Xantia LHS drop link

GB · Unread post by GB » 17 Sep 2006, 17:18

I need to replace the LHS drop link in my Xantia by cutting the thread off.

The problem is that the current drop link is still the original (88K miles, completely worn out) and it appears that the previous owner already attemtped to replace it at some stage: as a result the bottom thread and allan key hole are both gone!

There is absolutely no way that I can take the bottom washer off.

It appears that the only sollution is to cut the bottom thread and washer off.

Has anyone tried this before? Any hints or advice? Are there any other, better sollutions to this?

Regards,
GB

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 17 Sep 2006, 19:23

9 times out of 10 these have to be choped of with a grinderet,even when they have nott been got at,just grind through the nut
regards malcolm

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 17 Sep 2006, 19:55

Or if the thought of attacking your car with an angle grinder is not appealing, a junior hacksaw with a new, good quality blade will get the job done. An angle grinder is fast and effective though.

The hacksaw is especially good if you can move the nut a turn or two so that the blade will slip down behind the nut and just saw through the thread.

davetd · Unread post by **davetd** » 17 Sep 2006, 21:00

No

I had this problem this weekend while replacing the bushes in the front lower arms. I knackered one of the drop links for the same reason as yourself (no allen key hole left). Tomorrow I am going to buy a Draper nut splitter and then replace my dop links as mine are also original. To get the nut to do up on one side I had to cut the rubber boot off the bottom droplink balljoint and use a mole rench on the bare joint which has probably f****d it and then retighten the nut so I can use the car tomorrow (my wife won't lend me her's she's got a reliable volkswagen)

so the moral of this story is buy a nut splitter

davetd

GB · Unread post by GB » 17 Sep 2006, 21:29

davetd wrote:so the moral of this story is buy a nut splitter

davetd

Thanks mate - good idea, just bought a nut splitter on Ebay.

Cheers,
GB

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 17 Sep 2006, 22:08

most of the cheap nut sliters ars krap and the cutting tips are soft unhardend metal,especily DRAPER you will be very luky to be able to use it more than once
regards malcolm

Dave Burns · Unread post by **Dave Burns** » 17 Sep 2006, 22:20

Totally agree, last name you want on tools is Draper, go for the Sykes Pickavant nut splitter, that will shift it and you will be able to use it again and again.

http://www.shacktools.com/sykespickavan ... -5474.html

Dave

davetd · Unread post by **davetd** » 18 Sep 2006, 09:28

Well the thought was there