Drop links spec

[mattbarker32]

Hi just wondering if anyone has any ideas what the difference between the plastic drop links and the metal ones are. I no that the plastic ones were mainly on the hdi gti etc. But does anyone know if there are really different. Thinking lenghts etc. Only asking as mine are now none existing.

[Piggy]

Lengths are the same I believe

I've always run the plastic ones. I recall reading somewhere they were better. Cant recall why!

[welshpug]

plastic ones are stronger and quieter.

[Toms306]

They were all plastic originally, metal ones are aftermarket.

Plastic ones can flex slightly and return to shape, or pushed too far will snap. Metal ones bend easily and don't return to shape. So decent plastic ones are better tbh.

[Jonny81191]

Yeah, plastic was OE. Metal was OE on lots of other vehicles though. I haven't seen a bent droplink in ages, and I see lots of very tired cars!

As for them being quieter, that surely only applies if they've got play in the balljoints I.E need replacing anyway.

I'd fit Lemforder. OE spec and reasonably priced for what you get.

[welshpug]

TRW were o.e.

early 306 and zx had metal.

[Niall]

Metal were OE on the Partner and Berlingo as standard as well but a lot of motor factors list them as the same as the 306 ones hence why a lot of people fit metal ones these days.
If i didnt have adjustable ones, id run plastic ones. Lengths and fitment is identical but the plastic ones can flex if needed (which really they shouldn't)

[mattbarker32]

Cheers for the info people explains alot wondered why a few part places were saying metal. Ive got the plastic ones on so will stick with them if i dont lower it then will get the adjustable ones. Thought a previous owner may have put on the wrong ones. But thanks again.

[Niall]

Depending on how much you lower by, you will need adjustable ones. Too many people drop their cars 40-50mm, bend a DL or two very shortly and whinge saying they are a load of crap. Its not that at all. Its that the length needs to change with the car being lowered.

[bigcheez2k3]

Depending on how much you lower by, you will need adjustable ones. Too many people drop their cars 40-50mm, bend a DL or two very shortly and whinge saying they are a load of crap. Its not that at all. Its that the length needs to change with the car being lowered.

Probably why I've bent at least one and it had some rubbing on it too

[mattbarker32]

I dont do things by half like to do things right the first time. Was thinking around 30 to 40 drop as the roads around me are crap. Due to gas works for the next 6 months. I have heard about the bending and have told many a mate that they should have got shorter ones. Most listen after the 2nd pair lol.

[Redordead89]

Plastic ones are much easier to remove too when it all goes to shit and they start spinning!

[Eeyore]

They were all plastic originally, metal ones are aftermarket.

Plastic ones can flex slightly and return to shape, or pushed too far will snap.  Metal ones bend easily and don't return to shape.  So decent plastic ones are better tbh.

this! and as said above you can hacksaw them off in seconds if the bolts stick.

[maxzy]

The OE spec are 300 mm as standard and can work well by standard suspension.


But, when lowering you may need to throw them off too early, I use to found the noise problem from lwr arm hitting with ard and bending droplink after a lowering around 2"


Currently, the problem disappeared by the metal adjustable drop link ( 260 mm)

[MrBigMac]

why do we need shorter ones if car lowered ? as the mounting point on shock is still at same height. or is it just personal choice ?

[HDi--Power]

You need longer ones if its lowered not shorter

[Niall]

The anti roll bar is in a fixed place with limited torsional movement. If you lower the car the distance between the shock mounting point and the anti roll bar mounting point increases putting strain on the links and eventually breaking them.

[Paul_13]

But the bar swings upwards as one.

It's not as though the ARB is fixed. It moves up and down like it would of you were driving

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If you undone both bottom nuts on the ARB, you could pull down on the ARB and the whole thing would move down wards

[Niall]

Dont forget though, where the ARB sits in its rubber mounts, its notched (well should be!) and so are the mounts so it can only sit in one place within them mounts. Hence why yes you can move it up and down (which the movement in the rubber allows you to do) but not by much otherwise you'd be able to swing it 360 degrees if it wasn't for the fact it would hit things.

[welshpug]

you can swing it 360 if it didn't hit things.


the only reason you need to alter the length of the drop link is to leave the arb at the same angle as originally intended, so you get the same level of roll resistance.

the arb will still work perfectly fine within the full travel of the damper unit.

[Rippthrough]

You get more stress on the links the further the bar is from horizontal though, especially if your lowered suspension allows more bump travel because of shorter dampers.

And as Niall says, you want longer links for lower cars, not shorter ones.

[Niall]

you can swing it 360 if it didn't hit things.


the only reason you need to alter the length of the drop link is to leave the arb at the same angle as originally intended, so you get the same level of roll resistance.

the arb will still work perfectly fine within the full travel of the damper unit.

I thought they were notched? Maybe I'm thinking of a different car.

[Paul_13]

They have a ball shape on the bar on one side (same as a 205 I believe) and the bushe has a call shape in it to match

[mackat]

They have a ball shape on the bar on one side (same as a 205 I believe) and the bushe has a call shape in it to match

yup I can vouch for that, as changed my brushes when the engine was out.

[306rhys]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vie...ID=EBAY-GB

Anyone had experience with these? Looking to drop my car by 40mm

[maxzy]

The length of droplinks are depend on the suspension set that you fitted, Some coil-over set (Like a D2 or K-Sport) when adjusted to lower about 2-3" the position of the droplink joint at Shock absorber cylinder will move lower too, And will cause to the ARB to touch with LWR arm.


In some case, If you fitted the Bilstein B8, OEM Absorber or another suspension kit with Lowering spring that can't adjust the position of joint position at Shock absorber cylinder, You need to find the longer Droplink.    


   

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http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vie...ID=EBAY-GB

Anyone had experience with these? Looking to drop my car by 40mm

I ordered the droplink from him also, Currently in use without any problems.

[306rhys]

Maxxy is that your set up in the picture? It says in the description that you need to state desired length bolt to bolt, do you know what you ordered?

[maxzy]

Maxxy is that your set up in the picture? It says in the description that you need to state desired length bolt to bolt, do you know what you ordered?

Yes, the picture was my car.

The length of droplink that i ordered were 280 mm. (Up to your suspension kit and set up)


I ordered from him due to above reason, please measuring the desire length from your actual car when it parking on the surface plane and they can be adjust to more or less a little bit.