MoT suspension advisory.

[VicW]

I got an advisory during my MoT yesterday. It says "Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated Nearside front." Tester suggested it was probably OK for another year, (I am only doing 5K a year now).
Do you change the whole linkage or just the ball joint? The car is due a service next month.

Vic.

[guest7099]

Vic,

By coincidence I had exactly the same when mine went for its MOT.

On the invoice they’ve put  “Renew the front right stabiliser link - Rod/strut, stabiliser x1”

It cost £83 inc VAT, no breakdown of parts and labour

Hope this helps

[embee]

I think they are a typical drop link with a joint at each end, same link on left and right (other cars have a different design using rubber bushes and nuts/threads). Should be a very simple replacement job, get under car, undo 2 nuts, take old link off etc.
https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/starline-anti-roll-bar-link-632601049 is just under £20 with discount, or https://www.gsfcarparts.com/427ho0210 for around £13 with discount.
(check they are the correct parts!!!!!!)
Usually if one needs replacing the other will not be far behind, so often worth doing both.

[Jocko]

I got two Moog Drop links for £24. Not always easy to replace. My old ones had a hex in the screwed end of the ball, which you are supposed to use to stop the ball turning as you undo the nut. We had to grind it off.

[springswood]

I'd say avoid cheap parts. I had mine replaced a couple of years ago (needed a garage to get the seized nuts off). No names from eBay about £15 a pair. They need doing again after about 20,000 miles. Hopefully this time the nuts haven't rusted on.

[Droneranger]

I got two Moog Drop links for £24. Not always easy to replace. My old ones had a hex in the screwed end of the ball, which you are supposed to use to stop the ball turning as you undo the nut. We had to grind it off.

I agree Jocko, these drop links are a difficult job, it is not so bad if you know what to expect, I break off the link arm then get mole grips on the ball, the nut normally moves a bit which is enough to get a Dremel fitted with a cutting disc in there.
No need to avoid cheap parts in this case, you may just pay more for the same part. 

[culzean]

Just put wife's MK2 in for MOT,  everything fine except for slight split on rubber gaiter on trackrod end... This resulted in a 'major fail' - i asked the tester if any play in trackrod ends, he said no they were fine.  In February this year same problem on Civic was put down as an advisory ( and that was with slight play in nearside trackrod end ) - no mention of the split gaiter....  What is happening with MOT ?

This place is amazing for car parts, got a Blueprint trackrod end for Civic for £15 + £7 delivery - turns out the Blueprint part was made by Bilstein in Kent UK.... Just got a couple of Bilstein trackrod ends for our MK2 Jazz
for £19 each = total with delivery is less than £50.  It literally took me longer to get jack out of boot and take wheel off than to replace the trackrod end on Civic and the tracking check at ATS cost 3x as much as the cost of part.  Only downside with autodoc is that it takes 5 days to get here,  but we have two cars and rarely use both at same time. Also free retest within 10 days.

They offered quite a few different makes of trackrod ends, and in lengths of 181 and 201 mm ( I had to measure ones on our Si Jazz = 201mm ).  Interesting that autodoc catalogue had 'trackrod end repair kit shown - consisting of the male ball part, nut, and new gaiter + clips,  but out stock.

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/

[MartinJG]

I got an advisory during my MoT yesterday. It says "Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated Nearside front." Tester suggested it was probably OK for another year, (I am only doing 5K a year now).
Do you change the whole linkage or just the ball joint? The car is due a service next month.

Vic.

I also had the same 'advisory' last October. Replaced both sides (Delphi) plus labour at a cost of @ £70 inc VAT. I also had an advisory on a sticking rear brake caliper. My man suggested the tester was perhaps being a little over zealous. WD40 fixed that. I suspect they have seen quite a few vehicles that have been sitting on the driveway and gradually rusting rather than wearing out.

[nowster]

I suspect they have seen quite a few vehicles that have been sitting on the driveway and gradually rusting rather than wearing out.

The tyres and brakes guy I usually use said he's been replacing more rusted brakes this year than in any he can remember.

[culzean]

I suspect they have seen quite a few vehicles that have been sitting on the driveway and gradually rusting rather than wearing out.

The tyres and brakes guy I usually use said he's been replacing more rusted brakes this year than in any he can remember.

The kindest thing to do to a vehicle is to drive it every day,  I am very wary of 'very low mileage, one lady owner' cars because they will be full of problems that would not have happened if car had done more miles.  These days a higher mileage car would be my choice.  If car left on drive too long tyres can develop flat spots, and tyres that are not moved are more likely for rubber to develop cracks.

[Jocko]

I am very kind to mine at the present. The poor old thing is covering 600 miles per week.

[MartinJG]

I am very kind to mine at the present. The poor old thing is covering 600 miles per week.

Jocko, just remind me how many miles it hasn't done yet.....

[Jocko]

It has done 142,000 miles, 55,000 since I bought it five years ago. Should be good for the same again if the body holds out.

[MartinJG]

It has done 142,000 miles, 55,000 since I bought it five years ago. Should be good for the same again if the body holds out.

Yep. Always comes down to bodywork/subframe. Just about everything else is more or less fixable/replaceable depending on one's point of view on diminishing returns versus sentiment. Touch wood, the Jazz does seem to fair better than most on the tin worm front. You are of course stuck with the worst of all worlds up there in the land of the Haggis on the weather/road gritting front.

[Keekster71]

It has done 142,000 miles, 55,000 since I bought it five years ago. Should be good for the same again if the body holds out.

Yep. Always comes down to bodywork/subframe. Just about everything else is more or less fixable/replaceable depending on one's point of view on diminishing returns versus sentiment. Touch wood, the Jazz does seem to fair better than most on the tin worm front. You are of course stuck with the worst of all worlds up there in the land of the Haggis on the weather/road gritting front.

Having owned 3 of these cars I’d say the jazz is one of the worst for rusting particularly up here where the roads are salted for 6 months every year! It’s not helped by the lack of paint underneath. The series 2 is even worse in this respect. The slam panel is just primer.