Changing Anti-Roll Bar End- / Drop- Link
Preparations
- Jack up the vehicle and support it on axle stands and remove the road-wheel.
- Use a secondary jack to support the wheel hub. Place the jack right under the lower ball joint. This jack can adjust the tension on the anti-roll bar link during removal and when the new link arm is installed. The secondary jack is not really needed, but personally i like to keep things simple and easy..
Removal
Check the ball joint end on the link. Not all, but some manufacturers, have in great wisdom made it possible to counter-hold the ball-joint with an allen-key as the nut is removed.The wisdom is in that as the nut is turned, the ball-joint have less friction than the threads of a rusted nut, and the ball-joint "bolt" will start to turn with the nut.
This isn't a huge problem, but it hugely irritating.
When buying a new link... buy one with the allen-key fitting..
If there isn't any way to counter-hold the nut and it starts to turn with the nut.
Use a hacksaw or a grinder to cut across the nut ( and the ball-joint "bolt" ), as close to the bottom of the nut as possible. This will weaken the nut enough to make it break when you turn whats left of it. Of course the cut can be done in the other direction, but i prefer to do it this way to avoid the grinder to come in contact with the anti-roll bar or the shock-absorber.
Remove both nuts and the link-arm.
Clean up the mount areas for the link-arm from rust and dirt.
Checking the Anti-roll Bar bushes
These bushings can be bought as non OEM-standard, but i would recommend using original spare parts, or confirmed OEM-standard parts.
Since it's not very likely that you should have to change the bushings again in any near future, there is no reason to use cheaper ( low quality ) parts.
The rubber compound in some of the cheaper bushings is such that after a while the bushing is hard as oak-wood, and doesn't fill its function.
Refitting
- Put the new link arm in the upper mount and turn the nut a few turns, just to keep it in place.
- Using the secondary jack to adjust the height or just pulling/pushing the anti-roll bar, attach the link arm to the anti-roll bar.
- Counter-hold the ball-joint "bolts" with an allen-key and tighten the nuts.
Remove the secondary jack, if used, and refit the road-wheel.
Remove the axle stand and lower the vehicle.
Recheck the tightening of the road-wheel nuts/bolts... !!
DISCLAIMER
If you are at all uncomfortable or inexperienced working on these kind of projects (especially but not limited to electronics and mechanical), please reconsider doing the job yourself. It is very possible on any work on your vehicle to damage it, void your vehicle insurance, create a hazardous condition, harm or even kill yourself or others.
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