Usually a P.I.T.A

Probably still hammering the cr*p out of them to get em out :S

You are not wrong there buddy Thought i would never come up for air.....

Can someone local to Bowders go and check on him, nearly a week since this thread was started and no news. Maybe he needs a bigger hammer . Was going to change the bushes on mine want to know how long it takes, and if it easy or a major P.I.T.A., going down the DIY route, too expensive at the garage.

I am still here, well you will be pleased to know that I completed the Job today. I started yesterday at around 2pm stopped at 5pm with one side bushes taken out and came up for air today around 4 hours work so approx 7 hours total.

What a PITA

Not from a technical aspect but a physical aspect and labor intensive. If you are not confident in doing then leave well alone is my advice, but as I never get beat by a job i persevered and I am sure all you lot would be able to have a go.

I will post up loads of pics i took along the way and part number of bolts and nuts and parts used.

I think key points here are:

Be prepared not to have your car fixed in a day. This will stop you getting angry cause the time is passing swiftly with not much being done.

You don't need many tools:

Sockets and spanners:

14mm(Whiteline RARB bolts/nuts if one is fitted)

16mm(rear shock lower bolts/nuts need replacing)

18mm(axle bush bolts/nuts),

19mm(home made bush installation tool)

Hacksaw

Used this to carefully cut a slit in the brake line bracket to allow the brake line to come out of bracket without disconnecting brakes lines. Then just used pliers to bend it back into shape.

If you don’t go this route you will need to disconnected the pipes as the brackets are welded to the axle.

Home made Bush installation tool.

Trust me you need it or get the laser or Sealy item for VW. I could not justify the cost for one time use so made one up out of a long bolt couple of nuts from B&Q and some thick metal brackets from Wickes all totally approx £8, Will supply pics and parts I got which did the job well.

A Drill and drill bits to drill out the rubber section in the old bush. I found gradually drilling these out and then whacking out the centre piece the best way after trying other options.

Most of the VRS bushes are plastic sleeved so once the centre bit is out you can wedge a flat screwdriver between the sleeve and axle lip and tap it through this will collapse the sleeve and make it easier to knock out

This is the longest bit to be honest, and once i found a best option the job speeded up.

The new bush ( I used a Fabia VRS one which is the same style as the LCR and ICR) they are different part number and prices. As the golf forums are all using the fabia VRS ones I went with this. The standard Octy VRS bush is the same as the Golf ones that I checked out and there is a obvious difference between them and the Fabia ,LCR and ICR Bush. More on that when i post the pics.

The bushes were not going to go in without that DIY tool not in a million years. It is crucial to get the bush in centre which took me a few goes of tightening it , undoing it and tapping it central and then once central the bush started to wind in. Used lots of grease to line the axle bush aperture and then lots of WD40 on the bush going in. Then when i reached the end on the DIY tool ( approx 30mm ) hammered home the rest of the bush to close the gap

Well was it worth it

Apart from the sense of achivement having a go, yes the car feels much better and no banging over bumps, Not driven it enough yet spiritedly, so will test it out more tomorrow and then post up a better write up and pics

cheers

Mark

Edited 30 July, 201015 yr by Bowders1

Sounds like a mission to do. Think I'll pay someone to do mine when I get around to it.

Sounds like a mission to do. Think I'll pay someone to do mine when I get around to it.

Hi Rob, With all the work you have done on your motor and your DIY FMIC think you would find it a walk in the park buddy.

Well done indeed. I bow to your determination.

Not a job to be taken on lightly is it?

Awesome work Bowders I look forward to the DIY, if you're doing one...... (hint hint!)

I'm getting the Sealey installation tool, so that side is sorted. Sealey also make a hydraulic extraction tool, with specific adaptor set. But that's silly money, so not an option. I might try a slide hammer to see how that gets on.

Looks like there are two distinct routes. Cut the brake hose bracket and drop the beam, or open up the hose fitting and totally remove the beam (obviously requires the brakes to be bled after).

I might try the Skoda workshop manual route first. They just support the beam, then only remove the two main bush bolts, leaving the shock, spring and brake lines connected. Then they tap a wedge between the bush housing and the mounting bracket to expose it. Do you think that method is even feasable? It gives them just enough room to get the extraction and installation tools in place apparently.

Awesome work Bowders I look forward to the DIY, if you're doing one...... (hint hint!)

I'm getting the Sealey installation tool, so that side is sorted. Sealey also make a hydraulic extraction tool, with specific adaptor set. But that's silly money, so not an option. I might try a slide hammer to see how that gets on.

Looks like there are two distinct routes. Cut the brake hose bracket and drop the beam, or open up the hose fitting and totally remove the beam (obviously requires the brakes to be bled after).

I might try the Skoda workshop manual route first. They just support the beam, then only remove the two main bush bolts, leaving the shock, spring and brake lines connected. Then they tap a wedge between the bush housing and the mounting bracket to expose it. Do you think that method is even feasable? It gives them just enough room to get the extraction and installation tools in place apparently.

DIY pics will be done and will make it more obvious to what you need to do

The route I took was to jack car up and support both sides on axle stands( my axle stands have groove's in for the sills so could support on the still no worries)

I think I followed the maual to a ceratin extent but do one side at a time, so i did not completly remove beam, as you state you will need to disconnect pipes if completly removing beam and then rebleed system. With the lower shock bolts removed I lowered one side of beam on trolley jack which gives enough room to get to the bush. The only benefit of removing beam completly would be to get a press on the old bush, but if you are not doing that i think it is just as easy to leave beam in place.

Before I lowered it I cut a groove in the brake line bracket bent up the bracket slightly and pulled out the pipe to allow nice freedom on the beam to lower more It sounds a hard job but that bit was easy. pics will help you.

Whats the shelf life on the original bushes do you reckon?

DIY route sounds like a lot of hassle to me, but then it sounds like an expensive job at a garage :S wondering if mine will ever need to be done, how would I know?

Edited 30 July, 201015 yr by chicken_eyebrow

My garage(independent) charged me £75 + the bushes.

Whats the shelf life on the original bushes do you reckon?

DIY route sounds like a lot of hassle to me, but then it sounds like an expensive job at a garage :S

I think shelf life depends on how the car is being driven and i think that shelf life reduces if you start to beef up all the other parts like front bushes ARB bushes and coilovers as they make the car more rigid giving more work on the rear bushes(this was the last suspension item to be changed on mine)

My bushes have not been changed and mine is a 2001 motor. You can certainly tell when they need replacing as you will start to get a banging noise from the rear due to the voids in the bush allowing the worn rubber parts to hit the bush sleeving and travel through the rear beam and into the cabin. Plus the handling will not feel as positive.

I think if i did it again i could do it in a lot less time as experience and confidence does help.

Edited 30 July, 201015 yr by Bowders1

Just noticed the guys that did my coilies will fit rear superpro bushes as part of a complete bush replacement package for £403, not too bad compared to the prices being quoted earlier in this thread considering they are replacing all the bushes.

http://www.amdessex.co.uk/special.offers.cfm

Although aren't superpro the ones that are made out of cheese...? Or is that Powerflex?

Thanks for the reply Bowders I think mine are ok at the moment, the main thing that has caned my suspension was driving up a kerb twice a day to get onto our drive but since I realised how much damage that was doing to tyres and suspension I've taken to parking up the road. I'll keep an eye (and ear) out for the rear ones starting to deteriorate

My garage(independent) charged me £75 + the bushes.

what on your VRS or another motor. If that was on your VRS then good deal mate.. . I was quoted from VW dealer £200 to £250.

Even with independant garages they know the job is not easy and will plan on it taking a lot longer than it may do. And most independant garages will use the same kind of tools I did.

I don't trust any independant garages around my way so that option was out of the question for me.

Just noticed the guys that did my coilies will fit rear superpro bushes as part of a complete bush replacement package for £403, not too bad compared to the prices being quoted earlier in this thread considering they are replacing all the bushes.

http://www.amdessex.co.uk/special.offers.cfm

Although aren't superpro the ones that are made out of cheese...? Or is that Powerflex?

Powerflex are the bad ones and a lot of sites state too hard for the rear end. My experience of them in the front wishbones was enough to convince me not to get them(lasted 4 months)

Superpro and Powerflex are a much quicker option as the come in 2 halfs and thus do not need pressing in or special tools to install.

Not sure about the Superpro ones but as they are solid bushes you must get harder ride. even the Seat LCR bushes although stronger have voids in them to allow soaking up the road surface a little.

I was not brave enough to get those only to not be happy with the harshness and thus take them out again. Plus they were twice a much as the bushes i fitted.

P.S that is a very good price for AMd to supply and fit. full set of bushes. Also great price on fitting Weitecs for £100 plus 4 wheel alingment. Best i have ever seen

Edited 30 July, 201015 yr by Bowders1

P.S that is a very good price for AMd to supply and fit. full set of bushes. Also great price on fitting Weitecs for £100 plus 4 wheel alingment. Best i have ever seen

I know I don't know where they must be making the money from to run a car in the BTCC

They took the best part of five hours to fit my coilovers and do the alignment - in any other garage that would've cost me £300 labour.

And fitting that full set of bushes must be even longer than that... thinking about the time involved to do the front wishbone bushes and steering rack bush. The mind boggles!

Edited 30 July, 201015 yr by chicken_eyebrow

I know I don't know where they must be making the money from to run a car in the BTCC

They took the best part of five hours to fit my coilovers and do the alignment - in any other garage that would've cost me £300 labour.

And fitting that full set of bushes must be even longer than that... thinking about the time involved to do the front wishbone bushes and steering rack bush. The mind boggles!

At those prices, there can not be much profit, so guess it is a win business approach so customers come back for other stuff.

If I was to replace all the bushes again that would be where i took the car,

I still have the stearing bush to do (it is a powerflex one :wonder: ) at some point.

I've got a superpro one to go on the TT steering rack when it actually gets fitted to the car (which will be never at this rate )