Drop links: everyone's favourite!

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by alanaslan

The correct tool for the job makes the task much simpler.
Keep up the good work.

It does indeed Alan, thank you very much for your kind words.

Simon

[Arctic]

Originally Posted by alanaslan

I cant recommend a particular make of drop link, Though I am happy to tell you how I have got around the problems.
where the thread is too long I have cut the excess of with a 1mm cutting disc then using a taper cone cutter make a quick buzz down the top of the threads making starting the nut a breeze.
I have a set of thin walled 3/8 drive crows feet spanners which are fantastic for holding the hex on the threaded part of the Joint.
I have a set of American made thin "S" spanners and a set of offset crank spanners from the same tool company these are about half the thickness of a UK sold Spanner.

this way each engineer had the correct tools to work on the spin Bikes the boys even went as far as plastic coating the handle of the spin bike tools in an orange covering making it easy to identify their hook pullers and bottom Bracket spanners even their 1.2 meter screwdrivers easy to find in there boxes. We even ground down a box of M8 threaded nuts to half their original size just so it was much simpler to reassemble one of the areas of the Bike.

The correct tool for the job makes the task much simpler.
Keep up the good work.
Alan

Hi Alan.
I have a set of spanners that i ground down back in 2012 to do the drop links, and also cut of 5mm of thread on the drop links, i have used several types of drop links over the years, i have only this week bought a set for £12.95

The best ones i have found were Unipart, then the next from a seller D2P but with all drop links always add extra grease.

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The middle drop link is what i have just purchased to see how they perform.
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I have not dressed these yet or added any grease job for today.
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fitting drop links should take no more than 40 minutes as for torque it to 60nm i always tighten them up by feel tight then a 1/4 turn more, never had no trouble, not one as sheered off.

Always do the top first turn the drop link until it stops then use the flat to up, after fit the bottom do the same nip up, then go back to the top nut and use ground down ring spanner on the nut and ground down open spanner on the flat then tighten them up until you can not turn anymore.

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Do the same to remove the old ones.
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If the nut will not budge once you have a gap use a new sharp hacksaw to cut through the thread, usually once half way through you can bend the drop link and it will snap.
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Clean the area for new drop link.
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Arctic

[AndrewJames]

https://imgur.com/a/tfXSgCa

I'm certainly not proud of this but can't resist sharing... when I did my droplinks I found on one side the hole in the strut for my droplink was no longer a hole. It was just a gap. First pic shows the solution at the time. I drove like that for over a month with no problems. I'm not advocating the solution but there you go!

Fast forward to the second pic. I had a broken spring and knew I needed to sort the droplink situation so new struts and springs for both sides. So if you're inclined to torque the nut, I can confirm it's much easier torquing it with the spring off. Also perfectly possible to do all of this job on the floor. I did put the strut (with droplink) in a bench but decided the floor was easier.

I have a flexible crows foot and I think I tried using this (for the first time when strut was on the car) and I found it was not suitable. I also tried the ground down spanner but my spanner snapped almost straight away. I had chosen a crappy old cheap one to grind down though

Next time I am going to buy a split ring spanner.

[Arctic]

I have these crow feet spanners but never tried them i will do next time i do a droplink.

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[AndrewJames]

Originally Posted by Arctic

I have these crow feet spanners but never tried them i will do next time i do a droplink.

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Hi Arctic,

I believe they can just about be used but might depend on whether or not the nut is sitting favourably. I couldn't use one on removal due to the position the nut had been tightened to by the last person. I was able to get one on for refitting though as the positioning was then up to me. Hope that makes sense...!

Ps the last person also put the droplinks on backwards at the bottom end which I duly copied until I saw your picture guide. Went back out and fixed the next morning so thank you

[Arctic]

Originally Posted by AndrewJames

Hi Arctic,

I believe they can just about be used but might depend on whether or not the nut is sitting favourably. I couldn't use one on removal due to the position the nut had been tightened to by the last person. I was able to get one on for refitting though as the positioning was then up to me. Hope that makes sense...!

Hi Andrew.
yes i have seen that be also


Correct way so peoples know
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[bl52krz]

Originally Posted by SD1too

24mm on my original factory links Stan, as Ducati750cc has said. Why do you ask?


Yes, agreed, by the distance from the centre of the thread to the drive axis. This is probably going to be of the order of 10mm. The relevant length of my torque wrench is 450mm so, according to Norbar Ltd's formula, the tool's setting would need to be 58.69 to achieve the actual torque of 60 Nm. That degree of accuracy is impossible on my torque wrench scale so it's academic really.

When a torque figure is specified there's a reason for it and it's obviously good practice to observe that whenever possible. Whether it's 58 or 60 Nm, I know that I am as close as possible to the correct figure. With a spanner I wouldn't.
That's specified in the section describing only anti-roll bar link renewal. I am, of course, changing the springs as well and in that section there's apparently no requirement to have the weight of the car on the suspension.

Simon

So There is a contradiction in terms then, according to the info on both items when changed or renewed. Or perhaps they surmise that since a person is renewing both items, springs and drop links, that both portions of advice will be read. Still an anomaly though.Thinking about the assembly of the car in the factory, I can not imagine that the car would have the weight on the wheels when drop links were fitted.

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by AndrewJames

... I found on one side the hole in the strut for my droplink was no longer a hole. It was just a gap.

Judging by the short thread Andrew, someone had been in there before which probably explains the gap (the bodger's way of removing the rusted in link).

Originally Posted by Arctic

I have these crow feet spanners but never tried them ...

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I've seen others like that described as crow's feet Steve. They're really just open ended jaws with a ratchet handle drive on the end. Proper crow's feet have a hexagon or bi-hexagon profile and pincer shaped jaws.

Simon

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by bl52krz

Or perhaps they surmise that since a person is renewing both items, springs and drop links, that both portions of advice will be read.

The spring renewal section includes the procedure for the ARB links David. That's why I didn't look for a separate section.

Originally Posted by bl52krz

Thinking about the assembly of the car in the factory, I can not imagine that the car would have the weight on the wheels when drop links were fitted.

I agree, particularly as on the assembly line the engine and transmission is raised up to the suspended body so the ARB and links would already be assembled.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Simon

[AndrewJames]

Originally Posted by SD1too

Judging by the short thread Andrew, someone had been in there before which probably explains the gap (the bodger's way of removing the rusted in link).

Simon

That's a droplink from DMGRs - unmodified. Not sure what's happened with the gap but the whole setup was in a sorry state anyway. All in the past now