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Dear All
After hitting the search button and not believing no hits,have decided to post my experience of fitting polybushes to the front wishbones...
Helps if you have access to a pit or ramp,three metric sockets one metric ring spanner a big hammer,chisel,holesaw and hacksaw blade,etc,etc...

Here goes...

Jack up the car/pit/ramp/axle stands,the wishbones are held each side by fourteen screws,....undo them
















...the most difficult to get at are the two holding the anti-roll bar



and the upper mounting bolt



with all bolts removed yank the bugger out and transfer to bench


to remove the smaller bush you have to trim the rubber on the end to help the bush out
,

this is then removed by pressing or hitting with a lump hammer and drift,


the larger bush has to have the inner removed by burning,hole sawed or hacksawed and the outer shell removed by hammer and chisel


pressing the new bushes in is easy-peasey..


installation is the reverse of removal
Tighten all thirteen bolts

Half a day and £33 and job done

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0825202227

Please see note below before spending!!!!!

John

P.S.
After having them fitted for a while please note the car now handles like a Jelly on a skating-rink....I believe this is due to the amount of poly in the rear bushes and the shore rating.....going to try the Powerflex range...2x or 3X the price but I am in fear of my life driving on these....

John

Buy cheap buy twice. Look like floflex bushes to me, the console bush is a p*** poor design and I'm sure they wouldn't stand the test of time.

I'd also advise against removing the whole console. Bolts have a habit of shearing and you will now need a proper 4 wheel alignment preferably using the vag tool for correctly locating the consoles.

The job is very easily done with consoles left of the car

Well,after putting up with shocking handling took a look at the tyres





after 2 months/2000 miles....no hairy wires on the outside though!!!!!

as someone said "Buy cheap buy twice" and buy 2 new tyres!!!!!!

John

Oops. Id get yourself a powerflex set. Not cheap but you get a lifetime warranty and you know they will work.

Ive fitted them to various cars and they are the best option.

They're in the post as we speak....just the rears...the fronts are fine....I think?... please tell me more,I couldn't see how to push out the front and rear bushes without removing the "console", is that the aluminium bracket?....as for the tracking , the book says "mark the front suspension lower balljoint-to-lower arm retaining bolts" and later re-fit....there is no play/adjustment in these bolts??
How does one alter/reset the tracking?

Thanks
John

To remove the wishbone you only need to undo the front 18mm bolt and the 3 13mm bolts holding the balljoint on.

The wishbone can be removed. Youll need a ratchet strap to help refit the wishbone but its very easy.

Have a look at this...the tool..

https://www.youtube*.com/watch?v=wA4z2eZA3yU

and use in situ...

https://www.youtube*.com/watch?v=M9Uqu3vnBfQ

or the DIY version..removal

https://www.youtube*.com/watch?v=0abKdXhjfpM

and refitting

https://www.youtube*.com/watch?v=ko8RxnOqDYM

John

you wont need any special tools to fit the powerflex bushes as youve already done the hard work by removing the standard bushes

Yes,I've got that,just wondering if I've upset the tracking by removing/refitting the ali. "consoles", just looking for tracking figures unfortunately they're in degrees/minutes.
Front 0 degrees 10 minutes, rear 0 degrees 10-20 minutes total toe-in

Will try to transfer these figures to inches/mm's

John

you will have upset the alignment yes, will require tracking now

Well working it out looks like 0.8mm toe-in on each wheel measured at the tread...total 1.6mm between front wheels...

John

Out with the old in with the new...



Toe out of 5mm reset to Toe in of 1.6mm,new tyres fitted,handles as sharp as a pin ,will report back when I get a few more miles under my belt...

John

Now off to take my door mirrors apart to see how to replace the bulb....

Excellent. Should be a vast improvement