Rounded off drop links

[KingyMAK]

So, removing drop links is usually an easy task?
I used a cheap set last time, which is why this has probably happened.

The rear of the link has rounded (chinesium, as we could say the metal is...), so I canââ,¬â,,¢t get a spanner or mole grips on with enough grip & the front hex hole is battered.
The nut is fine and turned some before giving up the ghost.

Any advice or should I just cut or nut split the shits off?

[champagnecharly]

A similar issue with rouded nut on front pipe made me go an buy the Irwin nut remover set from toolstation. They work really well and possibly less of a hasstle than splitting. you can use a wrench with them too which allows you to hold the hex too. 

[KingyMAK]

Cut them off.

I tried uploading a video of them, but not sure if it has worked!

The rear had rounded off & the hex at the front was goosed, couldnââ,¬â,,¢t get a good grips with mole grips, so cut them off.
Wasnââ,¬â,,¢t worth more hassle or time for me.

[brianh]

The couple of times I've had the same issue, its been a case of cutting them off. Can't see why a nut splitter shouldn't work, but the grinder is usually easier.

The Irwin tool mentioned above is a good tool, but no use on the drop link as you can't stop the back bit spinning around in the arm (unless the ball joint itself has come out of the arm like one of yours has now). Its one of these thats being referred to
https://www.toolstation.com/irwin-bolt-grip-nut-remover-set/p81815?searchstr=irwin%20nut and https://www.toolstation.com/irwin-bolt-grip-nut-remover-set/p63045?searchstr=63045

I think you'd need the larger size in the expansion set for the drop link as I think (but not sure) that its a 17mm nut on that.

[johnnyroper]

Crack the grinder out and chop them off, takes longer to find and plug grinder in than it does to cut them off

[Mirez]

+1 for grinding them off.

If for whatever reason that's not an option, then you can try carefully raising/lowering the car so that the roll bar is exerting plenty of force through the drop link. Sometimes that's just enough to grip the stud through friction and allow it to be removed the conventional way

[KingyMAK]

I wish that was an option at the time Mirez;
It had completely came out of the cup/ball joint!

Any weight put through it just popped it straight back off/out again.
Was a proper bugger to cut at due to the space, too.


Another job done ready for MOT, Iââ,¬â,,¢m certain I need a bearing on the F-O/S next... not be doing that myself, but would be ideal if I could just replace the hub!

Front struts looking a bit manky, so may swap them for a full front refresh, too and do wishbones, track rods, etc.


Looking into calliper rebuilds also, @Mirez;
Are all the slider pins the same on the rears? I keep getting anything from M8 up to M12ââ,¬â,,¢s... 🤷‍♂️
The discs are the 268mm & not the bigger 294mmââ,¬â,,¢s
Just after doing a rear rebuild and getting the blasted.

[Mirez]

Ahh fair enough! Some times you get lucky other times you just have to batter them off

I believe there are three types fitted: the 'standard' ones, petrol/v6 ones and then 4x4 ones. I would suspect they all have different pins as the callipers are different, when I bought the V6 brakes for mine it came with the rears but I found the rear arms have different mount points as well!

The Diesels are likely all the same with the exception of the 150 which seems to share the V6 brakes.

[mike wilson]

Another job done ready for MOT, Iââ,¬â,,¢m certain I need a bearing on the F-O/S next... not be doing that myself, but would be ideal if I could just replace the hub!

Ford spares at Dunston had a pair of Mondeo hubs for me, and plenty more left.  Are they the same?  I also have the kit for pressing the bearings properly.  Never tried it yet as I don't have a press at the moment.