FARB

[huwants2no]

Farb bushes are knocking so have been reading threw some of the previous threads. saw mention of broken plastic collars being.common issue and to get rid of these and replace bushes with 17mm ones instead. 'use longer bolts' was another suggestion.

anyway I saw someone mention a sticky guide but cant find it in the ttech&guides section..

just wondering if someone could point me in the right direction (if there is a handy guide somewhere)

ill keep lookin in the meantime:/

[huwants2no]

been looking at couple of threads off other sites. waa on a different car but said you have to drop the subframe to change the bushes..that sound right? not that I have a clue how to do it :0

[meaty101]

No way buddy you definitely don't have to drop the subframe to replace those bushes. That job can be done in less than an hour if your prepared. The standard arb is 19mm diameter but came from new with plastic collars fitted. Over time these collars wear and break. So sometimes even after new bushes have been fitted the knocking is still there and that's the collars allowing too much movement. The most common thing to do now, and what I did, is break the collars off, and fit 17mm arb bushes. I used superpro ones but any will do the job. Just make sure before you start you have the newer brackets though with a ridge through the middle. I think the early ones were just a flat bracket. The long bolts are just to make the job a little easier. The original bolts have a tapered non threaded part at the end, but because the new bush isn't squashed down enough its hard to get the thread into the subframe. So buy a longer bolt, tighten down the bracket a fair way in, then take it out and put the original bolt back in. I can't remember what size bolt you'll need I'm sure someone will tell you.

[Chronicbint]

As above, I did it without dropping anything, little fiddly but doable. Undo droplinks, unscrew bolt either side, remove old bush and bracket, smash off the plastic, give it a bit of a clean up, replace bushes, fanny around trying to get the original bolts back on, do some swearing, give in, go to wickes, buy longer bolts and washers, done.

[huwants2no]

No way buddy you definitely don't have to drop the subframe to replace those bushes. That job can be done in less than an hour if your prepared. The standard arb is 19mm diameter but came from new with plastic collars fitted. Over time these collars wear and break. So sometimes even after new bushes have been fitted the knocking is still there and that's the collars allowing too much movement. The most common thing to do now, and what I did, is break the collars off, and fit 17mm arb bushes. I used superpro ones but any will do the job. Just make sure before you start you have the newer brackets though with a ridge through the middle. I think the early ones were just a flat bracket. The long bolts are just to make the job a little easier. The original bolts have a tapered non threaded part at the end, but because the new bush isn't squashed down enough its hard to get the thread into the subframe. So buy a longer bolt, tighten down the bracket a fair way in, then take it out and put the original bolt back in. I can't remember what size bolt you'll need I'm sure someone will tell you.

thats good news thanks! sounds a lot more straightforward. think I remember seeing bolt sizes mentioned in a different thread so ill try track it down again:)

[huwants2no]

As above, I did it without dropping anything, little fiddly but doable. Undo droplinks, unscrew bolt either side, remove old bush and bracket, smash off the plastic, give it a bit of a clean up, replace bushes, fanny around trying to get the original bolts back on, do some swearing, give in, go to wickes, buy longer bolts and washers, done.

sounds like one of my usual attempts where I realise half way threw I need something else to finish the job..normally a spin to the shed at work to grab some more tools.

ill order some 17mm bushes and give it a go. thanks for the help!!

Edited 25 April, 2014 by huwants2no

[meaty101]

sounds like one of my usual attempts where I realise half way threw I need something else to finish the job..normally a spin to the shed at work to grab some more tools.

ill order some 17mm bushes and give it a go. thanks for the help!!

I can highly recommend the superpro ones.

[Chronicbint]

sounds like one of my usual attempts where I realise half way threw I need something else to finish the job..normally a spin to the shed at work to grab some more tools.

ill order some 17mm bushes and give it a go. thanks for the help!!

My car was in bits, had to cycle to Wickes. [emoji1]

[meaty101]

My car was in bits, had to cycle to Wickes. [emoji1]

Yes it doesn't matter how well prepared you think you are there is always something you end up needing. I've had to walk to halfords on a Sunday afternoon a few times!!