I've got the new bushes in. Now I'm trying to replace the wish bone using a ratchet strap and its bloody tight. Also everytime I tight it up the wishbone wants to pull down at the front.

Just want someone to tell me this is normal and I just need to struggle through and eventually it will pop in.

Stephen.

They can be a proper sod to get back in. Plenty of the special lube on the wishbone spigot helps. Just a matter of brute force and ignorance really.

I've got grease on it so that's should help a bit. Also I have the passenger side carrier off atm so i may attach the wishbone to it then re-fit it. Sadly my brorher rounded a bolt off the other so I can't take it off to try the same.

Presume that we are talking about inserting the rear hexagonal (six sided) rod that is at the rear of the lower front wishbone that inserts into the console bush? If so please remember if you are using Skoda bushes which have a Hexagonal shaped hole for the rod to go in that you have to correctly line the wishbone up with it! With the wishbone being totally horizontal (if you still have the suspension strut in place you might have to jack it up under the ball joint to compress it to give more room) the rod and bush should line up perfectly! If you put a bit of copper grease on rod before hand then you should only need to use a rubber mallet on the front of the wishbone to knock it back into the bush!!

Edited 10 March, 201115 yr by fabdavrav

Its bloody tight. Keep going at it with the racket. You'll get their in the end.

Thanks for the tip. I may try jacking up the strut to allow wishbone hex peg to be more inline with the console.

Let us know how you get on!

Had a quick go after work. The drivers side is fubered. Somehow the peg has dug into the bush and got stuck. Also this is the side where the ARB bolt is just spinning in the captive nut on the mounting bracket.

And the other side is off the car but has snapped two rachet straps. Wish I paid a garage to do this now lol.

Where abouts are you?

Croydon. South London. Near juction 6

Would have given you a hand if you was close. Other end of country

Can only suggest plenty of lubrication, it's **** or bust now.

You really are FUBAR! Right, you will have to destroy the bush to get the hex rod out most likely! If you are prepared to destroy the the other bush that you have inserted then I suggest that you get a set of new console bushes from Powerflex part no PFF85-602 £30ish a pair (or each don't know) this is a two piece job and is much easier to fit !! look at their website!!! As far as the other bolt being FUBAR a bit more info would be helpful. Any other problems??

Well the passenger side is in about 80%. Just need to put the ball joint back in and the top ARB bolt back in...which will be difficult seeing as the drive shaft is in the way.

Right the bolt that f**ked so to speak is the drivers side lower ARB bolt. The bolt just spins in the nut that's welded on the backet. Think I'm going to have to cut it out and replace it.

I'm going to be working on it tomorrow with my dad so hopefully I can get it sorted.

Stephen

Right to reuse the bushes if you look at the rear of the bush from back of car you might see two slots at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions in the bush next to the hex rod, inject more grease in there! If really bad you might be better if you knock thr wishbone out and start again! If the bolts that you are talking about are ones that hold the saddle bracket that holds the ARB bush in place, then yes even in Haynes the Drive shaft gets in way! If the ARB drop links are connected to the suspension damper (strut) disconnect them. Then jack up the suspension strut from under the ball joint, this will raise the drive shaft up to make the bolt more accessable!!! As for the FUBAR bolt, new bracket and bolt required. Use metal hacksaw blade to cut the nut of the bracket, or completely through bolt as well, or cut slot through nut place cold chisel in slot and hammer to split nut of bolt!!

Edited 11 March, 201115 yr by fabdavrav

All done guys. Thanks for the help. Managed to snap a rachet strap rated to 1.5 tons lol. Spring compressors got it in, in the end.

Can't notice much of a difference atm but for some reason it feels like it rolls less.

Stephen

Well done, like the idea of spring compressor to do the job, good thinking... Now you know why my standard answer to: "Would you consider changing my console bushes for me"...is....."NO"

Good job that man . Broke 1.5ton strap !! Like with most things there is a "Knack" I've had my wishbones in & out several times over the years so got the "knack"! Like the idea about using spring compressors tho'!!