Les Henson Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Courtesy of Vambo. This is made much easier if the vehicle is jacked up on the axle. If you jack up on the chassis - the axle will move backwards when the radius arm is removed and it is then quite difficult to move the heavy axle forwards again to re-fit it. With the weight of the vehicle on the axle - it has the effect of holding it in place - thereby making re-fitting of the arm a lot easier (it only moves about 3mm) A worn bush - they perish and the rubber swells outwards, which makes removing the three M10 bolts almost impossible. To save a lot of time and effort it's far easier to just cut the heads off and fit new nuts/bolt (they are M10 coarse thread x 25mm with nyloc nuts). 3-per side. Cut off or remove the 3 x M10 bolts that hold the bush in place. There's a 32mm nut on the end of the arm, wire brush the thread and spray with WD40 to lubricate the thread and flush out any grit. You will need either a breaker bar or some means of increasing leverage on a ratchet to undo it, it's very tight. On the opposite end remove the 22mm nut and bolt, clean the threaded end and spray with WD40 first. You will need the breaker bar again for this. Lever the end down out of the axle bracket and then withdraw the arm. You may have to knock it out with a bar and hammer. The old bush will have swollen up either side of the chassis bracket and is very difficult to remove. You can spray WD40 inside and out and leave it to seep in, then a pry bar (I used a crow bar) to lever it out. The wrecked bush. The new item (about £4) Put the new bush in place as shown. put the three bolts in, but don't tighten them. The reason for this is that the bush will be loose and make it a lot easier to put the arm back in. A small amount of grease on the end of the arm to help in fitting. Put the threaded end of the arm through the new bush and put the washer and nut back on. Push the opposite end back into the axle bracket and then push the axle forwards until the bolt goes through and then tighten the nut. Then tighten the 3 x M10 bolts and finally the large nut on the end of the arm. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 You have been busy, both with the camera and the tools. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveturnbull Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 I prefer to use copperslip - it seems to last a bit longer than regular grease, so the next time you come to take it off it's not so much of a fight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotian Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 I;m just waiting for my yellow Dflex full bush kit to arrive as most my bushes have all failed at the same time. I;ve got no problems with getting those 3 nuts off becuase my bush is all mashed up after just 8 months since new!! Thats what I get for driving the roads here in Romania! Hope the Dflex ones will last a bit longer.. Can you get the other end bush out with ease or does it require a press or somthing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reads90 Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 mmmm les i have always chocked the wheels and never jacked the car up on the alxe or chassis. seems to work fine for me . Don't know if you have ever tried it with out jacking the car up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted March 29, 2008 Author Share Posted March 29, 2008 Jack it up = more room to work - you need quite a bit to swing a breaker bar. Scotian - the opposite end is a normal press-fit bush. You may be able to knock it out with a suitable drift, but a press if it's very tight. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwcooper Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 Another good guide, just been looking at some of the others you have done.....keep up the hard work. When i did mine a couple of months ago I didnt jack the vehicle up, was pritty fiddly getting the Trailing arm back in. Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 I;m just waiting for my yellow Dflex full bush kit to arrive as most my bushes have all failed at the same time. I;ve got no problems with getting those 3 nuts off becuase my bush is all mashed up after just 8 months since new!! Thats what I get for driving the roads here in Romania!Hope the Dflex ones will last a bit longer.. Can you get the other end bush out with ease or does it require a press or somthing? I fear not Deflex lasted about 10 mins on my front axle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciderman Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 I second that ^^^^^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotian Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 thats bad news I really didnt want to hear :-( They are advertised as: "Deflex Bushes - improve stability and reduce sway - will not perish or crumble - less likely to break down under hard driving conditions - not affected by petrol, oil or grease - easy to fit." With a statment like that I thought they wouyld last at least longer than standard genuine bushes? As I said before. I had new shock and trailing arm bushes in the summer. I got here in Romania in October and over the last 4 weeks they are all totally mashed up (not perrished or crumbling), just cut up and in a mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciderman Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 The Deflex bushes I have had didnt perish or crumble , They just split after about a month , OE bushes seem to be the favorite on here , Do a search there are quite a few threads . Just a tip when you fit your bushes ,dont tighten any of the mounting bolts / nuts ,until the suspension is at rest sat on its 4 wheels with no jack or stands . This will put less strain on them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotian Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 Thanks for the tip, I wasnt planning on jacking it up atall if I can possibily get away with it though. If they split in a month surly I would be able to get a refund or at least replacement bushes (genuine ones in exchange for the broken Dflex one) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciderman Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 I simply didnt want the same bushes again and didnt even bother to ask paddocks for a refund . But not everyone has the same problem wth these bushes , some people rate them as they are simple to fit without any need of a press or simular method . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicks90 Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 The new item (about £4) hmmmm, that'll be the ones i bought last year to replace my rear bushes with, 3 rtvs and less than 2000 miles and the rubber seperated and gave me approx 1" movement in the bush on BOTH sides. Rear wheel steer anyone? buy the expensive genuine ones if you go for rubber bushes, cos the cheap pattern parts last about 5 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4.6v8lwt Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Have found Ironman bushes at the chassis end to be well worth it, as they are made so that when the vehicle is at rest the bushes are not under any tension. Instead of being square to the metal plate they are angled, they also seem to allow the suspension to sit slightly higher as the arms are not fighting against the bush. Used them on a number of differant vehicles and seem to last aswell if not better than original ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicks90 Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 sorry. my picture is slightly misleading. wheel is off and vehicle is jacked up with the axle dangling on full droop - hence why it looks so compressed. Even still, shouldnt be showing that much gap and the centre rubber obviously seperated :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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