Hi. I have already done the search and read other posts about these but I'm still a little unsure. I have these: [N/S D/S] Which way do I fit the bush in each wishbone? Essentially, does the large flange of the bush go at the top or bottom? The n/s wishbone is the original and the d/s is a pattern and as you can see they are slightly different. I gather on the d/s (pattern) the bore is slimmer - "sloppy bush syndrome"! What can I do about this? Thanks for any help. Edited by: Vento Jim
Looking at the pic, you need to take the bushes out to see inside which is the radiused edge. Should think its the bottom
It looks to me like the radiused edge will be on the top of the n/s and the bottom of the d/s wishbone. This would mean that the new bushes will be the opposite way up from each other. Will this matter, or is that what they're getting at do u think? Got to get the old swines out first! Cheers
Clamp them to a bench so the bush is hanging off the edge, smash out the rubber with a hammer (and sharp wood chisel if needed) then chisel out the steel insert.
wait a mo...is yours a plus axle or not? the plus axle 'bones are sided i believe....and they may well need different powerflex bushes. mk2 bushes are the same as non-plus axle mk3's i believe (all depends on the subframe actually). the powerflex bush pictured looks like a plus axle one to me....and i'm pretty sure the wider bit goes on the top. check with powerflex is my suggestion.
Not plus axle. I hope they haven't sent me the wrong bushes as they did with the rear beam bushes. It looks like the new bush will fit nicely into the original vw wishbone, but there will be axial play in the drivers side pattern wishbone. That can't be a good thing?? I've ripped the rubber part out of both now, I need to get the metal outer out which, at the moment looks impossible! I'll let you know how I get on. Ta
If you have trouble (shouldnt do once the rubber is out, just bash from one edge of the bush in towards the centre to squash it up) you can take the blade from a hacksaw, put it through the hole where the rubber was, refit the hacksaw frame and cut through it in a couple of places. Quick whack with a chisel will pop them out
well, the bushes will deffo fit in the wishbones....but i'd check they're deffo right ones. i'll tell you my story....ordered some polysport ones for a mk3 vr6, fitted to wishbone fine, but wishbone wouldn't go into car as the plus axle subframe has a little ridge. turns out these were mk2 bushes, and rally design don't do mk3 ones...so i had to get powerflex, which fitted perfectly and looked identical to yours (but were purple). now, with yours what i'm wondering is whether the subframe has the ridge, or is like a mk2 and doesn't have one....if it doesn't have one, will the bush fit in tight enough?! i'm prob worrying you over nothing, but worth checking if they do two bushes.
I see what you mean now. The subframe does have a little semicircular ridge around the bolt hole, whch the metal sleeve part of the bush slides into. I have meaured up the outside diameters of the old and new bush sleeves and they match up so they should fit properly. However, on the instruction sheet it talks about a thin sleeve being supplied with the bush kit, which you should insert after installing the wishbone but before refitting the bolt. I didn't get one of those - what is it? p.s. the powerflex bushes are purple, the colour balance in the picture isn't quite accurate!
Its a sleeve that goes up through the bolt hole........ think it just takes any slop out of the bolt. Never fitted it myself
The bolt hole in the PF bush looks a good size anyway! Ah well. The metal casings of the old bushes came out really easily! That's a relief. I'm still concerned about the 3mm difference in depth of the wishbone bush holes (See original post). The pattern only has a depth of 20mm and the bush is 23mm! Shoul I just not worry about this? The large flange of the bush will be at the bottom this one anyway, i think. Edited by: Vento Jim
That part of the bush doesnt actually touch anything, its mainly the metal pin through the centre that does all the work.
Yeah but the wishone will slide up and down on the bush. Hmmm. I guess I'll just go for it! Thanks folks
Anyone got any ideas on how to get the front bushes out? They're bonded into the wishbone and aren't budging.
that doesn't sound right...can you take a pic just so i understand what you mean? drill through the rubber.
I just about to do the same job and plan to cut the lip off one end, then soak the whole thing overnight in diesel then rig up a tube and a socket in the vice to push the Bu**er out - the socket pushing on the rubber and the bush being shoved into the tube. Failing that annoy the neighbours and burn it out! Barkstar
That sounds like quite an elaborate plan! One of my problems is that I don't have any fancy tools or equipment - I'm a student in a rented house. Fortunately the landlord lives next door and he's an alright bloke, so I've already bothered him today to use his vice for the rear bushes. He didn't seem keen about letting me at it myself unfortunately I was thinking about burning it out, but I don't have a blow torch. Again, I'm reluctant to bother the landlord too much! I would have gone about it this way if I was at home with access to a power drill. Sadly I've only got a hand drill and some blunt bits! And still no vice. I'll keep trying!
Okay, nothing like a challenge, Cut lip off, give it a good dose of WD40 and leave to soak. Then clamp it in the vice - ask your landlord really nicely - so the tube through the middle is clamped and swing on the wishbone to get the bush moving in its housing and work it along the bush as far as it can go. Then turn the wishbone in the vice so as the bit of bush sticking out is gripped and repeat. Failing that a 5 bribe at a local garage might do the trick Barkstar
