So over the last few days, I replaced my front ARB drop links as the passenger side one had snapped off at the top, and the drivers side drop link was rather loose. I also replaced the bushings as they were rather knackered. Inbetween waiting for the new parts to arrive, I took the opportunity to clean up and respray the ARB and brackets too.....and gave the mounting points a bit of a clean up too while I was at it.....
Passenger side drop link, flapping about all over the place. It was a bugger to get this one off and I had to get the grinder to it in the end....
Drivers side was easier to remove......all the wet stuff is penetrant spray, I love this stuff.....
Overall condition of the ARB before I removed it........
The bracket bushings were well beyond their do not use date!
Front ARB, brackets and bushings off.......
New goodies have arrived
Meanwhile, ARB & brackets get a new coat...
Condition of the mounting points....
So anyway, I apologise for all the boring photos, but hey ho. After I got the wire brush on all the mounting points, I thought I'd use the little steamer that we have to see if I could use it on the parts to facilitate oil removal etc prior to giving all the points a new coat of paint, for what it is worth.......
A little bit of primer....
And then, yep you guessed it, a little bit of black....
Comparing new drop links to the old ones....the new ones look a little sturdier to me.....
The shiny looking bits and bobs ready to go back on.........
I'm pleased with how it has gone and how it now looks underneath.....
I took her for a quick spin to see how she went, and my lord, what a transformation. I do have all the parts to do the rear ARB too, but I figured I'd leave that for another day. However, seeing as I was on a roll, I thought I'd sort out the last plug on the tow bar........
While I don't tow anything, the original plugs were completely smashed so I thought while the electrics were there, I'd just as well sort it out. And then, because I was having so much fun I put up my cargo net for odds and sods.....
The cargo net is temporarily fixed for now, I do have some 10mm bungee to run around the perimeter, but for now it is just hooked into place while it is 'trialed'. And now after all this, it was time for a evening camping in the woods with some mates.....
If only I could get my truck in there........
That, that, that's all folks.
BTW, if anybody has bored themselves senseless with this, does anybody know where I can get a new back door seal from?
Cheers, Simon
