Anti Roll Bar - Ball Joint

[Walnaldinho]

My VTR mk2 has just failed it's MOT, not unexpectedly.

Mostly simple shit like the rear indicator bulbs were showing white where the orange paint has flaked off, and the need to adjust the parking brake.

However, it also failed on 'Nearside front Anti-roll bar has excessive play in the ball joint [2.4.G.2]', and ' Nearside front antir-roll bar joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt [2.4.G.2]'.

What exactly, do I need to sort out here? Do I need a whole new front suspension anti-roll bar? If so, where is best to get one? Everywhere I search 'anti roll bar' brings up drop links??

[Mochachino]

You need a drop link, theyre like £10 and take a long long time to fit, around 10mins max.

[Walnaldinho]

Brilliant, I like the cut of your jib.

I might as well do both sides, right? I think I read that on a guide someone knocked up on here while I was searching?

[Mochachino]

Yeh there should be a guide on here.

They're simple to do however sometimes awkward.

[Walnaldinho]

Yeah, I was warned that sometimes it's a hack saw job to get the old ones off.

I'm just slightly confused as to why the MOT failure doesn't tell you it's the drop links, rather than the anti-roll bar. Needlessly causes confusion - at least for me.

[Mochachino]

Its just the MOT tester, sometimes they have alternative names for certain parts, not sure why lol maybe they just forget the name on the day!

[Prickle]

I took a angle grinder to mine, still was a chew on.

You need a allen key that fits in and a obviously a spanner to undo. You cant just undo them they will just go round and round etc.

[Walnaldinho]

Same guy did the test last year, and it was on the advisorys, he called it the anti roll bar then as well.

It's that which got me wondering if he meant another ball joint. The drop links are the only ball joint involved with the anti roll bar, right?

[Walnaldinho]

I took a angle grinder to mine, still was a chew on.

You need a allen key that fits in and a obviously a spanner to undo. You cant just undo them they will just go round and round etc.

Brilliant, I look forward to it.:bash:

[Mochachino]

Correct.

You have 2 rubber mounts which mount the ARB to the car, but theyre far from ball joints so cant have been confused or anything.

[Prickle]

If you look you can see where the allen key goes at the nut on the new ones

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll70/saxox/SDC12361.jpg

When they go round and round.. time for grinder

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll70/saxox/SDC12358.jpg

Mine after :D

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll70/saxox/SDC12362.jpg

[welshpug]

more often than not they wont have an allen key/torx hole, but will have spanner flats at the base of the thread.

when doing 306 ones, I just tighten them up and snap the bilts.

or just go straight at them with the grinder.

[Walnaldinho]

Allen key hole was definitely there, not that they were much help. Angle grinder (as predicted above) was needed - suppose that's to be expected with a nut/bolt that haven't moved in ten years.

All sorted now anyway - thanks for the input chaps.

[Prickle]

Good stuff lad.

[modgirl]

Hi, i've just had same thing on my mot, but offside,been in right:panic:, so i'm looking to buy drop link?? is that all its called? cheers

[Mickswan]

Yup, drop links, there a fucking ball ache if you need to cut them but not the end of the world. Cheap and easy, do both sides at the same time.