Front end knocking

wotsthestory

I've got a knocking on the front end, which after reading here I believe may be drop links. I believe I may be able to do this myself from what I've read, however as I have an MOT due this month I was considering getting any replaceable bushes done at the same time.

Is it worth doing this and what is the cost? Can you buy a complete set?

Also can anyone help out or suggest a good mechanic, Between Sutton and Newbury (I work in Newbury 3 days a week), but I live near Sutton in Surrey.

Incidentally, if anyone can help I'd rather money went in your pockets than a garage that won't necessarily do a good job .....

Bri

wotsthestory

OK, bought the ARB Links £13.90 each + VAT from local parts place.

According to the Haynes manual the Front subframe needs removing. Looking at the car it looks fairly straight forward without removing the subframe, can you do it this way? I'm sure I'd seen it mentioned elsewhere that you could just unbolt them and re-fit.

The only difficulty appears to be getting a spanner on the flats but I'm sure that can be done without too much hassle!

As usual any help gratefully received. I'd like to get this job done prior to MOT anyway.

Bri

vocky

drop links are easy to change on a vectra, takes longer to get the wheel off 🙂

just use a spanner on the flat and a socket or spanner on the nut cheers..

subframe isn't touched :?

wotsthestory

Brilliant, I'll do it in the next couple of days. Keen to get it through it's MOT with little cost to me.

Although, I did buy some of that anti-freeze for the 2.2 admittedly I bought 5 litres concentrate but it was more expensive than the two drop links put together :-(

Bri

wotsthestory

Woohoo

One side done, the side I believe was actually knocking, but I'll do both.

The bottom bolt was a pain in the backside as you couldn't get a ratchet in there to get full leverage on it. But I managed it with one of those socket spanner things. The professional ones from Halfords.

Then getting it back on was a little bit of a challenge, firstly I didn't realise the joints actually moved to make it easier, even though I noted that the one that just came off was VERY floppy dunno..

I had to get my foot on the Anti-roll bar to push it down to allow me to get the threads in on both joints without damaging the threads.

I was well happy! Would love to see if the knocking has stopped but a beer beckons!

cheers..

Bri

vocky

always best to change as a pair cheers..

wotsthestory

So drove it to work this morning, can't believe how much sharper it is over the road cushions and sleeping policeman. It regains it's composure much sooner.

Still got the vibrating at motorway speed, had the wheels balanced to within an inch of their life, any ideas what else it might be? It's had new tyres as well and the alloys seem fine, in fact they were swapped front to back when the new tyres were put on so I think that eliminates that.

Bri

vocky

bottom wishbone bushes notsure.gif

maybe play in the rack/ ball joints notsure.gif

wotsthestory

I'll see what happens after MOT. See if it fails on anything related.

Otherwise I'll consider new bushes.

Bri