61jason61
Active Member
Hey guys,
so today paid my garage £12 to diagnose a drop link knackered. did actually think it was a drop link, but near side lol.
anyways, got the part from local auto factors £15.44 and got truck home. now things like this don't normally go well for me. if something can brake or just be a git its usually my vehicles guaranteed.
well, found right spanners and sockets using new part and went to take the beast on.
i'm no mechanic, but i can hold my own with the right tools and advice or internet help. having said that certain jobs i prefer to throw money at and pay a garage, but this is one i've done on wifes old car before so confident.
so, took wheel off and found the bottom bolt was easy to get a socket on, but top required a ring spanner.
BOTTOM BOLT 19MM SOCKET, TOP BOLT 17MM RING SPANNER.
top bolt started to come undone quite easily, bit of brute force to start but when started undone like a dream.
done it back up almost tight just incase bottom one was a problem and had to replace anyway.
got bottom one undoing nicely as above but felt i was there a while undoing it. changed socket for 19mm ring spanner and noticed bolt turning as well. b^&*()ks was my first thought, lol, so problem solve time. every problem has a solution, first option, replace wheel, but truck on hard to park driveway, (has a 15 degree king on entrance to side of house) and get angle grinder out, last resort.
so i went through open end spanners till i found a 18 mm which fitted and held the inside of the bolt. SEE PIC
this enabled me to remove the nut fully. result.
now, what i did wrong, was think about what was going to happen, but not to take any precautionary measures. so i used a ratched end against bottom bolt and hit with heavier ratched to remove bottom ball joint
OOOPS, anti roll bar JUMPS UP about 2", not good. ( I SUGGEST AT THIS POINT YOU TRY TO STRAP IT DOWN IN PLACE) at this point i got a small loading strop, used the hook and around the anti roll bar and run spare strap to run around axle and pull up taking slack as i pushed down on anti roll bar with my boot, ( top bolt already in mount with nut on loose) holding tension on strop i was able to get bottom ball joint through its mount and put nut on loose.
i was now able to tighten nut, having to use ring spanner to hold bolt from turning again, then tighten top bolt and remove strap.
replaced wheel, and test drove. soooo happy, the horrible knocking which everytime i heard i see pound signs cost 28 quid to sort out, and if i had taken the initative to just replace both drop links would have cost 30.88 to have done both sides, but i suppose 12 quid for professional advice is just as good, at least i didn't change the drop links to find it was something else all along.
Anyway, no knocking now so much happier bunny. its such a lovely car to drive. my pajero got close, and that had benefit of low range box with diff lock, but the pajero is so lower class to the freelander.
look at me, i'm batting above my weight driving a middle class car lol
anyway pics of the spanners to remove bottom bolt
close up 18 mm inner open ended spanner, 19 mm outer ring spanner
and top nut with 17 mm ring spanner, with the bend in neck, being careful of cables !!!
so today paid my garage £12 to diagnose a drop link knackered. did actually think it was a drop link, but near side lol.
anyways, got the part from local auto factors £15.44 and got truck home. now things like this don't normally go well for me. if something can brake or just be a git its usually my vehicles guaranteed.
well, found right spanners and sockets using new part and went to take the beast on.
i'm no mechanic, but i can hold my own with the right tools and advice or internet help. having said that certain jobs i prefer to throw money at and pay a garage, but this is one i've done on wifes old car before so confident.
so, took wheel off and found the bottom bolt was easy to get a socket on, but top required a ring spanner.
BOTTOM BOLT 19MM SOCKET, TOP BOLT 17MM RING SPANNER.
top bolt started to come undone quite easily, bit of brute force to start but when started undone like a dream.
done it back up almost tight just incase bottom one was a problem and had to replace anyway.
got bottom one undoing nicely as above but felt i was there a while undoing it. changed socket for 19mm ring spanner and noticed bolt turning as well. b^&*()ks was my first thought, lol, so problem solve time. every problem has a solution, first option, replace wheel, but truck on hard to park driveway, (has a 15 degree king on entrance to side of house) and get angle grinder out, last resort.
so i went through open end spanners till i found a 18 mm which fitted and held the inside of the bolt. SEE PIC
this enabled me to remove the nut fully. result.
now, what i did wrong, was think about what was going to happen, but not to take any precautionary measures. so i used a ratched end against bottom bolt and hit with heavier ratched to remove bottom ball joint
OOOPS, anti roll bar JUMPS UP about 2", not good. ( I SUGGEST AT THIS POINT YOU TRY TO STRAP IT DOWN IN PLACE) at this point i got a small loading strop, used the hook and around the anti roll bar and run spare strap to run around axle and pull up taking slack as i pushed down on anti roll bar with my boot, ( top bolt already in mount with nut on loose) holding tension on strop i was able to get bottom ball joint through its mount and put nut on loose.
i was now able to tighten nut, having to use ring spanner to hold bolt from turning again, then tighten top bolt and remove strap.
replaced wheel, and test drove. soooo happy, the horrible knocking which everytime i heard i see pound signs cost 28 quid to sort out, and if i had taken the initative to just replace both drop links would have cost 30.88 to have done both sides, but i suppose 12 quid for professional advice is just as good, at least i didn't change the drop links to find it was something else all along.
Anyway, no knocking now so much happier bunny. its such a lovely car to drive. my pajero got close, and that had benefit of low range box with diff lock, but the pajero is so lower class to the freelander.
look at me, i'm batting above my weight driving a middle class car lol
anyway pics of the spanners to remove bottom bolt
close up 18 mm inner open ended spanner, 19 mm outer ring spanner
and top nut with 17 mm ring spanner, with the bend in neck, being careful of cables !!!
