Drop link wear question

[jonathan63]

I changed the rear drop links at the weekend (front ones being changed next weekend). I was surprised that, although the old ones were nowhere near as stiff as the new one, there isn't any sloppiness in them. I was expecting them to be a bit rattly. How do you know if they are shot at??

[MWMan]

I changed the front ones a few weeks ago because there was knocking going on at the front. This stopped when I fitted the new ones. The old links were really wobbly inside.

I'm now in the process of redoing the rear suspension and have just fitted new rear drop links. The old ones looked atrocious (probably original - 15 years) but in actual fact they were little different to the new ones for stiffness, and the rubbers looked OK. They probably don't get the same hammer as the front ones.