A Frame Bushes

[white90]

Courtesy of Vambo.

A sure sign of a worn bush - light orange rust either end of it. This means that the inner sleeve is moving on the bolt. The rubber can also perish and cause movement. If the inner sleeve has been rubbing on the bolt for some time it may have worn a step in the bolt shaft - requiring it to be replaced as the new bush will not last very long.

The bolt is 24mm - spray the thread with WD40 and remove the nut. You will need a breaker bar or similar leverage to undo it.

One end of the arm is attached to the A-frame ball joint housing by 2 x 19mm nuts/bolts. Remove the nuts from both and tap the bolts backwards until they are inside the arm.

Withdraw the large bolt - it should come out fairly easily. You can lever against it between the chassis rail side to push it out, then if necessary - clamp the head of the bolt with mole grips and clout the grips with a mallet to remove it completely.

The arm will then come away. Tap the two 19mm bolts further through until there's about 15mm sticking out of the ball joint housing.

The arm - ready for the bush to be removed. The method described here is 'beat the hell out of it'. You can press it out if you have access to a press, or alternatively - burn the rubber out and then hacksaw through the outer sleeve.

A 30mm socket is just the right size to use to knock the bush out. Rest the end of the arm over a larger socket (I used a 41mm impact socket), then place the 30mm socket squarely over the bush and belt the hell out of it until it is free.

Grease the new bush and the hole in the arm. Put it in place and carefully tap it in until it's nice and square. Using the same sockets as before, knock the new one back in until it's flush with the arm.

Replace the arm - locate it on the 19mm bolts first, then the larger bolt (grease it), at the opposite end (you may have to apply a bit of leverage to get the bolt in, but it's not very difficult). Tighten all bolts and the job is finished.

Note:-

If the two 19mm bolts are the wrong way round for the arm you are going to work on, then undo one, turn it round and then do the same to the other one - you can then use the ends to align the arm whichever side you are working on. However, the A-frame housing only pivots a small amount when you remove one bolt and it can easily be repositioned by levering it with a screwdriver or similar on the top of the axle case or ball joint bolts.

Les.