How to check Fiesta drop links?

You need to disconnect one end of one drop link, then you can feel if there is play in the other three joints of the link. also check the a/r bar rubbers as they are often the cause of noises.

Thanks, will do. I did actually see the ARB moving inside the rubber if I pushed it hard enough, but I don't know how much movement would be expected; after all, it is made of rubber. It did actually pass an MOT since the noise started, but I don't know how the tester would check drop links and bushes while the car's weight is on the wheels.

the arb bushes should not have any visible up and down movement, they are not part of the mot. drop links would need to be actually broken to fail the mot.

Well, the noise does have a 'rubbery' quality, like someone hitting a tyre with a rubber mallet, but that might just be the tyres. I think I'll replace the bushes, since they're quite cheap, and check the links while I'm at it. Would it make sense to put something like silicone grease inside the bush where it meets the bar, or is it supposed to grip it?

grease them if you want, it soon gets squidged out and washed away. Just make sure it is silicone or red rubber grease. I generally find that wear in drop links shows as noise when cornering, and ar bushes clonk when driving straight on rough surfaces, unmade back alley for instance.

Okay, thanks very much.

Yikes. I don't know if you've personally seen one of these, but there is zero room to get a spanner in there. Even a ratcher spanner. I guess you're supposed to remove the subframe, but it looks like it may be possible to get at it if you can undo the subframe bolts a bit, and just lower it without removing it completely. Is that a sensible thing to try, if done one side at a time?

they are tight, I lower the subframe, but equally. this is the reason people leave them. wait till you do the same job on a late golf.

Okay, thanks. I'll try that. I was thinking of doing it one side at a time so that I wouldn't disturb the position of the subframe. Apparently there's a tool for aligning it, but I'll see if I can come up with something else.

You could undo one side and spring that down, but that would probably be worse than just lowering the back end evenly, I have never used the alignment tool, it is hard to see how alignment could be far out, the bolts are quite a snug fit.

Well, it does seem odd that you should need an alignment tool for something like that. If the bolts are a snug fit, then it would make sense to lower the whole thing.

It's perfectly possible to do it without dropping the subframe by removing the bolt only on one side (loosen the other if you can) and bending the bra cket open sufficiently to get the old rubber out and new one in. The amount of bend required is minimal and thus need not risk damage/fatigue.

It's fiddly, yes, but at least there's no (re)alignment necessary afterward s. If I needed to replace them again I'd do it the same way without a secon d thought.

Mathew

It's perfectly possible to do it without dropping the subframe by removing the bolt only on one side (loosen the other if you can) and bending the bracket open sufficiently to get the old rubber out and new one in. The amount of bend required is minimal and thus need not risk damage/fatigue.

It's fiddly, yes, but at least there's no (re)alignment necessary afterwards. If I needed to replace them again I'd do it the same way without a second thought.

Mathew

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Interesting suggestion, thanks. I'll try that first.