Drop links, but I suppose you know about this?

Started by Joesson, September 26, 2022, 13:57

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Joesson

The reader may or may not be aware of this, I wasn't, but everyday being a school day Copyright @ Ardent) I realised this:
Drop links feature a ball joint, and to tighten or loosen the item while preventing the ball rotating there is typically an Allen Key hole in the fixing.
This allows a key to be inserted to hold the screw from rotation and then a spanner ring or open end, because a socket cannot be used, to move the nut.
The downside is that the drop link position means that only a part of a turn can be put on the spanner.
Realising there could be another way, I employed an Allen Key bit, that comes with sets of screw drivers etc. an adapter socket and a small ratchet that I have.
In this way I use the spanner to simply hold the nut in place and used the ratchet c/ w Allen Key to turn the screw, remembering, of course that the screw function is reversed
For final tightening I will use the spanner.
But, another benefit could be that a torque wrench could be used in this way for that final tightening.
But, I guess you knew that, or did you?

MikeBoo

This is one reason that I  chose to buy a set of ratchet spanners as it makes this type of job slightly easier.
2001 Toyota Liquid Silver (1D0) with hard top & original soft top.
Yokohama AD08RS all round.
Replacement manifold, BC coil overs,
Whiteline anti roll bars front & rear.
Location = East Hampshire, UK

shnazzle

And if the Allen key slot is rusted to crap, there's a flat surface you can grip under the rubber boot right against the main body. I always used a small vice/mole grips but I did use a spanner once. I think an 8? But it kept slipping so the next time I went back to mole grips.

Cutting is easier, but you still need to remove the parts at some point.
...neutiquam erro.

McMr2

For future maintenance on newly fitted droplinks, a blob of grease in the allen key hole can be enough to fend off the corrosion and ultimate rounding when removal is required!
2004 Silver. Stock(ish).

Joesson

#4
Quote from: MikeBoo on September 26, 2022, 15:56This is one reason that I  chose to buy a set of ratchet spanners as it makes this type of job slightly easier.
Ratchet spanner's are something that I should  have put on my wanted gift list when I retired and started car maintenance again. I did borrow a set back in the 80's and they allowed me to change the cam belt on a Ford Escort, impossible without them. I doubt I would get much use out of them now at my level of seniority!.

Joesson

Quote from: shnazzle on September 26, 2022, 16:58And if the Allen key slot is rusted to crap, there's a flat surface you can grip under the rubber boot right against the main body. I always used a small vice/mole grips but I did use a spanner once. I think an 8? But it kept slipping so the next time I went back to mole grips.

Cutting is easier, but you still need to remove the parts at some point.

I did use water pump pliers to remove the driver side link but then had my lightbulb moment that does allow  the use of a ratchet if you don't have a set of @MikeBoo 'S specials.

Joesson

Quote from: McMr2 on September 26, 2022, 18:22For future maintenance on newly fitted droplinks, a blob of grease in the allen key hole can be enough to fend off the corrosion and ultimate rounding when removal is required!

The next owner of my 2 might bless my forthought for that suggestion.

Call the midlife!

I've got a pass through socket set as well as ratchet spanners, has a slightly better ratchet ratio than the spanners so you get more clicks and more turn of the nut.
60% of the time it works everytime...

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