Removing ARB Drop Links

[Ninesomething]

I never knew I had friends like you till I joined this forum.

[zcacogp]

Count yourself lucky that I don't charge ....  

[Ninesomething]

You're all heart and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise. 

[zcacogp]

😚

[½cwt]

8 hours ago, bally4563 said:

I am do you have a link to it?

Sorry I'm a bit slow getting back, been under the car for 7 hours today, would have been less if I had one of these already, but I will tomorrow I hope.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DKPRJ8X/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B08DKPRJ8X&pd_rd_w=y1WTK&pf_rd_p=1055d8b2-c10c-4d7d-b50d-96300553e15d&pd_rd_wg=RtX93&pf_rd_r=EZ348V4W5PA2BMRBV8SQ&pd_rd_r=b9124dc1-dfad-409c-b694-639dc6892ed6&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFYRzUzRk9WUFBPUjgmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA2ODk5MTQzNVEwU1FFN1kxWEVIJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA5NjUwNjQzODFXTVIyVlE3QVU5JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfZGV0YWlsJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[zcacogp]

Belated update on this topic from me, now having done the ARB drop links on all four corners of the car. For anyone who tries to do this job in the future these things are worth knowing: 

- Using a cutting disk to remove the ball joint from the top of the link and putting a 17mm socket on the bolt head left behind makes the job a lot easier. However take care when cutting that you don't chop off part of that bolt head as you will need all of it to get a purchase on

- You will need a breaker bar to get the thing turning in the first place. It takes a LOT of torque to get things started

- Access to the fronts is easier than at the back as you can turn the hubs outwards using the steering mechanism

- Applying heat helps quite a lot. A regular plumbing-type blowtorch worked for me

- Axially drilling the 'bolt' (/pin) helped a lot as well. Use a 5mm or so drill (you'll need a sharp one) to drill as far along the length of the bolt as you can (or dare). TAKE GREAT CARE as if you don't drill straight then you will start drilling into the carrier which may well ruin it. However access is OK with a decent cordless drill and it makes the job a lot easier

- Mine came out by twisting the bolt with a breaker bar while having someone else hit the other end very hard with a club hammer. I did buy a cheapo rattle air gun but didn't use it as my compressor wasn't up to the job. It's hard work but possible, and made easier by axial drilling and using heat

I reckon it took me a couple of hours on each corner from start to finish - i.e from starting to jack the car to having it back on the deck again. I have no idea how difficult mine was to do compared with others as this is the only time I've done it, but the work isn't hard or technically difficult and is within the scope of a fairly experienced DIY mechanic with some simple tools. I'd not want to pay the £80/hour plus VAT to have this job done for me. 

[½cwt]

2 hours ago, zcacogp said:

Belated update on this topic from me, now having done the ARB drop links on all four corners of the car. For anyone who tries to do this job in the future these things are worth knowing: 

- Using a cutting disk to remove the ball joint from the top of the link and putting a 17mm socket on the bolt head left behind makes the job a lot easier. However take care when cutting that you don't chop off part of that bolt head as you will need all of it to get a purchase on

- You will need a breaker bar to get the thing turning in the first place. It takes a LOT of torque to get things started

- Access to the fronts is easier than at the back as you can turn the hubs outwards using the steering mechanism

- Applying heat helps quite a lot. A regular plumbing-type blowtorch worked for me

- Axially drilling the 'bolt' (/pin) helped a lot as well. Use a 5mm or so drill (you'll need a sharp one) to drill as far along the length of the bolt as you can (or dare). TAKE GREAT CARE as if you don't drill straight then you will start drilling into the carrier which may well ruin it. However access is OK with a decent cordless drill and it makes the job a lot easier

- Mine came out by twisting the bolt with a breaker bar while having someone else hit the other end very hard with a club hammer. I did buy a cheapo rattle air gun but didn't use it as my compressor wasn't up to the job. It's hard work but possible, and made easier by axial drilling and using heat

I reckon it took me a couple of hours on each corner from start to finish - i.e from starting to jack the car to having it back on the deck again. I have no idea how difficult mine was to do compared with others as this is the only time I've done it, but the work isn't hard or technically difficult and is within the scope of a fairly experienced DIY mechanic with some simple tools. I'd not want to pay the £80/hour plus VAT to have this job done for me. 

Pretty accurate summation of the challenge.  A good battery impact wrench certainly helped in my case (only 3 of 4 were 'welded' in) and I applied heat with a magnetic induction coil.

The main tip is give it one or max two goes without getting drastic otherwise you waste time hoping the next one will be easier.  You have to jump in.  To give you a clue with one strut off the car even hitting it with a lot of impact with a 14lb sledge didn't budge it until I got the bolt hot and another poster said something like 5 tonnes in a press before it moved.  I like the idea of drilling the bolt to hollow it out.

Same challenge applied to the camber bolts on the rear of mine.  Once I knew the were solid I went in with the saw rather than hoping one might give with a bit more work.  You won't get a drill on these bolts though and they are hardened so get a good recip saw blade or use a cutting disc....

[zcacogp]

Thanks 0.5CWT. I wonder how much good hitting the bolt does. If you compress it from the end by hitting it or pushing with a press then it will swell fractionally in the hole and hence grip the sides harder. I axially drilled my second one out of slight desperation as it really didn't want to play for love or money but it went quite sweetly afterwards so I did the same on the other two as well, both of which also went fairly easily. Having a hollow bolt will reduce the fractional swelling when you hit it which could be one of the reasons it helps, but I am guessing here and could be some way wrong. 

Having done all four then I'd not rush to tackle the job again but I'd be happy to do so if the need arose. If you are reading this and pondering whether to do the job yourself then don't be afraid of it. 

[AMacdonald]

I had to do my fronts a few months back when replacing springs. For the first I didn't mess about, just cut off the head to get at the hex collar and applied considerable force with a 3 foot breaker bar. It turned ever so gradually and eventually worked its way out without hammering, leaving lots of white oxide behind. The second basically just popped out when the bolt was undone, which was a relief.

I was prepared to use my workshop press if neccessary, which I think would have made fairly quick work of the job.

Remember to reassemble with some sort of anti-seizing agent to limit the electrolytic corrosion that causes the problem in the first place.

[bally4563]

Mentioned in the past but I’ve done > than 30 of these now, and from memory only had eight that have just flown, used all the practises , thrashing , drilling , cutting, crying!!  But to date heat is your friend!