Drop links

[addo]

I have some ECP-sourced "Lemförder" drop links. One featured dodgy threads on the end, neither came with nuts or washers (which they are pictured with, on other websites).

ECP also sold me a used oxygen sensor. Clearly someone had fitted it, then sent it back (probably trying the old "swap and pray" or "parts roulette" to solve a problem). They ignored every email of complaint, and also will not remove me from their mailing list.

[Mandrake]

I've ordered Lemforder droplinks (the earlier type with one 90 degree joint) from two different suppliers in two different countries 7 years apart and in both cases no nuts or washers were provided, so I don't think this alone says anything. Both sets of droplinks lasted fine as well - the first went 4 years and 20,000 miles and were still fine when the car was sold, the current set have done nearly two years and 8,000 miles, no problem yet.

I have a theory that some of those that experience rapid droplink "failure" (rattle over harsh bumps) are actually experiencing large amounts of air being pumped into the hydraulics due to a feed hose leak - the symptoms are VERY similar believe it or not...(a harsh rattle over potholes that passes right through the chassis)

When mine was leaking air on the feed hose the ride over potholes was very harsh with a rattle just like a faulty droplink, fixed the air leak problem and the harshness and rattle completely vanished.... Couldn't have been the droplinks then could it

Replacing the droplinks requires depressurising the suspension so will temporarily bleed the suspension of air and improve the ride but if there is a significant leak the ride will gradually become harsh and rattly again...

[citronut]

ECP also sold me a used oxygen sensor. Clearly someone had fitted it, then sent it back (probably trying the old "swap and pray" or "parts roulette" to solve a problem). They ignored every email of complaint, and also will not remove me from their mailing list.

that E bunch obviously ship all there returned stock to Auz then Adam

as a couple of moons ago i returned a non working Bosch boxed lambda sensor,

so it looks like you ended up with my reject

[Hell Razor5543]

Doesn't ECP stand for Euro Crap Arts?

[Northern_Mike]

I've ordered Lemforder droplinks (the earlier type with one 90 degree joint) from two different suppliers in two different countries 7 years apart and in both cases no nuts or washers were provided, so I don't think this alone says anything. Both sets of droplinks lasted fine as well - the first went 4 years and 20,000 miles and were still fine when the car was sold, the current set have done nearly two years and 8,000 miles, no problem yet.

I have a theory that some of those that experience rapid droplink "failure" (rattle over harsh bumps) are actually experiencing large amounts of air being pumped into the hydraulics due to a feed hose leak -

I assure you that's not happening to my car Mine are shot.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[Stickyfinger]

It has been rumoured that some of their branded parts (I.e. Lemforder) are just cheapo Chinese copies in branded boxes.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

That's a "strong" thing to say.....and concerning

[citronut]

It has been rumoured that some of their branded parts (I.e. Lemforder) are just cheapo Chinese copies in branded boxes.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

That's a "strong" thing to say.....and concerning

i have heard they have parts packaged in Ireland in OE look alike/fake packaging

[Northern_Mike]

Well back in 2002 ECP were caught selling fake Mercedes Alloys

http://www.am-online.com/news/2002/6/12 ... down/3389/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So it wouldn't be the first time. Googling for Eurocarparts and fake brings up lots of threads. You can make your own decisions from that.

[Rhothgar]

I went to ECP the other week to get a Lemforder droplink.

It was clearly Lemforder but they now only sell the Lemforder brand for Xantia with Active Anti-Roll.

Does anyone know where I can source Lemforder droplinks for 1.9TD.

When I took the part back because it was too large diameter stud, they said they now only stock that and cheapo replacement which I refuse to fit.

Does anyone have experience of the cheapo droplinks and how long they last? I suspect they only last a year.

[addo]

Can you not buy from Mister-Auto UK?

http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/anti-ro ... 64!02.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/anti-ro ... 01!02.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I diagnosed some "drop link" noise of my own, to calipers rattling. The links were ageing, but not the source of the noise.

[Old-Guy]

I changed the near-side drop-link on the Green Lady about 30,000 miles ago. When I did the off-side about a year later, the Lemforder drop-link came without nuts or washers - fortunately I had some new nylocs the right size (though they're standard 19mm rather than the original 18mm). These Lemforder replacements (from GSF) show no signs of wear and Gloucestershire has some of the worst roads in the UK.

I had to do the same replacement on the VSX in June to get it through the MoT - that one also came with no nuts or washers. IIRC it was not in a box, just sealed in a stout polythene sleeve printed with Lemforder's name and logo.

As far as the air-in-suspension v. shot-droplinks issue is concerned, the latter are obvious if you grovel under the car (AXLE STANDS!); you can move one or both ends of the link by hand. If they rattle loudly, they'll be completely floppy.

[Rhothgar]

Can you not buy from Mister-Auto UK?

http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/anti-ro ... 64!02.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/anti-ro ... 01!02.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I diagnosed some "drop link" noise of my own, to calipers rattling. The links were ageing, but not the source of the noise.

Cheers Addo.

I'll get that checked out.

[forrozza]

know what you mean about ECP, ordered a pair of ocap track rod ends for my Xantia, and they were boxed, sealed and clearly marked right and left. When my mechanic tried to fit them he noticed that they were both right-hand side. He fitted the one he could, and I took the other one back to ECP. They told me that the mechanic had fitted the wrong one (impossible) and that if I wanted a replacement, that I should remove it and return it. I told them that the one I had in my hand to return, was identical to the one he had fitted as it had the same turn on the end and wouldn't possibly fit on the left-hand side without touching the wheel. After 35 minutes scanning their stock pictures, and him going to the shelf and bringing ALL the ocap TR-Ends out. He confirmed that they were indeed wrongly boxed and ALL the identical right-hand unit. I was told to keep the TR-ends I had and they gave me a pair of Lemforder's. He also removed all the ocaps from the stock record on the system at Gateshead so it wouldn't happen again. I then took the spare Lemforder and wrongly boxed ocap-crap to Durham branch and got a refund. I tend to avoid ECP now, but sometimes they are the only quick option, as they offer a 30 day no quibble refund. No doubt this will lead to you probably getting an opened box with bits missing if you walk into one of their shops... but at least you can quickly reject it. I don't know how they would deal with these TR-ends if you bought them online, and if they would check all their warehouse stock.

Incidently, all the TR-Ends I've got from them have been complete with nuts, even for my C5.