ARB Drop Link Upgrade
- Thread starter 944turboS
- Start date
Diver944
Active member
Simon at Essential Styling stocks them www.essentialstyling.com
cdickinson
New member
I have recently performed this upgrade along with replacing all ARB and drop link bushes. It has made the front end sooo much better.
Strongly recommended, especially for the money.
Strongly recommended, especially for the money.
Peter Empson
PCGB Member
I don't have a picture of them fitted but hopefully this should help.
Forgive me for being a cheapskate, but how much did those cost, and are they really as simple as some zinc-yellow passivated bits of mild steel?
They triangulate the ARB mount back to another point on the car - what is the point that they bolt to? (When I last looked under mine I saw some threaded holes in front of the ARB mounts which looked ideal for the job of triangulating them, but those seem to be bolted to an aluminium casting of some kind, which slightly confuses me.)
You may have guessed I am thinking of a DIY equivalent ...
Oli.
They triangulate the ARB mount back to another point on the car - what is the point that they bolt to? (When I last looked under mine I saw some threaded holes in front of the ARB mounts which looked ideal for the job of triangulating them, but those seem to be bolted to an aluminium casting of some kind, which slightly confuses me.)
You may have guessed I am thinking of a DIY equivalent ...
Oli.
cdickinson
New member
Hi Charles,
I replaced the ARB inner and outer bushes, and the Link-pin bushes all with new originals. I personally don't think the cab warrants anything more. Purchased from my local OPC at £47.77 all in with a little discount.
The ARB links were from ESS, £28.95 delivered.
The whole job took me about 5 hours but I did a lot of cleaning around, copper greasing, grazing knuckles etc!
The ARB work was much easier than I had expected - just ensure you soak everything in WD40 a couple of times in advance of starting the job. Oh, and fairly liquid is just the trick for getting the new bushes on the ARB.
I replaced all the bushes because the originals were just knackered - starting to crack and break-down and leaving huge gaps around the ARB when fully loaded. (wheels on the floor!)
The ARB links were a little awkward just because of the opposite forces working at the ARB end whilst you are putting it all together. A bit of patience and a few bleeding knuckles later sorted it out.
I am certainly not an advanced mechanic and leave most jobs to my Indie, but you should give this one a try as it is fairly straight forward and has certainly made a big difference to my car.
Chris.
p.s. I also fitted 968 castor mounts about 6 months ago - I would also do this if you haven't already whilst you are at it....
I replaced the ARB inner and outer bushes, and the Link-pin bushes all with new originals. I personally don't think the cab warrants anything more. Purchased from my local OPC at £47.77 all in with a little discount.
The ARB links were from ESS, £28.95 delivered.
The whole job took me about 5 hours but I did a lot of cleaning around, copper greasing, grazing knuckles etc!
The ARB work was much easier than I had expected - just ensure you soak everything in WD40 a couple of times in advance of starting the job. Oh, and fairly liquid is just the trick for getting the new bushes on the ARB.
I replaced all the bushes because the originals were just knackered - starting to crack and break-down and leaving huge gaps around the ARB when fully loaded. (wheels on the floor!)
The ARB links were a little awkward just because of the opposite forces working at the ARB end whilst you are putting it all together. A bit of patience and a few bleeding knuckles later sorted it out.
I am certainly not an advanced mechanic and leave most jobs to my Indie, but you should give this one a try as it is fairly straight forward and has certainly made a big difference to my car.
Chris.
p.s. I also fitted 968 castor mounts about 6 months ago - I would also do this if you haven't already whilst you are at it....
John,
Thanks. I'll have a closer look when I am next under there. (The threaded holes were in front of the ARB mounts, but I don't recall them being in aluminium. My memory is quite possible playing tricks on me tho'.)
Chris,
I did the same, but changed the shocks and tie-rods while I was in there.
I'd agree that the job isn't that bad, but you do need a vice and a large screwdriver or pry bar to get the ARB end bushes out of the drop-links, as they are quite a snug fit. I used Powerflex replacements, and these are stiffer to get into place.
I'd also advise against using washing up liquid as a lubricant for sliding the bushes on. Washing-up liquid contains salt, which I'd rather not get close to the car ... I used renolit (waterproof) grease, which made a huge mess, but that washed off ... having said that I can appreciate that you maybe don't want to use petroleum products near rubber bushes as it will start to rot them. (As I said, Powerflex ones are plastic therefore immune.)
Another piece of advice when doing the job is to assemble the whole thing with all bolts very loose (as this will allow it to go together), and then tighten it all up. If you do one part up tight before assembling the rest then there won't be enough play to fit the rest together.
I found the job made a difference, but wasn't sure whether to attribute it to the new shocks, the new ARB bushes, the new tie rods or the alignment!
Oli.
Thanks. I'll have a closer look when I am next under there. (The threaded holes were in front of the ARB mounts, but I don't recall them being in aluminium. My memory is quite possible playing tricks on me tho'.)
Chris,
I did the same, but changed the shocks and tie-rods while I was in there.
I'd agree that the job isn't that bad, but you do need a vice and a large screwdriver or pry bar to get the ARB end bushes out of the drop-links, as they are quite a snug fit. I used Powerflex replacements, and these are stiffer to get into place.
I'd also advise against using washing up liquid as a lubricant for sliding the bushes on. Washing-up liquid contains salt, which I'd rather not get close to the car ... I used renolit (waterproof) grease, which made a huge mess, but that washed off ... having said that I can appreciate that you maybe don't want to use petroleum products near rubber bushes as it will start to rot them. (As I said, Powerflex ones are plastic therefore immune.)
Another piece of advice when doing the job is to assemble the whole thing with all bolts very loose (as this will allow it to go together), and then tighten it all up. If you do one part up tight before assembling the rest then there won't be enough play to fit the rest together.
I found the job made a difference, but wasn't sure whether to attribute it to the new shocks, the new ARB bushes, the new tie rods or the alignment!
Oli.
sawood12
New member
ORIGINAL: John Sims
I think you will find that the aluminum casing is the front crossmember. []
Yes, and the bolt doesn't screw into the aluminium cross member, it goes through the cross member and screws into the front chassis rails.
They are a bit of a pain to install actually. I don't know if you can see from the photo I posted but the brackets actually brace the drop links by bending them slightly forward. This makes them a PITA to fit as you have to bend the drop links forward to line up the bolt holes.
So - hang on (stupid question here) - do the brackets go in front of the ARB mounting points (i.e. towards the front of the car) or behind them? I presume from looking at the photo (and particularly the brake cooling scoops) that they are behind it?
The bolt holes I mentioned were in front of the ARB mounting points - I must be looking the wrong way (as usual, eh? Can't spot a pair of brake calipers, can't tell the difference between the front of the car and the back of the car - not my day, eh?)
ETA: How much difference do these mounting brackets make? The ARB mounting points are very spindly (particularly given the size of the ARB's themselves) but how much they flex will depend upon the direction in which force is being applied to them. Forces which are directly upwards or downwards will be resisted fairly well, I'd have thought.
Oli.
The bolt holes I mentioned were in front of the ARB mounting points - I must be looking the wrong way (as usual, eh? Can't spot a pair of brake calipers, can't tell the difference between the front of the car and the back of the car - not my day, eh?)
ETA: How much difference do these mounting brackets make? The ARB mounting points are very spindly (particularly given the size of the ARB's themselves) but how much they flex will depend upon the direction in which force is being applied to them. Forces which are directly upwards or downwards will be resisted fairly well, I'd have thought.
Oli.
sawood12
New member
They mount behind the arb drop links and triangulates them with the aluminium cross member botl.
They make your drop links work. The drop links buckle under heavy cornering therefore reducing the effectiveness of your front ARB. These drop links prevent them from buckling and actually make your front ARB work properly. They don't make night and day difference but do give you a bit more control under heavy cornering. For £20-odd you are definately better off having them than not. Married to Powerflex bushes I think you'd really notice a big improvement.
They make your drop links work. The drop links buckle under heavy cornering therefore reducing the effectiveness of your front ARB. These drop links prevent them from buckling and actually make your front ARB work properly. They don't make night and day difference but do give you a bit more control under heavy cornering. For £20-odd you are definately better off having them than not. Married to Powerflex bushes I think you'd really notice a big improvement.
Posts made and opinions expressed are those of the individual forum members
Use of the Forum is subject to the Terms and Conditions
