the MOT it certainly isn't rust free! I have found that most of the bolts etc though seem to be in good condition.
It was undersealed when it came into the country about 7 years ago, although they didn't do the best job ever, missing some of the trickier spots.
Just got to wait for the replacements to come now and then I can put it back together.
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2020 10:17 pm
by sotal
Rear ARB bushes now replaced, that ended up being a lovely easy job.
I've replaced one of the drop links. That was a pain in the backside!
The bottom nut came off with a lot of effort, but the top one wouldn't budge. It came out a bit but then jammed up. After a lot of effort trying, I ended up cutting it off with a junior hacksaw. New heavy duty one took second to put in its place. By this time it had gone dark and it was raining so I left the other side for now.
The Heavy Duty replacements feel to be good quality but they don't look much more durable if I'm honest. Differences are quite subtle, between the one I took off and the new one. It used a 16mm spanner to hold the flats, compared to a 14mm on the old one. Both used an 18mm for the nut, which is really annoying as my decent set of sockets doesn't have a deep 18mm socket, and the thread gets in the way of using a regular 18mm socket.
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2020 10:37 pm
by rita
sotal wrote: ↑Sat Aug 22, 2020 10:17 pm
Rear ARB bushes now replaced, that ended up being a lovely easy job.
I've replaced one of the drop links. That was a pain in the backside!
The bottom nut came off with a lot of effort, but the top one wouldn't budge. It came out a bit but then jammed up. After a lot of effort trying, I ended up cutting it off with a junior hacksaw. New heavy duty one took second to put in its place. By this time it had gone dark and it was raining so I left the other side for now.
The Heavy Duty replacements feel to be good quality but they don't look much more durable if I'm honest. Differences are quite subtle, between the one I took off and the new one. It used a 16mm spanner to hold the flats, compared to a 14mm on the old one. Both used an 18mm for the nut, which is really annoying as my decent set of sockets doesn't have a deep 18mm socket, and the thread gets in the way of using a regular 18mm socket.
Hi,just wondering what makes them heavy duty , do you have details of the supplier .
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2020 11:32 pm
by sotal
rita wrote: ↑Sat Aug 22, 2020 10:37 pm
Hi,just wondering what makes them heavy duty , do you have details of the supplier .
They are made by Meyle and come with a 4 year warranty. £28.95 delivered.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOR-MAZDA-BO ... 2749.l2649
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 6:19 pm
by sotal
The driver's side was a lot easier to do, both nuts came off no hassle at all.
The only difficulty I had was lining up the new one. The old one was hard to get out and then the new one was even harder to get in. I had to put the wheel back on and lower it to the ground, then get some to stand on the drivers step to get it to the right place to go in. The first side was really easy. Is it just a case of how it was all sitting? Anything I should worry about?
Out of interest the driver's side one was a HD one already. Will have to try and work out when that one was last replaced. I have a feeling 2016 but will need to check, maybe that was why it had been laying better than the passenger side.
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:48 pm
by sotal
Re: Front ARB drop links and rear ARB bushes
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2020 7:30 pm
by sotal
All passed and back on the road again. Still got a slight knocking from the front end. The new drop links have improved it but it hasn't gone altogether. I will try the front ARB bushes at some point. I don't think it is the strut top bearing as was suggested because it doesn't make the noise when turning and the videos I've watched don't match with the noise. I am running out of other possibilities though.
