Anti Roll Bar Drop Link Bushes look odd?

[Andy Hamblin]

Looking at the top drop link bushes on my anti-roll bar - the centre steel sleeve on both bushes are about 6mm longer than the rubber bush:

and looking at the mounting on the chassis,:

the chassis lug seems to have been splayed out to accommodate the length of the steel sleeve. Or perhaps it is meant to be like that? I can't find any images of what it should look like.

The problem was, the rubber bush had squirmed out of the drop link, along the steel sleeve, and was half in, half out of its hole in the drop link. if I put it back like it is, the same will happen again. The bushes on both drop links are the same

I see 2 options:

1. Trim the steel sleeve to be flush with the rubber bush and knock the chassis lug in a bit so the shortened bush fits snugly, or,

2. leave the steel sleeve as it is and pack out the protruding end with a 6mm spacer to fit the existing space on the chassis mounting and prevent the rubber bush from moving? when re-installed.

3. or a variation on 2 and centralise the steel sleeve so it protrudes 3mm each side, and fits 3mm spacers each side.

Or, any other options/advice? - all view greatly appreciated, Thanks,
Andy

[nmauduit]

I'm not quite sure what the problem is, besides the central part of the bush moving with force and age (and oil ? ) - in any case you don't want 1), as the purpose of the bushing is to separate the center (attached to the chassis) from the outer sleeve (ARB). You may want 3) if it seems appropriate or look more tidy, the bottomline being assessing whether the bushing is still good or not.
The chassis ears where the ARB attaches are light and will adapt to the stress they are submitted (they can crack also, esp. with harder than stock ARB)

[Andy Hamblin]

I'm not quite sure what the problem is, besides the central part of the bush moving with force and age (and oil ? ) - in any case you don't want 1), as the purpose of the bushing is to separate the center (attached to the chassis) from the outer sleeve (ARB). You may want 3) if it seems appropriate or look more tidy, the bottomline being assessing whether the bushing is still good or not.
The chassis ears where the ARB attaches are light and will adapt to the stress they are submitted (they can crack also, esp. with harder than stock ARB)

Thanks, its not the central (steel) part of the bush moving - it can't, its clamped between the chassis plates. It is the outer (rubber) bush that is moving into the space created by the longer steel sleeve.

The problem as I see it is, if I re-install it without modifying it in some way, the rubber part of the bush will slide out of the drop link again, so that it is half in and half out of the drop link and that will cause the whole assembly the twist/flex more than it should.

I suppose my implied question was - is what I have standard/normal? if it is, it seems odd to me that the rubber part of the bush should be allowed room to squirm out of the drop link.
Andy

[nmauduit]

ok, so the rubber can escape froim the drop link tube, now I see (sorry for being a bit slow, end of the day I guess, or worse...)

yet not 100% sure where this comes from, what I would do is find a couple washers per side, large enough to go around the small tube but small enough to fit within the drop link tube with a bit of play (if need be) so that they would help keeping the rubber inside.

[Andy Hamblin]

ok, so the rubber can escape froim the drop link tube, now I see (sorry for being a bit slow, end of the day I guess, or worse...)

yet not 100% sure where this comes from, what I would do is find a couple washers per side, large enough to go around the small tube but small enough to fit within the drop link tube with a bit of play (if need be) so that they would help keeping the rubber inside.

Thanks again - Yeah, that's the conclusion I came to as well.

Anyone know if what I have is normal? I can't seem to find any info or images to compare...

[jk952]

A pair of std. drop links.
Normally the bush, bonded to the drop link, is trapped between the main chassis and the flange shown in you pict. with the 5/16 hole...? unless I miss understood the question... or different on a plus 2...

[Andy Hamblin]

4046E552-406B-44FE-8503-B47465275932.jpeg

A pair of std. drop links.
Normally the bush, bonded to the drop link, is trapped between the main chassis and the flange shown in you pict. with the 5/16 hole...? unless I miss understood the question... or different on a plus 2...

Right, thanks for that image - mine are the same. Nothing is bonded though, the steel central sleeve moves inside the rubber and the rubber moves inside the drop link. Hence the problem - the steel central sleeve moved so one side is flush with one side of the drop link and the other end is 6mm proud, then the rubber bush slides partly out of the droplink to the end of the proud central sleeve,

I'm probably not explaining it very well, but at least I know now that what I have appears to be normal. At first I thought that the central steel sleeve was too long for the bush, but it looks like its right.

[SENC]

A pic of mine, for reference, if it helps...

[patrics]

Hi,
Just the way I see it but basically:
The two mounting sides of the chassis should be parallel to each other.
The length of the centre steel bush should be =< to the chassis width – ie should not force the chassis out of parallel.
The link should not touch the chassis and should remain isolated.
With the design as it is the bush would have to be bonded otherwise the link will just move from side to side.

When fitting:
The uprights should push easily in to place and the centre and the securing bolt should push through without any particular problem.
With the vehicle on its wheels the end of the rollbar should align with the dampers and again just bolt up – shouldn’t be any load on the damper mount.
I guess all of this assembly should be torqued up on the ground – not with wheels hanging.

From past experience I am not confident this part has been made properly for years.


Regards
Steve

[Andy Hamblin]

A pic of mine, for reference, if it helps...

20210421_182928.jpg

It does help, many thanks. Different to mine - yours look exactly like I would expect.
cheers,
Andy

[Andy Hamblin]

Hi,
Just the way I see it but basically:
The two mounting sides of the chassis should be parallel to each other.
The length of the centre steel bush should be =< to the chassis width – ie should not force the chassis out of parallel.
The link should not touch the chassis and should remain isolated.
With the design as it is the bush would have to be bonded otherwise the link will just move from side to side.

When fitting:
The uprights should push easily in to place and the centre and the securing bolt should push through without any particular problem.
With the vehicle on its wheels the end of the rollbar should align with the dampers and again just bolt up – shouldn’t be any load on the damper mount.
I guess all of this assembly should be torqued up on the ground – not with wheels hanging.

From past experience I am not confident this part has been made properly for years.


Regards
Steve

Thanks Steve, very informative and everything you say is how I assumed it should be, but is very different in almost every respect to what I actually have.

I've ordered a pair of bushes from Paul Matty, let's see what turns up!
Cheers,
Andy

[rgh0]

I believe you need to get the lower end of the bush in the right location on the roll bar so no side load. Other wise it pushes the top of the link to one side of the other creating the distortion you observe and the top of the link contacting the mounts.

Of course if all your turns are in one direction you will still get side loads due to the suspension geometry so go around roundabouts the wrong way occasionally

cheers
Rohan

[Andy Hamblin]

Thanks Rohan,

good advice. Well, apart from the last bit, unless you can foot the bill for body repairs

Actually, my first thought when I saw the state and position of those top bushes when I removed the bar was "did the PO only drive this on an oval track???"
Cheers,
Andy

[rgh0]

Thanks Rohan,

good advice. Well, apart from the last bit, unless you can foot the bill for body repairs

Actually, my first thought when I saw the state and position of those top bushes when I removed the bar was "did the PO only drive this on an oval track???"
Cheers,
Andy

I drove my Elan a couple of times on a high banked oval track circuit that used to exist in Melbourne - Calder Raceway. Great fun but high stress on the car and driver I also drove my Esprit there once and the drive shaft wore a hole in the exhaust due to the suspension loads !!!

cheers
Rohan

[Andy Hamblin]

Thanks Rohan,

good advice. Well, apart from the last bit, unless you can foot the bill for body repairs

Actually, my first thought when I saw the state and position of those top bushes when I removed the bar was "did the PO only drive this on an oval track???"
Cheers,
Andy

I drove my Elan a couple of times on a high banked oval track circuit that used to exist in Melbourne - Calder Raceway. Great fun but high stress on the car and driver I also drove my Esprit there once and the drive shaft wore a hole in the exhaust due to the suspension loads !!!

cheers
Rohan

Great fun as you say, but standard road cars are not meant for the track. A friend took his F355 around Silverstone - said it was awful, wallowing around all over the place (and he can drive...)