Front Anti-roll bar links failure rate

[cabbage]

Hi, Just a quick one, I've been through 2 sets of Front Anti Roll bar links in as many years. Are these a common failing on the Surfs (3rd gens in particular), is it my shite driving () or is there likely to be an under lying fault leading to this obvious failure?

[stormforce]

do you off road the truck and is the truck lifted at all.If so then this may be the cause of the problem as you may want to fit some drop brackets to the chasis where the drop links bolt to to put the arbs back to the normal place

[cabbage]

No, i'm on standard suspension execpt for recent heavy duty springs and new dampers on the rear. I do light off roading if fields and woods for farm work but not regularly.

[stormforce]

i've only had my 3rd gen a few days so i got a lot to learn about them so i can't really say whats best to do at the moment but i'm sure someone with more knowledge of the 3rd gens will be along soon tho.If the 3rd gens are like the 2nd gens with the arbs then i might look at fitting some drop brackets on the front to see if that helps to prevent them breaking

[Albannach]

Anti Roll Bars are for poofs.

[mud skipper]

my 3 gen never had a prob and that was used offroad a fair bit, if your shocks are longer than standard then your prob could be there.

[cabbage]

cheers for the quick replies! I did drive over to the west coast last year with no arb on the front! I'd not want to take it off permanant though, more for insurance reasons than anything else.

[TonyN]

Are you fitting new ones, or getting used ones? They seem to go rusty quickly on older 3rd Gens, I break lots undoing them to do other jobs, always have lots in stock.

[cabbage]

Are you fitting new ones, or getting used ones? They seem to go rusty quickly on older 3rd Gens, I break lots undoing them to do other jobs, always have lots in stock.

this time its only the washers that hold the rubber in place that have broken, hopefully the nut will come off ok.......

....I might get in touch though depending on how snap happy they are!!

Cheers!

[Albannach]

this time its only the washers that hold the rubber in place that have broken, hopefully the nut will come off ok.......

Which washers? 2 of them are sacrificial. I'd expect them to last more than a couple of years though.

[NiftyNev]

Are you fitting them correctly? Rubber or other bushes? Are you installing the bushes the right way?

Nev

[cabbage]

Sorry about the delay folks, got the truck up on the ramps today.

I took the top nuts off the ARB links and tried to move the arb with it just in the mounts but it is totally solid. After removal of the bar from the chassis I found a lot of corrosion in the mounting rubbers.

Is this bar supposed to be absolutely solid in its mountings or should it at least flex a little? I'm guessing there should be a bit of flex seeing as it’s held with rubber mounts!! Just loosening off the mounting bolts allowed some flex.

Here's some pic's:





Cheers!!

[lord_flashart]

Jesus! Do you park it at the bottom of a swamp every night?
That's got more rust on it than my 2ng Gen and it's 20 years old in December!

It could be the corrosion just rusting through the link bars?

[cabbage]

Jesus! Do you park it at the bottom of a swamp every night?
That's got more rust on it than my 2ng Gen and it's 20 years old in December!

It could be the corrosion just rusting through the link bars?

I found it significantly reduced my inurance premium, try it next time your getting an online quote, its just in the drop down box on the "where do you park your car over night" question "on roadside; secure parking area; private drive; garage; swamp"

I didn't realise it was that bad, it was the least rusty 4x4 at the garage I bought it from!!

[Albannach]

The ARB should be absolutely free to move on its horizontal axis.