How hard to change anti roll bar drop links?

[jason1987]

also what bolts do i need as people say you need to put new bolts on, will a normal motor factors sell these?

[jason1987]

ive got a torx t30 screwdriver head, will i be able to use this with the spanner to hold stop the middle bit moving? or do i need a wrench?

[steve_earwig]

Depends how rusty it is, you may well need something more substantial.

[jason1987]

maybe i can get a torx adapter for my socket wrench

[jason1987]

hopefully the wd40 will kick in over night

[jason1987]

so what are the bolts i need to get if the old ones are wrecked?

[steve_earwig]

Bolts? Nuts I reckon, they *should* come with the new link. If not tell them where to stick it.

[jason1987]

lol ive already got the link in my car, ill go check if its got the nuts

[jason1987]

oh yh it does come with the nuts, im trying to work out how it connects, so the bolt thats rusted on that you need to put an allen key in is from the car?

[jason1987]

from looking at the pic i took, i cant work out why you need to put a torx screw in the middle to hold it, why wont the nut just unscrew? it just looks like the thread is fed through a metal plate and then a nut screwed on?

[steve_earwig]

The ball pin is a tapered fit inside the roll bar/braket on suspension leg. The plan is the taper goes through the hole and the nut pulls it tight, the torx is to stop it turning until it's almost tight enough, then you finish it off with a torque wrench. Taking it apart is another matter, you should just be able to crack it off with a wrench, then use the torx to stop it turning if it comes out of the taper but what happens is the nut ends up welded in place and the torx is nowhere near good enough to stop it turning, so the whole lot turns round and round with nothing to stop it and it's out with the angle grinder time again.

[jason1987]

i dont understand without seeing it lol

[jason1987]

and i take it the nut undoes the same was a wheel nut does? so upwards with the wrench?

[steve_earwig]

I can't find a cut away pic of a ball joint in situ but you should get an idea from your new one and, believe me, once you see it you'll wonder why you were confused.

Upwards with the wrench? Depends, if you're talking about the top one and the handle of the wrench is pointing to the right then yes, upwards. It's a bog standard, common or garden, no thrills, everyday, common or garden, run-of-the-mill, normal, ordinary, plain old, standard right-hand thread - anti-clockwise to undo.

[jason1987]

yh top one and handle pointing to right