Replacing anti-roll bar drop links corolla!

breadbin

I had to cut the old one off because the Allen key bolt was stripped so I got a replacement. I took out the shock, clamped the spring put it on the new strut and put it back in the car. I fastened the 2 19mm bolts first then pushed it up into the 3 holes at top and tightened them. Nothing too hard with it. I then went to put the new drop link on and for the life of me I couldn't. At first I thought it was too long. The bolt on the drop link was about 2 inches above the hole on the strut. I checked it against the old one and it was exact same size.

The underneath bar that the drop link attaches to was springy but I tried pulling it back by hand and with wire but wasn't able to get the bolt to meet up with the other hole. I had to drive it down the road to the mechanic to do. Wasn't too far thank god. Not sure its very safe driving without it.

The thing is I was dying to see how he did it, whether he used a clamp or some sort of block and tackle to take the strain out of the bar but he didn't have to! When he put the car on the hoist there was no gap. The 2 bolts fitted perfectly. He didn't have to break a sweat just tighten them.

I want to know why this is for the next time I do the other shock. I don't have a hoist that will lift up a car so how can I do this in the future. Is it that I didn't lift the car up enough with the car jack? I used the jack that comes with the car. Hope someone can help cos I'd be fearful of doing the other shock if I couldn't get the drop link back on.

shietpilot

Basically an anti-roll bar tries to minimise the difference in the amount the springs/shocks are compressed on either side of the car. If you raise one corner of the car, the anti-roll bar applies lots of pressure to keep both shocks at an equal compression so when you remove the drop link they don't line up.

What you would have to do is put a jack under the hub and raise it up until the anti-roll bar can slip onto your drop link OR raise both sides of the car.

The garage raised the car evenly on 4 points so the anti-roll bar wasn't providing any pressure and it lined up correctly.

breadbin

Thanks, that makes sense. So if I used a trolley jack on the front of the car and had axle stands on each side it would be OK?

shietpilot

breadbin wrote: »

Thanks, that makes sense. So if I used a trolley jack on the front of the car and had axle stands on each side it would be OK?

Easiest way would be to leave car on an axle stand as you had it, put the jack under the hub and raise the hub with the jack until the drop link fits in properly

Special Circumstances

shietpilot wrote: »

Easiest way would be to leave car on an axle stand as you had it, put the jack under the hub and raise the hub with the jack until the drop link fits in properly

Maybe this is the yeehaw way to do it, but I have left the car on the ground and Jacked up the arb until things are lined up. If you have space to access things without jacking the car itself up.

shietpilot

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Maybe this is the yeehaw way to do it, but I have left the car on the ground and Jacked up the arb until things are lined up. If you have space to access things without jacking the car itself up.

What kind of car do you drive to have that kind of access?

Special Circumstances

shietpilot wrote: »

What kind of car do you drive to have that kind of access?

Mitsubishi Outlander with the VW daysul ;-)

breadbin

I also had a bit of trouble with the nut on top of the strut. Is there a proper way to tighten it and loosen it? I had an awful time trying to loosen it. There's nothing to grab hold of! Same for tightening.

colm_mcm

Sometimes you can use an Allen key, depending on the brand. My mechanic uses an air gun, or grips the shock (not where it would meet the seals) with a vice grip. i normally loosen mine with the car on the ground first.

breadbin

So it would be ok to tighten it up when it's in the car? I checked the nut when I had it back in the car and it wasn't very tight! I was able to tighten it a few turns until there was some springy resistance. Probably the coil pushing against it.

It was an eye opener. Suppose it gets easier the more you do it!

colm_mcm

You'd want to be certain that the nut was on sufficiently tight that the spring wouldn't send the whole thing flying. Springs under compression are dangerous.

There's no problem tightening it when it's on the car, but you need to be careful that you're not putting yourself in danger too.

Vice grip on the top of the shock and tighten Whilst off the car would be the way I'd do it, tighten again once on the car too.

breadbin

Some of them have allen key fitting in the top. Not the Monroes I got though. There is a disc on the top that locks onto the top of the strut. That's what I used to grab hold of. Messy though. At one stage I thought about cutting the strut! But wouldn't help me get the nut off. Might have to save up for impact gun! Would make things alot easier!