GSF droplinks ?

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 11 Jun 2007, 08:06

Hi,

Can someone tell me if the rollbar droplinks GSF do for the Xantia (for £11.50) are original or pattern parts ? If the latter are they good quality ?

I remember reading a while back people having problems with some pattern parts droplinks wearing out extremely quickly but I don't recall if it was the GSF ones or not.

Thinking of getting a pair shipped down under

Thanks.

Regards,
Simon

Post by **CitroJim** » 11 Jun 2007, 08:36

Hi Simon,

There is a good chance they'll be genuine. If not they will be OEM quality patterns.

GSF seem to have a policy of only selling good, OEM quality stuff. I've never had any problems or worries with anything I've bought from them and I've bought so much from them I'm practically on first-name terms with them.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 11 Jun 2007, 09:12

I have used several from GSF on my XMs and never had one fail.

Post by **RichardW** » 11 Jun 2007, 09:38

GSF do 2 makes of drop links - the cheaper ones are pattern, and I had a set fail within 10k miles (they were the only ones avilable at the time) - the more expensive ones are Lemforder, and OE spec. At £18.50 + delivery + NZ import tax though, might be just as cheap to get them from your dealer!

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 11 Jun 2007, 09:50

Hi Richard,

RichardW wrote:GSF do 2 makes of drop links - the cheaper ones are pattern, and I had a set fail within 10k miles (they were the only ones avilable at the time) - the more expensive ones are Lemforder, and OE spec.

So that was some time ago then ? On their catalog at the moment there is only one type (for the year of my car) N42264A - for £12.75. I wonder which one of the two it is ? (In my older catalog the same part number was £11.50)

At £18.50 + delivery + NZ import tax though, might be just as cheap to get them from your dealer!

Hahahahaha. Surely you jest!

I guess you've missed my previous rants about the price of Citroen parts in NZ....got a price quote back today - rollbar droplinks $167 + tax each (about £64 + 12.5% tax) and none in the country (supposedly) so 2 weeks back order... yeah right, and I have this air conditioned igloo I'd like to sell you too...

Even including freight it will be less than half the price...(and probably faster to arrive)

Regards,
Simon

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 11 Jun 2007, 11:50

Simon - have a good look at the GSF site - I think they code the OE/non-OE status in the codes (for example and I can't really remember there may be some significance in the 'A' on the end)

I think Eurocarparts state the manufacturer.

I also think Lemforder may be part of the same group as ZF - some Googling will I'm sure reveal.

Post by **RichardW** » 11 Jun 2007, 12:18

A is alternative, and usually represents a cheaper (pattern) part. The online catalogue lists N42264 @ £18.50+VAT - these will (probably!) be the Lemforder ones I believe - worth an e-mail to them to make sure, and get the freight quote at the same time

I think the Cit ones are about £40 + Vat here - which I was considering, since they should last about 60k miles,m rather than the 10k for the poor ones I fitted. At least you shouldn't need to worry about having to remove them with an angle grinder!

Was about 3 years ago when I had a set from GSF - set I have on my current car came from a local factors, and were about £20 ea. They have never been great, giving the occasional knock, but they have done 40k miles without getting worse. Even though most of the roads around here seem little better than cart tracks these days

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 11 Jun 2007, 18:34

I also tried the cheaper ones and they were knackered within 10k miles, got the better ones which are still fine now after 20k miles.

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 11 Jun 2007, 20:58

Stempy wrote:I also tried the cheaper ones and they were knackered within 10k miles, got the better ones which are still fine now after 20k miles.

So which is which ? From where ? Do you still have the part codes for the good and bad ones ? Thanks.

Regards,
Simon

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 11 Jun 2007, 21:04

RichardW wrote:A is alternative, and usually represents a cheaper (pattern) part. The online catalogue lists N42264 @ £18.50+VAT - these will (probably!) be the Lemforder ones I believe - worth an e-mail to them to make sure, and get the freight quote at the same time

Which online catalog ? I just downloaded the latest one (GSF_Web06.pdf) and it doesn't list N42264 ??

The one I have from Oct 2005 doesn't either, it has N42268A, N42264A, and N42265 (which is only 1998 onwards) all of which were £10.00 or £11.50.

I havn't seen any for around £18.50 in any of their catalogs ?

In the current catalog there is one listed N42265 which is £13.25 but it is listed as only 1998 onwards - implying its only for series 2 Xantia's (mine is a 1997 Series 1) but that is also confusing because I was under the impression that there are only TWO versions of the droplinks - up to 1995 which has a smaller bolt, and 1995 onwards which has a larger bolt - eg that late series 1 share the same droplinks with series 2...

The way they list it implies there are three types and that series 1 and 2 have different droplinks ???

I'm completely confused...

I think the Cit ones are about £40 + Vat here - which I was considering, since they should last about 60k miles,m rather than the 10k for the poor ones I fitted. At least you shouldn't need to worry about having to remove them with an angle grinder!

Nope no rust problems down here! I've had both droplinks off before without any difficulty...

Not a spot of rust anywhere on the car that I can find... in fact Xantia's are incredibly rust resistant in NZ, much better than other cars of the same age...

Was about 3 years ago when I had a set from GSF - set I have on my current car came from a local factors, and were about £20 ea. They have never been great, giving the occasional knock, but they have done 40k miles without getting worse. Even though most of the roads around here seem little better than cart tracks these days

I definately don't want poor ones that will wear out quickly, so I want to try and get to the bottom of this identification issue...

Regards,
Simon

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 11 Jun 2007, 23:18

Why all the drama? Just free them up and lube them. We've been doing that for years and I have never had to replace one on a BX or Xantia yet.
I refitted the ones off the BX I've just rebuilt the engine on last night. 150K klms and still as tight as they were when the car came off the showroom.
I proved with the BXs that most noise from drop links comes from them being seized or almost so, and can be kept going for years if freed up, dust cover rolled back and a decent water tolerant grease worked into them.
I could imagine in the UK the snow/salt mix would take its toll, but any car not driven in that shouldn't be going through them at regular intervals IMO.

Alan S

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 11 Jun 2007, 23:42

Hi Alan,

I've tried doing exactly what you suggest but unfortunately it didn't make one iota of difference. Once they're badly worn and clatter as much as mine do theres nothing else for it but to replace them... I don't see how greasing them is going to make any permanent improvement when there is slack in the joint ? If the problem is binding due to lack of lubrication, yes, if its plain old slack and wear, no.

The hydraulicing effect of having lots of grease in there may quieten it down and hide the slack for a while, until the grease moves out of the joint into the boot and then it will get noisy again...

Regards,
Simon

deian · Post by **deian** » 11 Jun 2007, 23:51

I downloaded the catalogue today, and i can't find the better one in there either... however... if you look online... it's there in the Suspension & Roadwheels section....

N42264 ANTI ROLL BAR DROP LINK XANTIA RP 6615> (1/95>) 18.50
N42264A ANTI ROLL BAR DROP LINK XANTIA RP6615>RP8141(1/95>98) 12.75
N42265 ANTI ROLL BAR DROP LINK XANTIA 98> 13.25
N42265A ANTIROLL BAR DROP LINK XAN 98>; 18.50

bBt as alan suggested, i shall try to grease mine, i took the wheel off once and just turned the drop link, and it stayed quiet for a bit, so grease sounds like a plan.

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 11 Jun 2007, 23:58

Mandrake wrote:Hi Alan,

I've tried doing exactly what you suggest but unfortunately it didn't make one iota of difference. Once they're badly worn and clatter as much as mine do theres nothing else for it but to replace them... I don't see how greasing them is going to make any permanent improvement when there is slack in the joint ? If the problem is binding due to lack of lubrication, yes, if its plain old slack and wear, no.

The hydraulicing effect of having lots of grease in there may quieten it down and hide the slack for a while, until the grease moves out of the joint into the boot and then it will get noisy again...

Regards,
Simon

I'm not talking worn ones, I'm talking noisy ones and I've found over the years that people tend to put up with the noise as they're seizing, complain, keep driving and then wonder why they wore in the first place. Almost every drop link I've pulled out of a car at around 120/150K klms has been as dry as a bone and so tight you almost needed a crow bar to move it. The improvement in ride and handling once they have been lubed has to be experienced to be appreciated.

Alan S

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 12 Jun 2007, 00:25

Hi Alan,

We're talking cross purposes then, as I am talking about worn ones...

Yes I agree that regularly greasing and freeing up the balljoints would be a good preventative measure and keep them quiet and make them more long lasting, but in this case the horse has already bolted as they're already worn by the time I got the car...

I'll be greasing the new ones before fitting by the way...

Regards,
Simon