Little job on the car

[Wozzaaah]

I have done a few, top ones, that have passed an mot !! (elsewhere I might add), that have been hanging off, fork splitters usually just rip them apart all you need is a small blunted chisel where the pinch bolt goes to open up the pinch grip then they slide out the BIG problem is the actual pinch bolt it is about 100mm long and TIGHT with rust.
One way is to cut off the head off the bolt then take off the nut, put as many washers as poss to just get the nut back on and use the nut to pull the bolt out using a pin punch to help aswell ie tighten abit-- hit abit --tighten etc etc then stop when at the end of the thread, then more washers etc.
also you should get the tracking checked after because they are usually out after replacement.

That's the same method I used, you just have to be careful not to wind it out too far as you can't get the nut off.
I tried winding the bolts out but the right side one ended up snapping off and I gave up trying with the left one when it stopped moving after about 3mm.

Mine still has a slight clunk if I hit a significant pothole or bump but doesn't knock like it did.
Other than the top mounts there's not much else it can be is there?

 

[normspanners]

anti roll bar mounts

 

[normspanners]

just get a pry bar under them and give a little wiggle if they move up and down they are worn, easy cheap (car sales) way is to wrap a few wraps of tank tape around them and then when retightened it squeezes them tighter to the bar they can never get away coz they are encapsulated by the clamps
did you make sure the top mount bolts went in correctly the mounts have dowels that go through the inner wing sometimes they dont line up and are tightened off square then drop into place, after a run, leaving the bolt slack, they are easily tightened wrongly coz of the big washers that hide them.
Other wise it is the top mount brgs.

 

[Wozzaaah]

All 3 dowels on each side went in fine.
To be honest after what I've just done, to do the ARB mounts and top mount bearings would be fairly cheap in comparison so I may well do them all regardless.

 

[dannyp]

got the same job comeing up on mine i fear. tho the clunk may be a scary amount of wear in both track rod ends that were new less than a year ago

 

[garethp]

I use a fork splitter. I bought a "scissors" type but it doesn't open far enough.
The car has done 140k, I've replaced both lower front arms previously but all the others were the originals as far as I can tell.
Realistically about 2 hours a side is plenty plus however long it takes to get the pinch bolts out, it's really not a difficult job once you get past that part.

Handy to know, ta. Mines at 133k but we live down a track that get the pot holes filled twice a year and it hammers the suspension.

I have done a few, top ones, that have passed an mot !! (elsewhere I might add), that have been hanging off, fork splitters usually just rip them apart all you need is a small blunted chisel where the pinch bolt goes to open up the pinch grip then they slide out the BIG problem is the actual pinch bolt it is about 100mm long and TIGHT with rust.
One way is to cut off the head off the bolt then take off the nut, put as many washers as poss to just get the nut back on and use the nut to pull the bolt out using a pin punch to help aswell ie tighten abit-- hit abit --tighten etc etc then stop when at the end of the thread, then more washers etc.
also you should get the tracking checked after because they are usually out after replacement.

Good tips, I wonder if I can use the rusty pinch bolt as another reason to invest in an oxy propane set

 

[normspanners]

if the clunk is as you go from one lock to the other it is usually the top ones they seem to get loaded then up or down then suddenly clack and go to the other extreme with quite a jolt