DIY Adjustable ARB Drop Links

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Ok, so I have done a fair bit of work over the summer including some overhauling of the suspension with some new TRW bits and ARB bushes. I got a good deal on some Bilstein drop links and decided to swap them out during the work. I debated for ages if I should dabble with the adjustable drop link option but they all seemed £££'s for what they are. I found these on Ebay at a more reasonable £92 for a pair.

They took ages to arrive (it was a UK seller as well) and when they finally did I was a little non-plussed TBH. The bolts etc. were nothing special and the whole thing looked and felt like to British climate would see it off in next to no time.

This got me thinking - could this be done in stainless as a DIY.?

So........

First of all I sourced some m10 turnbuckles (they are used on boats for tightening rigging) and these were in marine grade stainless. The principle is that having a left and right hand thread, when the boys is rotated it lengthens or shortens the overall length. Found a great deal on Ebay and got 4 for £20.

Next up I needed the rose joints for the ends, there are loads about but I plumped for some reasonably priced ones just in case the whole thing proved too harsh for road use. There are precision joints with PTFE etc. but these will be fine for now. Got 8 of them for £24 (4 of them being LH thread).

Finally, I sourced some misalignment washers which allow the rose joint to have a greater range of movement. These were £8, again from Ebay.

After getting some stainless bolts, washers and nylon nuts for £12 and some rose joint boots to keep the water out for £16 I had all the parts.

Here is the combo assembled and ready to fit - I have some 10mm O/D stainless tube to sleeve up the long bolts as the original Porsche bolt at the upper mount is m10 and the rose joints take 8mm bolts.

Not had chance to fit them as yet - will be done in the next week or so and I'll report back.

In terms of cost this currently stands me at:- £80 for the lot, which is pretty good for a complete set of adjustable drop links?.

 

[Buddy]

Interesting project Chris, M10 turnbuckle should have enough strength and no doubt you checked the catalogue load limits of the rose joints but I'd be dubious of the step down from 10mm to 8mm since not only is it a large reduction on the cross section of the bolt but Stainless Steel is not of the same strength as a High Tensile Steel bolt. Have you checked on the possibility of getting the rose joints bored out? Some rose joints can be turned to a position to remove the centre piece and get the bore machined.

 

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Hi Kevan, just looking at running a 10mm drill through the rose joint. I am not sure if the originals are indeed high tensile since the thread pitch is standard metric and the old links have an amount of 'cheapness' about them if that is a possible reference on a Porsche forum!. I will report back when I fit them.

ORIGINAL: Buddy Interesting project Chris, M10 turnbuckle should have enough strength and no doubt you checked the catalogue load limits of the rose joints but I'd be dubious of the step down from 10mm to 8mm since not only is it a large reduction on the cross section of the bolt but Stainless Steel is not of the same strength as a High Tensile Steel bolt. Have you checked on the possibility of getting the rose joints bored out? Some rose joints can be turned to a position to remove the centre piece and get the bore machined.

 

[Buddy]

Chris, if all goes well with this, and I hope it does, then it would be good if you can do an article with photos for the Technical section of our forum. To remove the centres on some rose joints there are grooves in one side of the outer spherical so that you can turn the centre at 90 degrees and slide it out.

 

[Motorhead]

FYI Chris - Typical tensile strength [02.% yield strength] values for steels in MPa (N/mm**2): Carbon steel: 400- 500 [250-400] Alloy steel: 800-1000 [650-900] Stainless steel: 700-800 [450-600] I'd expect shear strength to have similar trends (values?). As Kevan says, I can't see there being a problem with the turnbuckle and rose joints but I'd be inclined to try to stick with the original 10mm bolt size, if only for safety's sake. Not something you want to let go in fast cornering..! Keep us posted on progress. Jeff

 

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Thanks Kevan - of course I will do an article & photo's.

ORIGINAL: Buddy Chris, if all goes well with this, and I hope it does, then it would be good if you can do an article with photos for the Technical section of our forum. To remove the centres on some rose joints there are grooves in one side of the outer spherical so that you can turn the centre at 90 degrees and slide it out.