Front Anti-Roll Bars

[fridayman]

Yesterday I finally got round to replacing the front drop links and sway bar bushes. I got the poly bush kit and a set of drop links from Milners, as well as a set of longer Terrano drop links off ebay.

Milners drop link top, old toyo middle, and Terrano bottom. Poly bush kit on the left.

I wasn't sure about these particular Terrano drop links. They look a little cheaply made:

And the bottom bolt is quite a bit thinner than the proper LC piece.

And finally I would just like to thank my Halfords flex-head ratchet spanners for making life so much easier - every man should have a set of them.

I didn't want it to move around in the mounting hole, so I decided to use the Milners links with the poly bushes:

The right hand link came out without too much fuss, but the left hand bottom bolt was a bit of a challenge. Lots of heat, WD40 and leverage used in various combinations together with much grunting and swearing had absolutely no impact. I started wondering if brute force and violence was the answer... and fetched the angle grinder.

There was no mention in the full service history that I got with the truck about one of the links being replaced at some point - see pic below:

I suspect that the one that I had to cut off was an original.

On the very right of the first pic you will see a square(ish) flange - none of the replacement links came with this flange so I had to remove it from the old link with some vice-grips.

The replacement link did not have this flange. Whoever had replaced it before had not transferred it onto the new link. I ended up using one of the spare top bush washers (see the first pic, top left below the bushes) instead thinking that it would couldn't hurt and was better than nothing.

Then on to the sway bar bushes. This is what the right hand bush looked like:

Old and new bush for comparison:

The left bush wasn't as bad, but it was also starting to harden and crack.

The new bush fitted and "hand" torqued up - should be 19ft.lbs I think.

The top link nut should be 14ft.lb and the bottom nut 51ft.lb.

 

[Chris]

if you look at my original post on this, about a billion years ago unfortunately, you'll see that I had to make up a little spacer out of tube to make the Nissan ones fit properly.

Seems sooooo long ago..


Chris

 

[fridayman]

if you look at my original post on this, about a billion years ago unfortunately, you'll see that I had to make up a little spacer out of tube to make the Nissan ones fit properly.

Seems sooooo long ago..


Chris

When I get some time, I will probably do something similar. Next week I'm doing the steering rack bushes.

 

[BIG clean GREEN]

Does it feel much better now you've replaced the bushes ? Also what nice shiny spanners you have

 

[Chris]

Not difficult, but a bit of head scratching that one. I found that splitting the OS track rod end gave enough movement to drop the rack to to get the bushes swapped. Also one of them I seem to recall needs a little fettling to get the bolt back through. Look out your round file!

Chris

 

[fridayman]

Does it feel much better now you've replaced the bushes ? Also what nice shiny spanners you have

It feels a bit better, but it there is a bit of a creaking sound that I still need to determine if it is coming form the front anti-roll setup - I might take the drop links off and then see if it still makes the sound.

My paw always used to say, "if you look after your tools, your tools will look after you"

 

[fridayman]

Not difficult, but a bit of head scratching that one. I found that splitting the OS track rod end gave enough movement to drop the rack to to get the bushes swapped. Also one of them I seem to recall needs a little fettling to get the bolt back through. Look out your round file!

Chris

I am also replacing both tie rod ends which will make it a bit easier.

 

[Chris Green90]

I ma looking at doing the tie rod ends and stearing bushes got them all from milners, would love a write up like you have done here for anti roll bar ones
Chris

 

[jackolive]

Does the kit comes equipped with the kitchen towels or was that your thing ? Nevertheless, looks impressive, you've done quite a work on it.

 

[BobMurphy]

I ma looking at doing the tie rod ends and stearing bushes got them all from milners, would love a write up like you have done here for anti roll bar ones
Chris

Here's one I prepared earlier . . . On the Dark Side


http://www.tlocuk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7753&highlight=


Bob.

 

[BIG clean GREEN]

Nice one Bob, I'll archieve that one for future reference

 

[fridayman]

Nice one Bob, I'll archieve that one for future reference

Bob is my inspiration

 

[fridayman]

After putting a another 40 odd miles on today, the annoying squeek appears to be gone so I'm pretty happy. The truck also feels slightly softer on the road now - before it was a little harsh over some bumps.

 

[BlackWidow]

Well done and you are right those longer ones did look very badly made, which leads me on my question on the same theme.

As some of you know I have had a 40mm lift and I have just snapped my third drop link......now like you Fridayman I have ordered longer ones and I have to say that I would not put them on a 'tonka' toy let alone my truck.

Has anyone found a good quality extended link?....Or should I just take the lot off and be done with it.

Steve

 

[J66P]

I made my own and havent had a problem and mines up about 4 inch

 

[fridayman]

I thought I would give an update on the Milners Terrano drop links that I fitted 2 years ago.

I originally swapped to the longer Terrano links to get a bit of extra articulation with the 2" suspension lift. As per my original post, I was a bit concerned about the quality. They ended up ladting 2 years and they have had a pretty easy life until the start of this year, and even then I don't do big articulations everyday. Also, the original items lasted MUCH longer.

I've noticed an occasional knocking sound at low speeds on the brakes and turning (usually left), but couldn't ID the source. A couple of days ago I was about to pull out of a services and pulled up turning left before joining the traffic. There was quite a loud metal sound followed by my wife's "oh oh!". At first I was worried that the top ball joint had broken (everything else in that area is less than 2 years old) but it was still steering too well. What actually happened is that the right drop link had snapped at the ball joint. If you look at the pic below you will see that it bent at the top too. The drop link on the other side is still straight, but the bushes are pretty chewed up (also see pic). I've replaced them with std length Pedders items (middle of pic) which come with a 2 year guarantee.



I should add that I never established whether they actually improved articulation.

 

[AndyCook]

I have found the terrano ones look a bit weedy too
Like Chris i had to make collars to fit the balljoint snugly

i replaced the terrano washer/cups and bushing with Toyota ones a few weeks ago, because the terrano washer/cups and bushes were poor and were chewed to bits...
the washers distorted

 

[Roger Fairclough]

Go back to the pictures at the start of this string.

In the last picture you can see that the drop link ball joint is "angled". The shaft should be vertical when the ball joint is on a flat surface. As it was set, the bellows and ball joint would be subject to excess fretting.

Roger

 

[wobbly]

I fitted a pair of Milners terrano drop links, the rubber bushes on one are knacked already, lasted maybe 2 months.

Will see how they go in Portugal for the next couple of weeks. I think the truck is understeering, may put the original size back on as I bought a set to put on the rear.

Pete

 

[AndyCook]

noticed tonight when i pulled on front antiroll-bar - drivers side terrano droplink balljoint loose...
it has lasted 3yrs....

ordered new ones for now, as off on a long trip next Saturday
long term i will get some new toyota ones, chop them and fit and fit an extension spacer to them