Rose Joint Drop Links anyone?
Discussion
You should be able to make these up yourself quite easily using parts from McGill Motorsport.
v8s4me said:
You should be able to make these up yourself quite easily using parts from McGill Motorsport.
Was going to say McGill do very good rose joints at a very fair price also, a lot of the Racers use theres and they have been fine, so they are cheap only in price, not quality 
Since the first post I haven't done a lot except lust now when I was looking at my drop links when doing the ARB clamp the other week.
I noticed the aly hex bar at the bottom of the drop link assembl has corroded quite badly, almost rotted away in fact (over a period of 5-6 years).
I suspect it's galvanic action causing the corrosion. The small benefit though is that it's a sacrificial anode so it's protecting the rest of the metalwork slightly.
Anyhoo upshot is I'll be making some replacement and have enough hex bar to make 4 or 5, so that's the bottom bit taken care of.
I noticed the aly hex bar at the bottom of the drop link assembl has corroded quite badly, almost rotted away in fact (over a period of 5-6 years).
I suspect it's galvanic action causing the corrosion. The small benefit though is that it's a sacrificial anode so it's protecting the rest of the metalwork slightly.
Anyhoo upshot is I'll be making some replacement and have enough hex bar to make 4 or 5, so that's the bottom bit taken care of.
adam quantrill said:
Since the first post I haven't done a lot except lust now when I was looking at my drop links when doing the ARB clamp the other week.
I noticed the aly hex bar at the bottom of the drop link assembl has corroded quite badly, almost rotted away in fact (over a period of 5-6 years).
I suspect it's galvanic action causing the corrosion. The small benefit though is that it's a sacrificial anode so it's protecting the rest of the metalwork slightly.
Anyhoo upshot is I'll be making some replacement and have enough hex bar to make 4 or 5, so that's the bottom bit taken care of.
Bump. Adam did you ever get a set or two together? The SH links on my 390 are rattling like silly buggers so I was thinking of getting a new set made up, but if you've done all the hard work do you have a set or do you have the various dimensions so I can sort a set out myself? Cheers.I noticed the aly hex bar at the bottom of the drop link assembl has corroded quite badly, almost rotted away in fact (over a period of 5-6 years).
I suspect it's galvanic action causing the corrosion. The small benefit though is that it's a sacrificial anode so it's protecting the rest of the metalwork slightly.
Anyhoo upshot is I'll be making some replacement and have enough hex bar to make 4 or 5, so that's the bottom bit taken care of.
Hi Keith I've done a bit of machining to make the lower hex aluminium part, so far.
As mine have corroded further, I'm surprised they are holding together but they are currently still OK.
Once I've made one set of bottom bits and tried them out then further sets should be fairly straightforward. I have to be in the workshop a bit over the next few weeks so should have a chance to finish them off.
The rest of it is just bolting bits together so should be just a matter of ordering the correct size rose joints.
As mine have corroded further, I'm surprised they are holding together but they are currently still OK.
Once I've made one set of bottom bits and tried them out then further sets should be fairly straightforward. I have to be in the workshop a bit over the next few weeks so should have a chance to finish them off.
The rest of it is just bolting bits together so should be just a matter of ordering the correct size rose joints.
I've had a look at McGills website and they do have pretty much every available dimension, whether metric or imperial. It's just the HEX adapter section that seems to be the issue. Do you have the exact diameters required for each end? The lower bolted section and the larger ARB diameter? Mine are stuck fast to the ARB so I've a nasty feeling they may well get FUBAR when I eventually get them off.
Hi Adam, I managed to get mine apart after removing the ARB from the car. I've measured all the bits and despite what SH says earlier in the thread the internal large rose joint is 16mm which matches the OD of the ARB where the joint slides on and the thread is M16 so looks like the McGill SIK16T will fit. For the smaller M8 joint the SAK8T also measures pretty much the same as the existing joint.
The HEX adapter on mine is a drilled and tapped M16 high tensile bolt, with 25mm of thread length. I think I'll buy a couple of the cheaper joints as a trial just to double check all fits.
The HEX adapter on mine is a drilled and tapped M16 high tensile bolt, with 25mm of thread length. I think I'll buy a couple of the cheaper joints as a trial just to double check all fits.
Edited by KKson on Monday 19th June 10:31
adam quantrill said:
Yeah McGills is the one although some cheaper ones come up on the flea too. How is the hex end on the lower wishbone holding up?
You mean the fancy little bracket that bolts to the lower wishbone? Both look immaculate - they are anodised blue brackets with a fancy stepped taper on them, which are totally different to the drop links on the 350i which are considerably plainer.
Ha ha - OK Steve's been playing with the lathe I see... Well it saves a few grammes but at the expense of some torsional stability.
My version has a bigger size hex bar plus a heavier duty lower rose joint. As I found the only weak point was the small rose joint which could occasionally snap once I had put a LOT of miles on it.
My version has a bigger size hex bar plus a heavier duty lower rose joint. As I found the only weak point was the small rose joint which could occasionally snap once I had put a LOT of miles on it.
The other problem is that the original SH lower bracket only just has enough of a gap so that the lower rose joint is touching the insides on full suspension extension, which can cause bending stress.
A larger rose joint would have less lateral movement. My bigger lower bracket will have a much wider slot to allow far more freedom of movement.
A larger rose joint would have less lateral movement. My bigger lower bracket will have a much wider slot to allow far more freedom of movement.
Right gents, Steve Heath style drop links now totally refurbished. As above the two rose joints are off the shelf from McGill Motorsport. Large joint is M16 thread and 16mm hole part number SIK16T. Smaller rose joint is M8 part number SAK8T. if you are making from scratch then adapter to join the two joints together is an M16 by 25mm high tensile bolt drilled and tapped to M8. Brackets to fit to suspension arm are machined, drilled and tapped HEX bar. Total cost for the four joints was £30.
Well pleased with total lack of rattle.
Well pleased with total lack of rattle.
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