Drop links: everyone's favourite!

[SD1too]

I've bought a pair of MG Rover anti-roll bar drop links direct from X-Part.

• The flats on the body (used to prevent rotation when tightening the nut) are narrower than my originals. I cannot push a spanner onto them without certain damage to the rubber boot.
• The threaded shaft is longer than the original. It almost touches the spring so it's impossible to use a ring spanner on the nut.
• The nuts are larger than the original, 17mm as opposed to 15mm. There's little enough room as it is without having to use a larger open ended spanner.

Can anyone recommend to me a brand of drop link which does not have these unhelpful features? My current original factory items have lasted over 100,000 miles and 22 years so I am seeking a similar lifespan.

Many thanks.

Simon



Edit: Thread resolution following post no. 108

The answer to my question is no.

Expect a struggle removing the old links due to corrosion, poor access and 50% visibility.

Fitting all the new drop links as supplied requires ground down spanners and/or shortened threads at the strut mounting (as done by Arctic). Replace the standard enlarged 17mm AF Nylok nut with the original smaller 15mm AF flanged locknut (part no. FX110057) for improved spanner access. A 15mm bicycle cone spanner is adequate on the flats to prevent rotation and damage to the rubber boot. A bi-hexagon flare ring spanner is the best bet for manoeuvrability but its OD will need to be no larger than 25mm to fit the shrouded location and these spanners are usually only available in sets. For the offside it will probably still have to be ground down in thickness.
I looked at crow's foot attachments for a torque wrench but they're all too big.

Good luck. The job's a lot easier if you have the strut on the bench but you really don't want to do that.