Front anti-roll bar links question...

[macaroni]

I tried to replace the front anti-roll bar links on my Murena today, the nearside one was easy, but the offside one wouldn't budge. The long bolt appears to be rusted into the spacer tube. Anyway, my question is this; which way should the metal cupped washers go on?

Mine had the curled lip away from the rubber bushes, but I think that the curled lip should actually cup the washers and help to hold the whole caboodle in place.

Does anyone know what I am talking about and can help me?

[Will Falconer]

Yes, the cups cradle the rubbers.

You can hackswaw the old bolt/spacer tube off to get it out.

[macaroni]

Thanks Will, I did consider the hacksaw, but the light was fading and my tea was ready, so I jacked it in.

I wonder why the anti-roll bar links on the car were fitted incorrectly and what effect that might have?

[macaroni]

Just to conclude this. My Dad visited, who is a very good mechanic, and advised that I hold a heavy hammer behind the sleeve and hit the sleeve with a smaller hammer. I did this a few times, rotating the bolt and using copious amounts of WD40 and lo, it came off in a few minutes.

Good old Dad.

So now I have replaced both drop links and the top swivel joint on the drivers side and the front suspension still knocks over bumps.

Anybody got any other ideas?

[Will Falconer]

You can never be sure that the bottom ball joint is good unless you've changed it for a new one.  The only test I know of is to check the tracking, move the car forwards 150mm and check the tracking again. If it's out then it's time to change the bottom ball joint.

Also, you've changed the outer anti-roll bar bushes, but what about the inners? The antiroll bar could be thumping against the chassis rail.