just under the car doing an oil change and spotted this





does this just push back in? the holes and the pegs don't seem to want to line up, although doing it blind doesn't help!

or is it only possible if the whole thing is off the car? and if so will it be a pain getting the bolts undone?

and i guess mainly is it safe? no idea how long it's been like it, but it's very clean so i'm guessing it's just happened as i jacked the side up?

any help much appreciated

Paul

 

YES VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING !

It is a vital part of your cars suspension, it is safe to drive "normally", but not racin' or chasin'

Would almost suggest getting a pair of poly bushed drop links from cusco kid on here, but if you can source std. ones locally they'll do !

Not sure if you can repair them, sorry !

HTH

dunx

 

cheers dunx, thought it was important looking! is that what that is then, a drop link?

not really worried about upgrading it, just don't want to die

there's not a lot holding it all together by the looks of it, just a compression fit? or has another bit fallen off?

 

Could just be pressed together, it's a drop-link, your front suspension is stiffened by the anti-roll bar. Car will feel odd !
The end remains attached to it, so your car won't handle properly and IF you hit someone/thing this wouldn't look very good !

Not inherently dangerous, just be careful out there.

If you can jack the wheel up you could try "squeezing" it back together ? ?

dunx

 

annoyingly if you jack it up they don't line up so i'm squeezing under the car and trying to get it back together.

it sort of goes back in, but the pegs aren't coming out the other side. to be fair it's a damn tight fit and maybe it is lined up ok it just isn't seating together properly?
it really looks like the only way to re-assemble it is to have it all off.

question is do i go for it? i mean worst case is a bit doesn't come off, but then again it's not linked together anyway.

only wanted to do an oil change

 

is this what i'm after? same price as OE Scoobyparts Ltd WHITELINE ALLOY FRONT DROP LINKS

the only guide i can see online is for a classic RB5 Owners Club Website, i guess the newage is different as this looks nothing like mine?

 

There's no point trying to put it back together, it'll just fall apart again as soon as there's any load on it. It's knackered. Those four "prongs" on the end of the plastic cup are a melt/weld fit into the metal link. The ends have broken off allowing the joint to separate.

It's not as though it wasn't already broken, so look on it as a good thing that you found and got the opportunity to replace it prior to an MOT. Sides if you look hard under there you'll no doubt find other things that could be fixed.

They'd work, but you're paying over the odds for bling. If you want a like for like replacement there's always something like this.

 

Its broken - its dead!, don't even try to repair it cos it will pop straight back out again.

really easy to replace, you need a allen key or hex head (6mm I think but not sure) and a 10 or 12mm spanner cant remember. The allen key goes inside the thread and will act as a brake and then just undo the nut, same at both ends and re-tightening is the opposite. Best to have the front wheel off though to make it easier to work on. you might need to jack the wishbone to get it all to fit together though

shhimples....

Cheers
Rob

 

wow, scoobynet at it's helpfull best! thanks guys

much to my surprise i got it off, yep spotted the hex ends Rob actually fairly straight forward (bear in mind an oil change is the most work i've ever done on a car)
not very often you'll see me doing anything other than polish it, my neighbour came round to make sure everything was ok when he heard me whacking the spanner with a mallet

yes, very true Splitpin, better to spot these things rather than get caught out (you're not Greasemonkey are you? you post a lot like him ) i was just about to upload some pics of the prongs and their lack of retaining washer/welded area but you've answered my question already

think i'll go for those ones in your link, saves a bit over Subaru prices and the Whiteline ones and TBH look more of a like for like swap which will do me fine

many thanks again guys

 

Well done mate.

Grease'em up good

 

pointed towards these by another scoobynetter Subaru Impreza Alloy Arm Imports Front Drop Link Rod x2 on eBay (end time 05-Sep-09 21:42:44 BST) very similar to the ones posted by Splitpin from import car parts? or cheap tat?
i'd love to have the whiteline ones but bit skint at the mo so the cheaper option might have to do for now (i can always buy some Whiteline goodies when funds are better i guess)

 

The Whiteline items you've spotted are similar to the ones cusco kid supplied me for mine.

The ones above look like the standard ones, so probably worth a try, IMHO

dunx

 

i'm going to give those ones a go, bit of a budget job but funds are a bit tight
thanks for your help by the way, i was in a bit of a bit of a panic for a while and your advice was really helpfull. cheers

 

ive got a set of second hand ones i took off my car when i upgraded. there is nothing wrong with them, just a little dirty. they are free to a good home if you want them just pm me and ill send them to you

 

did you get the droplinks paul

 

sure did mate, turned up this morning. many thanks for sending them out so quickly

cars all better now god, never driven the car so slowly before

 

thats a first for royal mail one persons scrap is another persons gold