Can Drop Links just fail over night?

[Welly]

I've got a familiar metallic clonking up front when the car rides over small bumps and dips in the road but it has happened suddenly, literally over night

I'm getting a 'creaking' when turning the steering and when dropping down off a speed hump - is the creaking the drop links too?

History: Top Mounts changed 12 months ago, wishbones (and drop links) too drop links were the cheapo everyday type.

[steve_earwig]

I suspect that depends on whether it's fail as in gradually wear out or fail! as in break...

The creaking could be drop links I guess, or a dry/worn bush elsewhere.

[Welly]

Initially I thought it was water in the sussy bushings (we've had a little bit of rain here, just as drop or two) but it seems more mechanical to me.

[Doggy]

A browse of the Volvo forum suggests new hearing aid batteries as a possible cause.....

No, don't mention it.

When you say 'top mounts' do you mean strut top bearings? (which would seem the likely culprit on a 406). Jacking the front end of mine up & working the steering to & fro confirmed it quickly & easily.

[Welly]

Thanks Doggy for the, err, advice

Must admit last time it was a'creakin it was the top mounts/bearings - maybe the whole lot has failed within a year how rubbish is that

I'd heard and was warned not to used el-cheapo drop links as they won't last in fact the whole lot including the Wishbones were bargain-basement crap but I wasn't paying so had no choice (booked the 'repair' to one of the Vans at work ).

Probably need to get the thing up in the air and have a good looky.

*remembers has no trolley jack or stands to speak of

*gingerly reaches for the telephone to the mechanic

*remembers Christmas is round the corner

*puts telephone down

[Bailes1992]

I've had this argument a few times on here with 406's.

The original drop links last 10 years. Then people replace them with cheap nonsense and have to replace them year on year. Then the 406 gets a reputation for 'eating' drop links.

[lozz]

Ithink people will have them failing earlier than others due too the State of the Roads

[steve_earwig]

They're not the only ones, judging by the amount of similar looking bits of tat that go through my mate's car spares shop. He says they're starting to make them out of plastic now (dammit, why did I through that mahogany away?)

Thing is, which are the OEM ones? The ones I had Pug fit to my D8 (hey, I was young and foolish ) only lasted a couple of years too, mind you perhaps they were these "second line" parts listed on Service Box for cars over 4 years old - the parts even the spares manager there said were crap.

Ithink people will have them failing earlier than others due too the State of the Roads

That's the reason mk 4 glofs eat rear subframe here...

[lozz]

Ilive out in the sticks, so inever expect more than 6mth out of droplinks, of any make,

its one of the only reasons ilike fiats they dont have them

[Welly]

Mmm, probably been mashed up by the poor roads then. There's not much 'give' in the tyres or sussy so something's gotta take a hit I s'pose

[robb]

one set I had lasted 9 months but the roads I use are dire ,One good thing though they are surfacing our cobbled street with the black stuff in December

[Welly]

Right this is weird, the noise has gone, completely.

All I can put it down to was washing the car on Sunday then the noise started it was a nasty metallic rattle with groaning of the steering. Maybe I wet my sussy bushes? I did 'do' under the arches with me pressure washer.

I'm glad it's gone but confused - as if something bigger is lurking

[steve_earwig]

Maybe whatever it was has now seized sold and the whole housing is turning

Or you had a stone caught in there somewhere