Drop links (again). Alternatives please!

[Chuffmeister]

Looks like it's fouling the nut on the back of the hub Jon? It may just be the angle/ shadow, but it does look awfully close!

[Jon100p]

It looks closer than it is in the photo, actually about 5 mm clear with load on the wheel (as in the photo) and more unloaded. There is more clearance without the spacer fitted but I thought it was better to have a reduced angle on the link and a miss is as good as a mile!

Interestingly, with the original link fitted, the ARB fouled on the hub carrier when jacked up and the wheel fully dropped. This made removing the old links a pig. No fouls with the accord ones.

Jon

[ch427]

Glad they fit, probably the same as the set ive just paid £60 for from tvr parts, i wasted money on the civic links first and they were nowhere near.
Lesson learnt!

[Alexdaredevils]

Here is my effort with uprated teflon lined high performance rose joints ( yes I'm going to cut them down when I measure them up)

[Chuffmeister]

Rubber boots are a good idea.

[jesfirth]

Just ditch the rear arb. My car handles a lot better without it. You might need stiffer springs though to make best use though.

[phazed]

jesfirth said:

Just ditch the rear arb. My car handles a lot better without it. You might need stiffer springs though to make best use though.

Interesting.

I've fitted stiffer ARBs front and rear!

I need a good TD with Triple 8s on to test properly.

[ch427]

Alexdaredevils said:

Here is my effort with uprated teflon lined high performance rose joints ( yes I'm going to cut them down when I measure them up)

Nice job, were the rose joints M10?

[Alexdaredevils]

Yes from McGill

[jesfirth]

phazed said:

jesfirth said:

Just ditch the rear arb. My car handles a lot better without it. You might need stiffer springs though to make best use though.

Interesting.

I've fitted stiffer ARBs front and rear!

I need a good TD with Triple 8s on to test properly.

Interestingly I have a stiffer front arb as well. A good track day will help but you really need a hidden data logger to try it with arb connected then disconnected to see the difference. Removing/ disconnecting the rear arb changes the feel of the car. It seemed at first less predictable but once I got used to it I have found that it has more outright grip which shows up on the lateral g force in the corners. It has taken a lot of time to get it roughly right and I am still not quite there.

What I have found is that the stiffer front arb generates understeer in high speed corners which is a good thing. It is easier to push through that by breaking rear traction through the use of your right foot and then balance the car through the middle of the corner and on the exit on the throttle. It's harder to drive like that because you start the corner with a front end slide and finish with a rear end slide but overall it's quicker through the bend. Not recommended on the road obviously.

[Jon100p]

Update on the Accord links fitted to front of my Chim - one failed! Looks like too much angle on the lower joint on the NS. OS looks OK but have now fitted the "upgraded" £60 per pair versions from "genuine" TVR parts. So £21 wasted.

Jon

[SILICONEKID345HP]

The leven one`s are good value

[J400GED]

Chuffmeister said:

Looks like it's fouling the nut on the back of the hub Jon? It may just be the angle/ shadow, but it does look awfully close!

Just noticed this pic. The drop link looks to be incorrectly fitted in that the lower balljoint should be behind the ARB and the nut forward of the bracket and the upper balljoint doesn't appear to be very close to the ARB - this will increase the stress on the upper balljoint.

Here's a pic of mine (before refurb)



It Looks like my ARB sits further away (inboard) from the hub.

Hope this helps

Ged

[Bluebottle]

jesfirth said:

phazed said:

jesfirth said:

Just ditch the rear arb. My car handles a lot better without it. You might need stiffer springs though to make best use though.

Interesting.

I've fitted stiffer ARBs front and rear!

I need a good TD with Triple 8s on to test properly.

Interestingly I have a stiffer front arb as well. A good track day will help but you really need a hidden data logger to try it with arb connected then disconnected to see the difference. Removing/ disconnecting the rear arb changes the feel of the car. It seemed at first less predictable but once I got used to it I have found that it has more outright grip which shows up on the lateral g force in the corners. It has taken a lot of time to get it roughly right and I am still not quite there.

What I have found is that the stiffer front arb generates understeer in high speed corners which is a good thing. It is easier to push through that by breaking rear traction through the use of your right foot and then balance the car through the middle of the corner and on the exit on the throttle. It's harder to drive like that because you start the corner with a front end slide and finish with a rear end slide but overall it's quicker through the bend. Not recommended on the road obviously.

Not tried disconnecting the front to test the difference, but I did break a rear arb mount during a T/D once and it made a big difference. lap times went up and rear tyre wear went up (significantly) due to lack of traction exiting corners

[s3c chris]

More drop link thoughts!
I have purchased a pair of Lemforder Mondeo drop links for the rear and a pair of Accord for the front.
I've had a quick look today and I think the rears will be fine but not I'm sure about the fronts.
The ball joints on the Accord ones face in the same direction to each other, albeit at different angles, whereas the originals are opposite each other.
It seems to me that the TVR parts uprated ones are the best solution (even though they are dearer) as the orientation of the joints looks correct.
One other thought occurred to me though.... It would be relatively easy to remove the original drop link mount from the wishbone, make another and weld it in the correct place for the Accord droplinks. I think!
My car is a '97 model incidentally.
Regards Chris.

[ch427]

s3c chris said:

More drop link thoughts!
I have purchased a pair of Lemforder Mondeo drop links for the rear and a pair of Accord for the front.
I've had a quick look today and I think the rears will be fine but not I'm sure about the fronts.
The ball joints on the Accord ones face in the same direction to each other, albeit at different angles, whereas the originals are opposite each other.
It seems to me that the TVR parts uprated ones are the best solution (even though they are dearer) as the orientation of the joints looks correct.
One other thought occurred to me though.... It would be relatively easy to remove the original drop link mount from the wishbone, make another and weld it in the correct place for the Accord droplinks. I think!
My car is a '97 model incidentally.
Regards Chris.

Ive just been through this and ended up buying the uprated TVR parts versions as i could not be bothered second guessing what would fit. The ball joint ends also seem to be too bulky on modern accord type droplinks whereas the TVR parts are a lot slimmer, i removed a set of steve heath links and did not wish to go back to rose joints.
The mondeo links i fitted to the rear only lasted a week before shearing due to the angles they were working at, the roll bar needs modifying to fit them. I removed the roll bar completely and i cant tell the difference on the road.
Sometimes you just have to accept the price for the awkward parts and move on.

Edited by ch427 on Sunday 31st May 17:17

[Chuffmeister]

Have the rear ARB bent in at 30mm on each side. Mondeo ones will fit a treat then. Mine still going strong and if they will last on Phazed's beast, they will last on most!