Droplinks keep coming undone

[RBG21]

My Prado needed new drop links and I put some on a couple of months ago, thought all was well but the nuts keep coming loose on them every few weeks and I get that knock,crashy sound again, tighten them up and all is well for a bit then same again and it's starting to drive me mad.
I went to tighten the offside one up again yesterday and it tightened to a certain amount then just span.
I'm thinking maybe I've just got a duff pair or need to get some better quality ones, I got them from Milners who I've always found pretty good for parts usually but open to recommendations for a different set!.

 

[Steve Wright]

There is a few things, first did you use new nuts ? 2nd in the first place did you torque them up? and finally sounds like you have over tightened
the nut and have stripped the thread, if that is the case look if the thread on the stud or the nut is stripped?

 

[RBG21]

Yeah I used the new nuts, I didn't torque them no but I didn't go mad over tightening them either, so not too sure, I'm going to jack it up and have a proper look today.

 

[Shayne]

I removed them and the roll bar long ago .

 

[Beastrider]

Where are they coming loose? Front or rear axle? Where they join the wishbone/chassis or where they join the roll-bar?

 

[BobMurphy]

There is supposed to be a supporting collar on the rear of the lower mounting - I find it is often missing from replacement links.

See here:- The old link on the left has it, the new one doesn't !

If you lock the ball joint, it can be unscrewed:

And then transferred to the new link:

Without that support, the link is likely to work loose .

Hope this helps.

Bob.

 

[tim falce]

When you tighten them are you using a spanner on the nut and an hex key in the stud or another spanner on the flat by the boot? if the latter that could be the problem

 

[RBG21]

There is supposed to be a supporting collar on the rear of the lower mounting - I find it is often missing from replacement links.

See here:- The old link on the left has it, the new one doesn't !

View attachment 180882


If you lock the ball joint, it can be unscrewed:


View attachment 180883



And then transferred to the new link:


View attachment 180884



Without that support, the link is likely to work loose .

Hope this helps.

Bob.

Hi Bob, that's really helpful and by the look of it I think the cause.
The only problem is I've since thrown the old links out!, I don't suppose you'd know if genuine Toyota ones would come complete?.

 

[Rob Cowell]

The bad news is Toyota drop links must cost the largest multiple vs the cost of a pattern part of any Toyota part. They generally aren't far off £100 each from the dealer. If it's the bolt that connects to the ball joint on the link, did you stick an allen key in the end of the bolt part to hold it while tightening the nut?

I would never question Bob, but from memory the Toyota ones don't use stiff nuts so the support piece looks more important on the original part to me. The pattern parts always have a stiff nut. As long as that is new it's hard to imagine it coming lose. In my (much less knowledgeable than Bob) opinion.

 

[BobMurphy]

I'm afraid I don't know if the Toyota links have the support collar or not, but looking at our regular suppliers . . .

Milner's don't appear to have them, from the pictures on their site.

Roughtrax have a splined sleeve on the rear ones and the supporting collar on the front ones.

I've had a hunt through my spares - no drop links I'm afraid. However, if someone can provide me with the diameter & pitch of the thread on the ball joint end I'll turn-up a couple of collars and send them to you.

(That'll save me from crawling under my '90' and removing a rear link while Hurricane Dudley is blowing (with Eunice close behind) ).

Bob.

 

[RBG21]

Thank you that's really kind, I've actually ordered another set from Roughtrax now.
That's a dangerous site to spend much time on!, I'm thinking about refreshing the suspension now and getting new springs and shocks for it, possibly lifted.
Got an advisory on the last MOT for steering rack bushes too which I've since learned are a common issue on 90s so I will do them at the same time.