Rear anti-roll bar drop links

[Umski]

Hello folks,

I've had an annoying knock coming from what appears to be the driver's side recently - that side has always sat a bit low so I was going to bite the bullet and replace the shocks and springs. However, first port of call was to check bushes etc since the knock only seems to happen going right or on roundabouts - my suspicions were the ARB drop links and/or bushes.

So I've had the b****** link out on the driver's side this morning, despite my better judgement of working in the heat. Small fight with the upper nut and larger fight with heat and an angle grinder on the lower. Seems the old one was bent (I'll post pics later). So new one in and if you are familiar, the top part of the link was two bushes which sit either side of the ARB eyelet and a couple of top-hat washers top and bottom. So to get to my questions - when I tighten up the nut at the top, the bushes obviously compress - but how far do I tighten? Up to the end of the thread or is there meant to be some give? If I look at the other side (unmolested until I've put the driver's side back together) this only has a short section of thread showing at the top...the new links are identical to the old...I couldn't find any pics or guide on this particular topic..

Many thanks as always...

[aldred309uk]

Hope this helps.

https://youtu.be/VnrARhxhaSo

[bobthecabbage]

Originally Posted by Umski

Hello folks,

I've had an annoying knock coming from what appears to be the driver's side recently - that side has always sat a bit low so I was going to bite the bullet and replace the shocks and springs. However, first port of call was to check bushes etc since the knock only seems to happen going right or on roundabouts - my suspicions were the ARB drop links and/or bushes.

So I've had the b****** link out on the driver's side this morning, despite my better judgement of working in the heat. Small fight with the upper nut and larger fight with heat and an angle grinder on the lower. Seems the old one was bent (I'll post pics later). So new one in and if you are familiar, the top part of the link was two bushes which sit either side of the ARB eyelet and a couple of top-hat washers top and bottom. So to get to my questions - when I tighten up the nut at the top, the bushes obviously compress - but how far do I tighten? Up to the end of the thread or is there meant to be some give? If I look at the other side (unmolested until I've put the driver's side back together) this only has a short section of thread showing at the top...the new links are identical to the old...I couldn't find any pics or guide on this particular topic..

Many thanks as always...

I would just tighten all the way to the end of the thread. I think that is the way they are designed to be used. Also I would normally go for a premium part or genuine as these sort of things don't seem to last if you use cheap parts.

[flyingtech55]

Just done this job with Delphi parts. The nuts are Nylocs and you tighten them down until 5 - 7mm of thread protrude above the top of the nut. If you tighten them all the way down you'll split the rubber bushes.

HTH

Tim

[bobthecabbage]

Depends on the application I suppose.

Never done them on the volvo but on other applications they definitely need doing up all the way.

The bushes need quite a lot of compression to pre-load them. After all they are doing quite a lot of work.

I guess if the part is universal then maybe you shouldn't do them all the way. If they are specific to the vehicle then I would think there wouldn't be more thread than needed. After all, why go to the bother of machining extra thread on there if its not required?

If the bushes look like they will split then I would suggest that perhaps the quality is not up to scratch!

[ITSv40]

The specification is 3 -5mm of thread showing above the nut.

[flyingtech55]

Good....I'm glad I did it right then. I went for 5mm. I've got a little 5mm depth gauge thingy. It means they're the same both sides. Whew!

[Umski]

Thanks folks - sorry I didn't get a chance to update. I watched the video posted by aldred309uk and it seems my intuition was correct in the end as I'd already done the driver's side and started on the passenger (much easier the second time) - now confirmed by others too that tightening all the way is a bit too far - I have a few mm showing at the top as they were before - I'm going to double check this as although the knock seems to have gone, I've become over-sensitive to odd noises and I reckon something else may need replacing, possibly the big arm bush or lower (short) arm (I did the tops a couple of year's back)...

[flyingtech55]

Be aware...renewing the bush in the end of the trailing arm is a non-trivial job. The outer part of the bush is plastic and you can't just press it in. I don't know how Volvo do it but they must have a special tool of some kind to compress the bush prior to inserting it. The part that looks like the sleeve of the bush is actually part of the arm.

HTH

Tim

[Umski]

Originally Posted by flyingtech55

Be aware...renewing the bush in the end of the trailing arm is a non-trivial job. The outer part of the bush is plastic and you can't just press it in. I don't know how Volvo do it but they must have a special tool of some kind to compress the bush prior to inserting it. The part that looks like the sleeve of the bush is actually part of the arm.

HTH

Tim

Thanks, yes I figured as much I didn't get a good look but couldn't see anything obvious so hopefully it's not those. I did some similar front bushes on a VW Polo a few year's back and bust my vice pressing the second in. Had to resort to Kwik-Fit doing me a favour with the second