MOT Advisory Lower Anti-Roll bar joint dust cover

[Vickybo]

Hi

Can anyone shed any light on whether this advisory is a quick repair (replace dust cover) or if it could be something more expensive?

If it is a minor advisory can i just leave it til the next MOT in Oct/21?

[Rosgoe]

I assume that the tester is referring to the droplinks which have a ball joint either end and is connected to the anti roll bar and to the lower suspension arm/wishbone I’m surprised he didn’t fail it if it’s perished you were lucky.

I would get it done ASAP as if dirt gets into the joint it will wear and cause a knocking noise eventually although not dangerous looking on line they are not expensive around £22 a side plus fitting unless you are confident in doing it yourself I don’t think you can buy the dust covers separately anymore.

[Cyker]

I'd have a look at it yourself and see before initiating any work. Maybe take a picture and post it here so other Auris owners can confirm! Sounds a bit weird tho' if it is referring to the ARB droplinks, as AFAIK they don't have dust covers!

On both my old diesel Mk1 Yarisesisuses, I was always getting MOT advisories for the droplink bushes being 'severely perished', but I knew from the experience of other owners here that was a false flag with the Yaris droplinks, and that they were actually fine - Although the outside of the rubber bush looked pretty awful, the middle bit (that did the actual work) was fine, and that it'd only need changing if it started going klonk over bumps. At the time the Toyota OE droplinks were stupidly expensive and the rubber was known to return to its perished appearance very quickly, so most experienced owners advised me to ignore it unless there was klonking.

After ignoring the advisory for 3 or 4 years, where they continued to work just fine and no suspensions problems appeared, I did eventually change them for some polyurethane ones (Much more robust than the grapejelly rubber they used to make the OE ones and less than half the cost!), but ironically this caused the suspension to klonk as one of the bolts holding the anti-roll bar down had sheared off! (We had to remove it to fit the poly bushes as the driver-side driveshaft obstructed the ARB - That was a right ballache to bolt back in! Twice!)

 

[furtula]

If it's severely deteriorated, chances are it's already full of junk, so no point in rushing a repair. 

Not really worth replacing yourself as it's probably rusty and stuck, and you good tools, to get it out, then press another one in it's place

If there is no knocking in suspension when going over bumps, then it's not that bad yet, and when it goes out, you will know by knocking.

Even when it gets some slack and starts knocking, it can't jump out of the housing, so not that big of a safety issues, but needs to be replaced.

 

[TonyHSD]

Yes, I think the advisory is about the links ball joint cover, best to buy and change the whole links and eventually the stabiliser bar bushings if there is a play, of not just new links. 👍

[Vickybo]

Hi

 

Thankyou all for the prompt/detailed feedback, i will try to get pictures and post them to get confirmation of the issue.

I'll get back to you all, and again really appreciate your input.

 

Regards Victor C

[Vickybo]

Hi

 

Please see pictures of offending part on my 2009 Auris ZRE151. I believe there may be a split in the rubber now.

My steering is fine and there is no knocking sounds at all, but i guess i should get them both replaced.

 

Regards Victor C

[furtula]

That should be the anti-roll bar, unless you are driving like a maniac in corners, you should be fine. 

 

[Cyker]

Yeah that's the anti-roll bar droplink - It's hard to see but doesn't seem so bad to me, not even very rusty!

If you're not getting klonks and the car is riding okay round corners and over speed humps then I reckon you're okay to leave it. Maybe see if the advisory comes up again at the next MOT?

Wait and see if some more experienced Auris owners turn up tho', I only have my experiences from my Mk1 Yaris, but the Auris may have some differences I'm not aware of!

[Vickybo]

Hi

 

Thanks for confirmation of the droplink, i was getting rear discs and pads done today so i included changing both droplinks as per attached pics and video. Got everything done all inclusive of parts and labour for £190.00.

 

Thanks Victor C