Broken rear drop links

Gotbadger

Gotbadger

Member
 Scottish Borders
one of the droplinks has snapped on the rear. I’m currently researching the best way to do the job but there doesn’t seem to be much consensus on the best way to do it. So far I’ve found you can either:

Remove the entire bar and disconnect the carriers from the spring arms, possibly having to drop the exhaust to get the bar out.

Cut the link if needed, Remove the spring and unbolt from the carrier in place and then put the new ones in.

Anyone done this job and have any advice?
 
It’s fiddly but doable in situ. Removing the spring does improve access.
To fit the new one, plenty of lube to push it onto the bar first. Then bolt the top in.
If you choose to lower the bar you don’t need to completely remove it, just move it from side to side. Worst part of that is getting the bush clamps done up again. It helps to replace the bolts with slightly longer ones so you can thread them more easily.
 
When I did them on my Z4M recently, I tried for about 3 hours to get them on in situ with no luck. I had just had my rear bar powdercoated though.

Had to get them off the car and use a vice to squeeze them on.
 
0l0dom0l0 said:
When I did them on my Z4M recently, I tried for about 3 hours to get them on in situ with no luck. I had just had my rear bar powdercoated though.

Had to get them off the car and use a vice to squeeze them on.
Click to expand...
Not certain, but I wonder if they use the same drop link regardless of ARB diameter?
 
I have a ‘line of least resistance’ approach to these now as I hate them nearly as much as doing RTABs

Undo the 13mm bolts holding either side to the ARB

Pop the shock off 18mm and lower the arm, remove the springs

Swing the bar and attached links downwards. Don’t undo the ARB hold points where the bushes are. You may need to raise and lower the trailing arm with a jack

Burn the old bushes off

Then clean the ARB ends really well. Put the new links in boiling water and coat liberally with washing up liquid. You should then be able to slide them on with a back and forth motion applying pressure to the link

Reassemble
 
Probably an obvious thing to add:
Have the back end up in the air, both wheels off and do the job both sides at once.
Trying to jack up just one side applies too much force through the ARB and you will struggle.
 
bigwinn said:
I have a ‘line of least resistance’ approach to these now as I hate them nearly as much as doing RTABs
Click to expand...
Funnily enough I’ve just done the RTABs

Thanks for the input all, will give bigwinn’s method a try although I’ll probably drill them out rather than go all pyro…
 
If you like, I have a single, brand new Lemforder drop link with bolt, which you can have for £12 posted.

I bought a pair to replace one side on a previous car and have this one left over. It’s certainly doable in situ. I found the hardest bit was getting the link onto the ARB.

No drilling or pyro required as far as I remember, just a bit of swearing.
 
Managed to get the first one out from the top like this.

IMG_2145.jpeg

Had enough space to get a drill in to help with removal. Now just to see how getting the new one in goes…
 
Well that's a different way of doing it!
Have we all been discussing the same part?
I asssume that photo is after fitting the replacement one?
 
This is the good side. Wanted to do them both at once but I thought if I didn’t do the intact one fist I’d probably give up after doing one 😅

IMG_2146.jpeg

Here it is out in hand
 
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