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Frt anti roll bar drop link replacement

P

Paul 290T

PCGB Member
Member
Hi,

The driver side front anti-roll bar drop link has snapped on my 1986 turbo. I intend to replace this myself, can anyone give guidance on the method regarding taking up the tension on the ARB? I guess a scissor jack might be needed to force up the ARB?

Can the drop link be accessed by removing the wheel, or does the car need to go up on ramps?

On PET the diagram shows two designs for the drop link, one which is a pressed steel L shaped plate with a steel loop that goes around the bush, and the other design is a threaded bar with the loop welded onto the end. Its the pressed steel type that failed on my car. Does anyone know why two different designs are shown on PET?

thank you in anticipation.

 
I would advise fitting the additional SAR brackets as well which will keep the front of the car tighter on turn ins and stop the drop links snapping.

Nick [:D]
 
ORIGINAL: Paul 290T

The driver side front anti-roll bar drop link has snapped on my 1986 turbo. I intend to replace this myself, can anyone give guidance on the method regarding taking up the tension on the ARB? I guess a scissor jack might be needed to force up the ARB?

Can the drop link be accessed by removing the wheel, or does the car need to go up on ramps?

On PET the diagram shows two designs for the drop link, one which is a pressed steel L shaped plate with a steel loop that goes around the bush, and the other design is a threaded bar with the loop welded onto the end. Its the pressed steel type that failed on my car. Does anyone know why two different designs are shown on PET?
Click to expand...
Paul,

These go fairly often, it seems. I replaced the one that broke on my S2 a couple of years ago, and replaced the other one as well as a precaution.

The job is as it looks, but the car won't be level when you do it so the ARB will be putting force on the working parts. Unbolting the old mount will be easy, sliding the new mount into position around the bush will be a real fiddle (use some light grease if you have non-rubber mounts, but don't do this if you do have rubber mounts as it will rot them.)

You will of course have your car on a stand (never working under a jacked car!) so your jack will be spare at this point. I suggest you use your jack to carefully raise the ARB with the mount on it into position. The two sides of the new mount will probably be bent too far apart for your bolts to reach through so it may be worth buying some longer bolts (M8) to get the process started (or improvise using a G-clamp or something similar.)

It's not a hard job. But the spring on the ARB means it's not quite as easy as it looks like it should be.


Oli.
 
What do the SAR brackets do in terms of car control? (I know where they fit and what not).

Any reason not to make your own, from some old bits of steel? They just have a couple of bends in them and some holes, non? Do they run forwards from the ARB mounts or backwards? How do they bolt to the bodywork?


Oli.
 

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

What do the SAR brackets do in terms of car control? (I know where they fit and what not).

Any reason not to make your own, from some old bits of steel? They just have a couple of bends in them and some holes, non? Do they run forwards from the ARB mounts or backwards? How do they bolt to the bodywork?


Oli.
Click to expand...


No reason at all Oli, two pieces of flat steel with the correct bends and holes should be an easy thing to fabricate. Now for the Lol moment, I went out to my car to take a picture of how they fit so I could post it on here to show you, only to discover that I had taken the ARB off during taking my engine out procedure and so it's now in the boot of the car...lol

I'm sure someone else here should be able to post a picture for you..:)

Pete
 
Many thanks to all of you. I feel ready to start this job now.

The idea of the triangulation bracket is good. I have some 2mm thick 304L which would be just perfect for fabricating into such brackets. In fact i will investigate making my own "L" bracket to replace the OEM part from the same material.

That will give me stronger, corrosion resistant components, for no cost.

I'll let you know how this progresses.

 
If its only the pressed steel drop link that has snapped and not the steel loop the job will be easy as its just a case of unbolting the broken part and refitting the new part onto the existing bush and steel loop. As has been mentioned you can use longer bolts to get started. The threaded bar and loop you mentioned is the ARB outer drop link which fastens to the wishbone.
 
I have a CNC programme for the drop link strengheners and have supplied a number of forum members with a set, i have them on both of my cars made from 304L stainless, let me know if interested and i will see to get some more sets made up, as good a quality you will find anywhere.
 
pic of SAR fittment
sar.jpg


Nick
 
Chaps,

Thanks for your replies. And thanks for the piccie Nick. I can see that one end of the triangulation bracket takes the two bolts that hold the top of the loop in place, but what is it that the other end bolts into? Is that casting the front mount for the wishbone?)

James, if you could let me know the price of a machined stainless triangulation bracket I'd be grateful - thanks. (Although the money-saving streak in me wants to make it myself ... it really is just a bent bit of steel plate, or so it seems!)


Oli.
 
Oli, you don't want to put those on your car, it will understeer like a barge manoeuvred by a drunken captain. Been there and gone back.

If the standard drop links happen to flex under normal use that is because Porsche designed them this way.
 
Crumbs - do they make that much difference? Sounds like I need some.

James, please get me that quote quick!

>OffToTheWorkshopToFindSomeSuitableSteelToFabUpMyOwn<

[;)]


Oli.

ETA: Sorry, I misread TTM's post as a double-negative and hence got entirely the wrong end of the stick.

Why does holding the ARB more stiffly cause it to understeer so much?


Oli.
 

ORIGINAL: TTM

Oli, you don't want to put those on your car, it will understeer like a barge manoeuvred by a drunken captain. Been there and gone back.

If the standard drop links happen to flex under normal use that is because Porsche designed them this way.
Click to expand...

+ 1

I'm glad it's not just me Thom.

I noted with interest that Ferrari F1 seemed to be thinking along similar lines with the design of last years car. Replace 'initial flex' with 'springs' and you get to the same end result - a dual rate ARB. (see below courtesy of the excellent ScarbsF1)

Ferrari_arb.jpg

 
When I added to mine I found less roll at front and if anything a tighter turn in.road car std suspension with poly front bushes.

Nick [:D]
 
I used a trolly jack to push the end of the ARB up, if you fit new rubbers they are very long (due to being uncompressed) so can mean that there is no thread exposed at the top of the drop link to put the washer and nut on. Once you get a few turns then you can just wind on the tension, making sure that the bush seats properly as it goes

I have to re-bush the 968 so will be calling on the services of my 9 year old to do the grunt-work:

RhysPorsche1.jpg
 
How interesting. I have a sweatshirt identical to that, which I also use to work on the car in!

Does your son get called "Dennis" while wearing it? [:mad:]


Oli.
 
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