407 droplink replacment

[trem1]

Hi all I have just changed front and rear droplinks, no more nasty noises and more surprisingly a more subtle, subdued ride, I likey

Total cost less than £30 on good old fleabay.

As there's no "how to" I thought I'd take piccies on the way , if I miss anything shout up but here goes.

Tool list

Jacks and stands
Gallons of WD40
Long Punches
Copper or hide mallet
Good Metric Socket set, gonna need from memory, 17,18,19,24mm
Torx 45 and 55 preferably on a socket drive ( I couldnt find mine)
Good metric combination wrench set again just 19 and 24mm needed from memory
Copaslip


1 Have a brew

2 Jack up car and support!! I struggled to find somewhere suitable to put an axle stand, to the point where it fell of my second trolley jack while lifting the other side to put axle stands in So I ended up taking off undertray and using back of subfame for support.



3 Remove wheel and locate droplink bolts and spray very liberally with WD40, pen oil, duck oil take your pick!!

[trem1]

4 Using T45 torx and 19 mm wrench undo and remove lower droplink bolt







5 Using T55 torx bit and 24mm wrench undo upper droplink bolt






6 Have a brew!

[trem1]

7 Using largest punch available mine was 12mm knock upper droplink out making sure to leave punch in the aperture so shock absorber doesn't drop like mine did (beleive me it'll save you time later.





8 Now get glamorous assistant to turn wheel so you can slide out upper droplink bolt and then do the same for lower one







9 Fitting is really as easy as removal, I cleaned up the apertures with a rotarty wire wheel in my drill, liberally coated all faces and pins with Copaslip and put it all back together. I couldnt find any torque values on my service box so did to the universal torque of FT Have a good check at all other bits and bobs, brakes, CV etc

10 Put wheels back on and enjoy!!

Any questions just post reply

Cheers for looking Gaz

Thanks to FHMBOY for this as all i did was steal it from 407owners

[sterion75]

Hi Trem, would you know any torque settings for the front end, im thinking primarily driveshaft nut's and the bottom bushing bolt and nut, please?

[trem1]

cant find the info on servicebox atm. but i'll look again in awhile unless someone else can find out sooner for you

[trem1]

the search box is a wonderful tool.................
try this
Torque settings for clutch and gearbox

[sebasteeno]

Good guide trem. My fronts are getting replaced next week but ill just leave that to my mech as im lazy

[Crankyhorse]

The last time I did drop links I had to use an angle grinder.

That was a 16 year old car though.

[sterion75]

Do you know, its all about asking the right search question, I spent ages asking the wrong ones. Many thanks Trem. If I may be a further drain on your time, on this thread and lower ball joint one, did you ever need the services of a spring compressor for the front springs? On staring to change my wheel bearings I wondered what would happen when I undid the bottom bolts without one, anyway found a lower ball joint gone so while im under there and not wanting to return soon, i have ordered a kit for upper and lower joints complete with drop links at under £30 each side. I'll be referring to those guides you posted for help, thanks again, Brad

[trem1]

first just to clarify, i didnt do the droplinks fhmboy did and i knicked the info he put on 407owners at his request

but no at no point did i need any spring compressors or go anywhere near unbolting the spring itself and going from the droplink pics i wouldnt have thought the springs were touched either, see if the pic helps you