Question for Steve Heath - ARB droplinks
Discussion
Hi all,
This is mainly aimed at Mr Heath - but any help would be appreciated!
I've recently fitted a pair of rear ARB links to my chim (and an extremely well -made piece of kit they are). They weren't too difficult to fit, and the instructions are concise and easy to follow...... but... now whenever I turn left I get a 'clonk' from what sounds like the nearside rear. Doesn't happen when in a straight line, or turning right - only left.
Now, i've had a quick look underneath (i'll have a more in depth one at the weekend) and I can't see anything obviously out of order. Though do the links have to be absolutely vertical? For some reason the ends of my rollbar don't match exactly with the wishbone supports so the links are at a slight angle? Would that cause this? I don't see theres much I can do about that!
Oh, as extra info, the ones I took off were absolutely sha**ed - hence the replacement!
Any help much appreciated.
Cheers
Mark
This is mainly aimed at Mr Heath - but any help would be appreciated!
I've recently fitted a pair of rear ARB links to my chim (and an extremely well -made piece of kit they are). They weren't too difficult to fit, and the instructions are concise and easy to follow...... but... now whenever I turn left I get a 'clonk' from what sounds like the nearside rear. Doesn't happen when in a straight line, or turning right - only left.
Now, i've had a quick look underneath (i'll have a more in depth one at the weekend) and I can't see anything obviously out of order. Though do the links have to be absolutely vertical? For some reason the ends of my rollbar don't match exactly with the wishbone supports so the links are at a slight angle? Would that cause this? I don't see theres much I can do about that!
Oh, as extra info, the ones I took off were absolutely sha**ed - hence the replacement!
Any help much appreciated.
Cheers
Mark
Have a look through this thread, contains lots of info on ARB droplink alignment lower down
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?p=1&f=9&t=304976&h=0
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?p=1&f=9&t=304976&h=0
I had this problem myself recently. I found that I could recreate the 'clonk' by lifting the offending side at the wheel arch.
After much looking about, the clonk was traced to the droplink itself. I found that it seemed that the blue (in my case) or red section of the droplink was clouting the part that links to the wishbone somewhere.
I initially tried loosening and re-seating the roll bar end of the droplink, then I found that after tightening the bolt/nut that went through the rose joint closest to the wishbone end - no more clonk!
Might not be the same in your case, but worth a shot IMO.
After much looking about, the clonk was traced to the droplink itself. I found that it seemed that the blue (in my case) or red section of the droplink was clouting the part that links to the wishbone somewhere.
I initially tried loosening and re-seating the roll bar end of the droplink, then I found that after tightening the bolt/nut that went through the rose joint closest to the wishbone end - no more clonk!
Might not be the same in your case, but worth a shot IMO.
Right, I took a look at this last night when I got home (car on the ground, mind).
The nearside one (the one that clunks) can be twisted round slightly by hand, but the other side is completely solid - which is the right one?
Oddly, when twisting the nearside one round, it makes exactly the same clunking noise as when driving.
I am now thoroughly confused!!
Mark
The nearside one (the one that clunks) can be twisted round slightly by hand, but the other side is completely solid - which is the right one?
Oddly, when twisting the nearside one round, it makes exactly the same clunking noise as when driving.
I am now thoroughly confused!!
Mark
Are they the same length?
If one is shorter than the other it will preload it and that is will make it hard as it has pressure on it. It will also be hard if one side is jacked up when you looked at it. When looking at these, both sides should be supported so that the rear suspension is in droop on both sides. If only one side is jacked up when doing the alignment, it will be wrong as the ARB is already twisting.
Are the bolts that go through the yoke and smaller rose joint tight?
They should be tight enough so that the sides of the yoke grip the sides of the rose joint.
The bolt is not meant to be a pivot. The rose joint does that job. If it isn't tight then the Rose joint can move and clunk on the bolt. I have been supplying the drop links already tightened for some months but it is worth checking or it might need a bit of tweaking.
If the clunking is on one side then it is either the drop link hitting something in which case, try repositioning or even lengthening the link by unscrewing the rose joint to give more clearance or it can be caused by the yoke bolt simply not tight enough and causing the rod end to move on the bolt as I said earlier.
You may be able to reproduce the clunk by jacking up one side and getting someone to bounce on the other side.
This is also a good way of making sure that there are no problems.
If one is shorter than the other it will preload it and that is will make it hard as it has pressure on it. It will also be hard if one side is jacked up when you looked at it. When looking at these, both sides should be supported so that the rear suspension is in droop on both sides. If only one side is jacked up when doing the alignment, it will be wrong as the ARB is already twisting.
Are the bolts that go through the yoke and smaller rose joint tight?
They should be tight enough so that the sides of the yoke grip the sides of the rose joint.
The bolt is not meant to be a pivot. The rose joint does that job. If it isn't tight then the Rose joint can move and clunk on the bolt. I have been supplying the drop links already tightened for some months but it is worth checking or it might need a bit of tweaking.
If the clunking is on one side then it is either the drop link hitting something in which case, try repositioning or even lengthening the link by unscrewing the rose joint to give more clearance or it can be caused by the yoke bolt simply not tight enough and causing the rod end to move on the bolt as I said earlier.
You may be able to reproduce the clunk by jacking up one side and getting someone to bounce on the other side.
This is also a good way of making sure that there are no problems.
Edited by shpub on Thursday 21st September 12:06
Thanks Steve
When I fitted them the rear was entirely off the ground, but now i'm wondering if perhaps I managed to preload it slightly while doing them up?
Either way, i'll get it in the air at the weekend and have a proper butchers.
As an aside, I can highly recommend these - the car already feels much flatter in cornering (the old ones were so bad I don't think they were even doing anything), i'm gonna do the fronts next!
Cheers
Mark
When I fitted them the rear was entirely off the ground, but now i'm wondering if perhaps I managed to preload it slightly while doing them up?
Either way, i'll get it in the air at the weekend and have a proper butchers.
As an aside, I can highly recommend these - the car already feels much flatter in cornering (the old ones were so bad I don't think they were even doing anything), i'm gonna do the fronts next!
Cheers
Mark
Took these shots a couple of weeks ago after fitting front and rear; dunno if they're of much use for your purposes. I had to extend the length of the rear links to reduce the splay. If you follow that route for whatever reason, just be careful how much you unscrew the eye-end from the link body as there is no safety hole. Use a rule and measure the lenth of eye-end thread and a little common sense as to a minimum that should be engaged within the link body. I'm sure Steve H will advise.
Edited by 2munkys on Thursday 21st September 17:26
Sorted!!
Turns out it was the top rose joint bolt that had come loose. I, err, think I may have, err, forgotten to do it up.... Ahem.
Thanks for the advice, as always. Steve, thanks for the contact details, glad I didn't have to ring you, would have felt a bit of an idiot if that was all it was!
Cheers
Mark
Turns out it was the top rose joint bolt that had come loose. I, err, think I may have, err, forgotten to do it up.... Ahem.
Thanks for the advice, as always. Steve, thanks for the contact details, glad I didn't have to ring you, would have felt a bit of an idiot if that was all it was!
Cheers
Mark
Quote: then I found that after tightening the bolt/nut that went through the rose joint closest to the wishbone end - no more clonk!
On my car the clonk started after driving for about 10 to 20 mls and i´m quite shure i had everything tightened pretty well. So it might be a good idea to retighten everything after about 50 mls of driving.
Cheers Jens
On my car the clonk started after driving for about 10 to 20 mls and i´m quite shure i had everything tightened pretty well. So it might be a good idea to retighten everything after about 50 mls of driving.
Cheers Jens
Having just got around to fitting the rear drop-links I purchased from Steve a 'few' months ago 
I'm now astonished how much difference they've made. I've lost all the clatter and bang over rough surfaces (previously particularly noticeable with the roof on) and there's a definite sense of all-togetherness from the back end. Taken together there's a marked improvement in driving experience and I give this after-market bolt-on two 
I'm now astonished how much difference they've made. I've lost all the clatter and bang over rough surfaces (previously particularly noticeable with the roof on) and there's a definite sense of all-togetherness from the back end. Taken together there's a marked improvement in driving experience and I give this after-market bolt-on two I've recently repaired a Griffith with the knocking syndrome. Turned out the owner had fitted the droplinks himself and they were loose.
If you are going to fit anything to your car, particularly suspension related, make sure it is done properly or damage to the car and yourself may be the result.
I'm sure the suppliers of aftermarket parts are on hand if advice is needed.
Better to be safe than sorry.
If you are going to fit anything to your car, particularly suspension related, make sure it is done properly or damage to the car and yourself may be the result.
I'm sure the suppliers of aftermarket parts are on hand if advice is needed.
Better to be safe than sorry.
Fitted the front droplinks, what an easy job, but the rear ones!!, I ended up puting the old ones back in.
No matter what I did the rear links got stuck at some part of the suspension travel. With the suspension set at the normal ride height the droplinks line up with the ARB, so forcing it either in front of or behind causes the link to bind. I suppose its possible that the ARB is bent/wrong, anyone know what it is from? I did take a couple of photos but don't know how to post them here.
No matter what I did the rear links got stuck at some part of the suspension travel. With the suspension set at the normal ride height the droplinks line up with the ARB, so forcing it either in front of or behind causes the link to bind. I suppose its possible that the ARB is bent/wrong, anyone know what it is from? I did take a couple of photos but don't know how to post them here.
pink_floyd said:
Fitted the front droplinks, what an easy job, but the rear ones!!, I ended up puting the old ones back in.
No matter what I did the rear links got stuck at some part of the suspension travel. With the suspension set at the normal ride height the droplinks line up with the ARB, so forcing it either in front of or behind causes the link to bind. I suppose its possible that the ARB is bent/wrong, anyone know what it is from? I did take a couple of photos but don't know how to post them here.
No matter what I did the rear links got stuck at some part of the suspension travel. With the suspension set at the normal ride height the droplinks line up with the ARB, so forcing it either in front of or behind causes the link to bind. I suppose its possible that the ARB is bent/wrong, anyone know what it is from? I did take a couple of photos but don't know how to post them here.
Why not email me the pictures and we can then sort this out.
If you have problems contact me - I don't bite!
PS YHM
PPS If they don't fit, it will be the first I have come across!
Edited by shpub on Monday 2nd October 07:27
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