Fabia wishbone bush replacement DIY Guide

[smithysmoo]

Off for an industrial size ratchet strap as I've just bust the 2 I have:mad: How the hell did you get them in without a ratchet strap I'm having serious difficulty.:(

[Tech1e]

I fit them to the consoles before refitting the consoles. Its easy when you have it all in the vice.

[Willsvrs]

Off for an industrial size ratchet strap as I've just bust the 2 I have:mad: How the hell did you get them in without a ratchet strap I'm having serious difficulty.:(

Make sure you have plenty of lubricant on the spigot to ease it in, otherwise with the spigot going into the hex of the bush at a slight angle, you end up forcing it against the inside of the bush and it goes nowhere. Plenty of lube and you'll be reet:thumbup:

[BlackFR]

Thanks for the guide, had the discs machined up and got all the bits and it was a fairly painless process on the ibiza. The bit I enjoyed least was releasing the old bushes, all the new stuff slid in pretty easily with the lube, a high tensile bolt and a lidl's special ratchet strap. Took about 90 mins a side in the end which I didnt think was too bad.

With the 61mm disc as per the original post it was easy enough to wind the new bush all the way in so that it was flush with the back of the console.

My 18mm socket did give up tightening the last one of the wishbone bolts though!

[Tech1e]

Random fact, today I found out the Powerflex front bush is the same as the MK2 Golf one.

[fab_vrsi]

hey i went to seat last night and ask for the cupra bushes and the have now xchanged them well from lookimng at pics of the older ones they have as i thought they were a solid bush and when they gave me them they were like the originals but they said these are the cupra ones and will be fine in my polo so i got to work this morning and thought i was going to mod the bush so!

i went ahead and made them a solid bush myself by filling them with polyurathane which is what i work with so heres the pics.

will have to see if they do the job right lol

[Tech1e]

They are standard ones not Cupra ones.

Well were.

[fab_vrsi]

They are standard ones not Cupra ones.

Well were.

thats what i thought beause i have replaced 3 sets but they were adimant that they were cupra bushes so i just modded them!

my boss is hopefully making a tool so that i can mould these bushes and make them just the same as powerflex but at a fraction of the price so keep ur eyes peeled for a thread on these

simon.

[Tech1e]

Will do but they have to be cheap to beat £16 for a pair of Cupra ones, keep us updated.

[Stu_VRs]

In your list of parts to say use a m12 x 150 bolt but in the pic there are 2 different ones??? Did you use both if so what was the size the the other one?? As someone has already said the 150mm bolt would touch the underneath of the car before pulling the bush all the way through many thanks Stu

[BlackFR]

I used the 150mm bolts and put a nut on before sliding any of the spacer discs over it effectively shortening the bolt.

[Stu_VRs]

Finally done mine yesterday quite easy when got goin car feels loads better on the road now. So now i have 1x71mm and 1x61mm spacers for sale cost 20 quid to get made will sell for £10 pm if interested

[Dave Pittaway]

Did mine yesterday afternoon, used washing up liquid as a lube. Like others I didn't bother with the ratchet strap but SHOULD have, it is possible but you will ache the next day! The car is a lot better, well worth doing.

The only annoying thing is the £53 wasted on crap Powerflex 'Inserts'.

Anyone needing the bush inserting tool in the York area drop me a line as I don't expect to need them again.

[veedubboy]

Nice guide used it last week to fit mine but looking at one of your guide pics concern me....notice the hairline crack on the subframe...

I would get that sorted before you have an accident...looks like you have been too eager with the hammer:(

[BlackFR]

If you look at posts 8 & 9 someone else thought that too but its just the casting

[vrsfab]

No hammering involved in the process my friend, just plenty of pulling and pushing with various devices. It was either a piece of cotton from the rags I used to clean it or a mark in the casting. I did check when I saw the pic for the first time.

[willalex]

Finally done mine yesterday quite easy when got goin car feels loads better on the road now. So now i have 1x71mm and 1x61mm spacers for sale cost 20 quid to get made will sell for £10 pm if interested

About to do mine & will purchase your 61mm & 71mm discs & 150mm bolt if you still have them.

Is the price £10 for the pair of discs? They will need to be posted to Belfast (BT8 post code).

Please advise the total cost & how I can get in touch with you to pay and provide my address.

[sparky2]

Well started the o/s rear bush yesterday and the actual bush went in very easy, the hexagonal bit on the arm was a differant matter ( bl***y swine ) it took me hours even with a strap it would not go in ! so I am just building up courage to start the n/s, I used some lubricant called hellerine oil which is for lubricating rubber sleeves, I ended up putting a ring support at the back of the bush and then crowbarred the arm into place It MUST be easyier than this. Seat parts are closed on a Sun so what do people use as lubricants ? cheers - Stuart.

[rum4mo]

Well started the o/s rear bush yesterday and the actual bush went in very easy, the hexagonal bit on the arm was a differant matter ( bl***y swine ) it took me hours even with a strap it would not go in ! so I am just building up courage to start the n/s, I used some lubricant called hellerine oil which is for lubricating rubber sleeves, I ended up putting a ring support at the back of the bush and then crowbarred the arm into place It MUST be easyier than this. Seat parts are closed on a Sun so what do people use as lubricants ? cheers - Stuart.

Well, as I remember, Hellerine oil is as slippy as really slippy stuff - to be used with "virgin pliers"! I'd think that most of the problems you had would stem from not being able to line the TCA hex pin and the bush up "spot on" - I've no experience of doing this job, but did consider doing it - had a look about the car, worked out what could be wrong - and got a VAG indie to do it! I used to have some "black gold" mountain bike bottom bracket "stick like sh**e to a blanket" stuff - that might be handy (too late!) as it would stop the periodic "mooing" that these bushes can make when crossing humps.

[yegnold]

My uncle did mine and didn't use any lube at all... did strip the thread on some high tensile steel threaded bar he was using to pull them in, though..

[Tech1e]

Ouch, never stick it in dry don't you know that?

[jonnyvrs]

Hey,

Looks like a top guide, only I can't view the photos. Is there a downloadable file of the original guide for fitting inc pics please?

[jonnyvrs]

just found the 'how to' guide on briskoda wiki, sweet!

[jonnyvrs]

Had to remove track rod connection, drop link and drop the strut on the left hand side to allow enough clearance to remove the wishbone after the lower 3 bolts were undone. Took longer than expected to do this job.

[vrsfab]

Had to remove track rod connection, drop link and drop the strut on the left hand side to allow enough clearance to remove the wishbone after the lower 3 bolts were undone. Took longer than expected to do this job.

You need to wind some lock on to the side you are working on. Full lock will move the track control arm out far enough to slide the ball joint out of the wishbone. You're right about it being a fairly lengthy DIY job.