Drop Link Update

[normanh]

Having had an advisory at the last MOT on the 10th Jan I decided to replace the rubbers with Polybush PU 7R rubbers. This is what I found - the drop links were replaced in the spring 2019 and the rubbers were clearly rotten and badly perished.I changed the nearside first. The droplinks were purchased online and have no middle cup washer that locates in the arm so I reused the originals no problem. Replacing the perished rubbers was a bit of a battle as they are so difficult to compress to get the bottom stud nut started so I had to leave off the 3rd cup washer. As I had reused the original Toyota ones I still had not those supplied with another brand new Internet link, it all fitted well. The offside wasnt so easy for the following reasons - the balljoint thread was faulty and the nylock just wouldnt torque up leaving it rattling. On closer examination the thread was not cut correctly, I had to run a dienut done it for the last 3 threads. I couldnt even get a 10mm nut to run down the thread, so that was solved. Fitting the bushes proved more of a problem as these are some 0.8 mm wider on the diameter, the aftermarket cups are smaller than stock and I had none left. The solution was to put a 1 mm chamfer on the bottom edge of the rubber enabling it to sit better in the cup, hey presto that solved the issue. I replaced both links just out of good practice as I had a spare pair already. The funny thing is fitting the 1st set was no real issue once the old ones were removed. IO must have just been unlucky with the dodgy thread.

The moral is dont bank on these unbranded internet links they may seem cheap but are really crap took me another 1 1/2 hours backwards and forward to the house re-jacking the car etc to sort this thus buy branded. The PU Bushes have a spec of 85 Shore, I would guess that those supplied were no greater that about 70 which equated to tyre rubber so beware.

Norman

[Ardent]

Dear @normanh

If it is not too rude, what online links did you go for, Having just pulled the trigger on the yaris arms, by default I might as well do the drop links, the Mr T ones are £76 each (I think)

[tets]

I had a thread pretty much identical to this a few weeks ago - I fitted Yaris arms which are fine but I ended up having to cut the new link off as the thread wasn't complete!
The bad links were from energised customs from ebay which is where I bought the Yaris arms.
I have sent them a message to let them know

cheers
Steve

[normanh]

Fleabay the drop links shown in the earlier thread are identical by tets. Last Time I ever buy these! Just checked my fleabay records yep same seller so avoid like the plague folks.

https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=68618.0

Norman

[Bossworld]

Dear @normanh

If it is not too rude, what online links did you go for, Having just pulled the trigger on the yaris arms, by default I might as well do the drop links, the Mr T ones are £76 each (I think)

Not hijacking the thread but I've used both Japko 106266 and ABS 260602 without issue.  Amazon occasionally have them up cheap as one off clearances (talking £5 ish when they were reduced).  I will add that neither manufacturer supplies the middle retainer, as discussed on one of these threads.