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DIY 6th Gen Drop Links Howto

AndyB1976

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Location
Glasgow
Car
2002 F18B2 CG8
Honda Accord 98-02 6th Gen drop-link Replacement.

Preliminary steps and info.

This is my unqualified DIY, so use at your own risk.

This is quite a 'tool rich' howto. This doesn't mean you can't improvise and use your own equivalent tool, however I was trying to produce a guide that shows how do it quickly without Acetylene torches and air tools. These tools you can borrow or buy off the shelf to remove the drop-link in about 5mins.

Tool List

1.Rothenberger Superfire2 Torch
2.MAPPro gas
3.Torque Wrench 8-60Nm
4.Slotted Screwdriver/chisel
5.Hammer
6.PryBar
7.Dewalt 18v Impact Driver DW059
8.90° Angled Needlenose Pliers
9.Spray Lubricant (silicone/any)
10. Allen Key 5mm
11. Crowsfoot 14mm
12. Impact Extension Bar (wobble) 1/2” 100mm*
13. Impact Socket 14mm (universal joint)*
14. Vice Grips
15. Metal Plate (something flame resistance to guard the fuel lines/pipe on nearside rear if using blowtorch.)

*Because of the awkward size of the impact gun, I had to use a wobble extension and wobble socket to clear control arms on the upper nuts. Its better if you can avoid using these as the torque can be lost due to the twisting of these extending items rather than directly to the nut itself. I had no option, but it did enough to work.

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PPE
Goggles, fire suppressant, water (to cool nuts, bolts and tools down quickly)

Vehicle Safety
Please ensure the car is supported properly once raised. You will be prying possibly with some force and also concentrating when using the blowtorch so do not let car stand only on the jack! Front lift point show below, rear lift point is the rear tow hook.


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Identify the Rear Droplinks (fronts are replicated)

I took the Anti Roll Bar (ARB) off the car with the intention to paint it, here it is with the old droplinks installed and ARB bushes in place,
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Anti-Roll Bar painted Hammerite Black and new droplinks installed, I'm using the IRWIN to press the whole roll bar into alignment as I thought it looked a bit off centre when I put it all back together. So loosened off the ARB Bush brackets, soaked with silicone spray and pushed pulled until I was content it was in place correctly.

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Tackling the drop-links

It is best to have both wheels off the ground as with only one grounded it will apply a torsional force into the ARB which will be loaded onto the droplinks making them potentially more difficult to remove.

This was my first attempt at doing drop-links therefore this guide will jump about each drop-link on the vehicle. I attempted various methods of breaking the drop-link, separating it and ultimately removing. Therefore I might be on a rear link then a front link , I am describing what tools made the job quickest for me. Different methods were used until the last drop-link.


I started off by soaking the the ends of the drop-link with a silicone spray, then chisels off the 4 plastic clips.
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Then angled in a prybar to leverage off the drop-link.
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Once that end is off, then some Vice Grips or pliers onto the broken end and use that to lever off the other end....(a quick jump to the front link in this shot)
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I thought once this was off I was almost there, but getting the remaining plastic socket and rubber boot off on some of them became a pain. Grip it hard with pliers it tightens around the ball, lever it away and it pivots out the way. The method that popped it off first time was bent nose pliers behind either side of the ball. Pliers will work but these are more effective.
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...and now the ball is exposed, time for ViceGrips and 14mm Socket on the nut (or pliers and spanner of your choice)

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I decided to switch to a blowtorch. The Rothenberger Superfire2 has a piezo-type ignition so you can feed the torch to the location and then light it very easily. One thing I would do next time is wipe off any old grease from the ball-joint, this old stuff caught alight and whilst not a major flame it is obviously a hazard nonetheless.

NB
Brake hoses and or Fuel lines will be very much in your workspace here. Pay close attention to the flame direction. When working on the the nearside rear, be particular aware of the fuel hoses. The metal plate (tool item no 15) was shaped and placed between the flame and the fuel hoses running from the fuel cap.

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I recorded this to see how effective it was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6ol8FVFsJQ

The nut and stud will be extremely hot, the pliers and socket will be reasonably hot so a bucket of water to quickly cool these items is good to have.

Once the nut is off,simply pull the stud through. You might want to throw them in a bucket of water.


Installing the new drop-link.

Simply slip the drop-links into place. These nuts have a torque spec but unlike most other nuts or bolts you fasten these are attaching to a freely rotating stud so you need a method of holding the stud whilst torquing the nut.

Honda's method is using a 5mm female hex on the end of the stud so you can hold this with a standard 5mm hex/allen key.

This will obviously impede the usual method of using a socket to torque the nut. You could use a spanner, an offset spanner will clear the bottom lip of the lower control arm but you will have no way of measuring torque.

There is another way, using a crowfoot wrench. This allows you to use the torque wrench whilst holding the stud with the Allen key.

Torque specs
Rear 28lb-ft @ ARB
Rear 29lb-ft @ lower control arm
Front 29lb-ft @ ARB
Front 29lb-ft @ lower control arm


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[SIZE=13.3333330154419px]Job done..[/SIZE]
 
Stunning write up mate. Top work.
 
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