Hi guys, firstly thanks to those who replied to my last post about the mot, got parts on order so should have all thing sorted pronto.

I've decided to replace the complete wishbone on both sides rather than just fitting a new ball joint. Figured having new bushes etc wasn't a bad thing! My question is more out of intrigue more than anything but I know all the fellys (as far as I know) have two nuts with sprung washers holding the rear mounting + bushing of the wishbone. However some have a third smaller nut as well and others have a pop rivet instead of that. What exactly is the third nut/rivets purpose, as far as I can tell the weight and tension is taken by the two much bigger nuts, so whats it there for?

Sadly it looks like both of mine have the rivets so looks like I'll be drilling out rivets next week! Any tips? Also never used a pop riveter before (guessing I'll need to buy one and get handy so I can replace the two I remove!)

Appreciate anyone setting my intrigue!

I think the rivet us to ease assembly at the factory, as the entire subframe with wishbones is built away from the car then fitted. I've never bothered with them after removing a wishbone.

^^ same here, i've never bothered to put a rivet in there on re-fitting the subframe, they are only aluminium rivets so they drill out really easily

Great thanks! That should make things easier!

If you don't have a drill they are soft enough to chop off with a hammer and chisel

Okay so I set about the task this evening, problem.......all the bolts and nuts are either so solid I can't get them to budge or rounded. What can I do?! I've tried penetrating oil. Hammer. all the usual tricks. What are my options?!

Okay so I set about the task this evening, problem.......all the bolts and nuts are either so solid I can't get them to budge or rounded. What can I do?! I've tried penetrating oil. Hammer. all the usual tricks. What are my options?!

heat....lots, and lots of heat. be careful, you got some flammable stuff under there, and only heat one item at a time!

have you got a trolley jack? if you do the tube handle things make great ratchet extension bars for that extra brute force - saved me many a headache

(mine fits all 1/4 inch ratchets and some of my 1/2 in jobbies, when used with good quality 6 sided sockets makes those tight nuts a doddle:))

I now swear by one of these and/or an impact driver. Anger and bad language often seem to help, too If anything's too rounded for a socket to work then stud extractors are probably the way to go.

I now swear by one of these and/or an impact driver. Anger and bad language often seem to help, too If anything's too rounded for a socket to work then stud extractors are probably the way to go.

thats quite a bargain. my trolley jack handle tube is still cheaper lol

i had a similar breaker bar years ago, snapped it in half trying to unde the front hub nut on our old felly.

Gosh im glad it didn't turn out quite as bad as that. Had to split one nut but other than that brut force and reasoned science won out! Job done, now for the mot!

I use a piece of 1" box section steel as a breaker bar. (Its a bit of old school table leg!) Quite light guage, but it hasnt bent or broke yet so will do me! I got some penetrating oil from toolstation (a german make) when I was replacing my dampers, seem to work much better than wd 40.