Wheel bearings going - do I need to cancel our holiday? :(

[Pootle]

My garage fitted me in today! Hooray! ... but changing the top ball joint didn't fix the CLUNK... boo! The ball joint definitely had too much play though.

It turns out metalmick8y was right, the CLUNK was due to the faulty drop link. I took the nut, round plate, tube and rubber off the bottom of the drop link. Unfortunately when I jacked up the van the drop link didn't come free of the track control arm at the bottom because shocks are lowered 30mm. So I couldn't get the top rubber and plate off.

I didn't want to remove the shocks to drop the arm, so I found an old metal plate from a motorcycle flange shickernacker with the right sized hole, and cut an undersized gap in it. I twisted and forced it onto the bottom of the drop link shaft and put a hose clip above it to help it stay in place.

It's not perfect because the top round plate isn't flat, but it all seems secure and the clunk is gone. See you in two weeks!

[CovKid]

Thats what we like to see - lateral thinking. You'll be fine with that - have fun!

[tinman]

Now you can do your 1500mile trip without having the worry of that ball joint
Have a great holiday

[Plasticman]

Good work there, that will keep you going, the main safety thing was the ball joint, rollbar is beneficial and better on than off but not a deal breaker and if it goes on your hols it will not do you any harm that I can see,
I will nearly eat my words about the jubilee but await your return..
mike

[Pootle]

I will nearly eat my words about the jubilee but await your return..
mike

On your advice the jubilee is not "taking the strain" - it's on the wider part of the droplink. TBH it's not doing much. It's above the undersized gap in the bodging plate, which is tight around the narrow part of the drop link.

I'm still intrigued what a "snowball" is...

[dugcati]

Nice fix there however...

fix it before the next MOT!

[Plasticman]

Ah snowball! sorry I was being flippant, I wrongly assumed you were going to use a mere jubilee to take the load etc hence might as well use a snowball or chocolate washer.
mike

[Pootle]

Ah snowball! sorry I was being flippant

So that would explain the look on the face of the man at GSF when I asked "Do you sell snowballs? I think they are some kind of clamping thingummy for metal rods".

[Plasticman]

please dont tell me you really asked for that in gsf?
mike

[Pootle]

please dont tell me you really asked for that in gsf?
mike

I really did. I'll not show my face in there for a while.

[Plasticman]

Sorry Ive just spat my coffee out, thats a classic if yoiu need to tell him a pratt was winding you up
mike

[torchy]

.................but in the end did it hold?? and did you have a good holiday? read this with interest as I think I have the same problem

[ELVIS]

What's a snowball?

Wasnt it a babycham and orange juice combo made famous in Derby and Joan raffles?

[Plasticman]

NO, Advocat ,lemonade or babycham, lime, stupid cherry on a cocktail stick/toothpick. disgusting drink
M

[Red Westie]

I've gotta be honest and say that I doubt the bodge will hold but I do agree with the others when they say that this doesn't seriously effect safety as long as you are aware.
The antiroll bar itself minimises body roll, especially when one side falls into a pot hole or similar. Driving with a broken link is reasonably safe at a reduced speeds and with extra caution around bends.
I think I would have tried a little harder to get this properly fixed but it isn't the end of the world, the ball joint was definately the more serious of the two.
Martin