Hi All,

Approx 2 months ago I started getting a knocking noise from my front offside. I thought it could be the drop links and replaced these as they did look a little worn. Unfortunately the knocking has continued and I am going to change the bushes tomorrow. I have got a set of 19mm poly bushes and am hoping they will fit ok. I've not changed bushes before and am wondering what the best way to do it is? Can I just jack the car up and do one side at a time?

Many thanks

Tom

I think you will struggle to do one side at a time as the bar will be twisted so you will struggle to get bushs in,

Prob be better putting it on axle stands or drive it onto ramps as you might be able to do it with wheels on

You also might find that the collars underneath the bushes are worn and loose. If this is the case, they need smashing off, and 17mm bushes fitting.

Knock the sleeves off the bar and fit 17mm bushes.

You can do it one side at a time I did mine like that but deffinately break off the plastic and fit smaller bushes

Exactly as mentioned. Its recommended to break the plastic collars off if they are still there and fit 17mm bushes. I'm sure the part numbers are in the sticky at the top of the Octy section. I've just done mine 2 weeks ago with super pro ones and they have made a big difference. I took both wheels off and undid the bar from the drop links on both sides it didn't take long at all. You also need to check if you have the updated brackets too. These have a groove through the middle. Lastly, a great tip I found on here was to buy a longer bolt to squash the bush and bracket in first. This is because the original bolt has a tapered end and doesn't quite reach the thread with a new bush fitted. I've made it sound a mare but its easy to do. Hope this helps.

I must have missed something here as i've just sold my old vrs bar to another member on here ands when i measured it, it was 19mm and had no sleeves on it,

Wonder if it wasn't the bar it left the factory with then as it had been off before as one of nuts had been mashed

The bar is 19mm. As standard. But it has plastic collars on it which bump it up to 21mm. The 19mm bushes should be fitted with these. The 17mm bushes should be used with a plain 19mm bar. There should always be some squash on the bush, otherwise it's not really doing its job properly.

Maybe fit 17mm rubber bushs but there is no way you would get 17mm superpro bushs on them, plus normal 19mm bushs are slightly smaller anyway so 19mm bushs fit 19mm bars

When i fitted my R32 bar i had a right job squashing the clamps to get bolts on with the superpro bushs on altho i was trying not to scratch my freshly painted subframe

Maybe fit 17mm rubber bushs but there is no way you would get 17mm superpro bushs on them, plus normal 19mm bushs are slightly smaller anyway so 19mm bushs fit 19mm bars

When i fitted my R32 bar i had a right job squashing the clamps to get bolts on with the superpro bushs on altho i was trying not to scratch my freshly painted subframe

same with my 23mm R32 bar. dam tight bushes when i fitted superpro

That is why using a longer bolt makes life so much easier as you can set the bar / bush in place and remove bolt to fit std bolt back in.

I used 17mm superpro bushes on a standard bar with no plastic collars. They went on no bother at all ( using a long bolt first ) its driving fine too just past an m.o.t today.

Standard octy bar (no sleeve)

Bush from factory (17.5mm so originally 17mm bush)

SO will the 19mm bushes I have fit on or not? lol 2mm doesn't seem that much and the car has only done 60,000 miles so the plastic sleeves may still be there?

I would knock them off and fit 17mm ones, otherwise you may find yourself doing them again in the neat future.

Do poly bushes make the ride harsher? Mine still creak/squeak after new ones fitted and tempted to try super pro ones. But doing some other suspension parts that are going to stiffen the ride so want to keep everything else less harsh, but if they don't i think i may try them!

Sorry to op for hijack

The super pro bushes I fitted haven't made much difference if any. I can't speak for other brands but I can highly recommend super pro. The knocking is most likely the plastic collars under the bush. Apparently they split/crack so even though the bushes are fine its the collars moving on the bar. I would exchange your 19mm ones for 17mm ones and if they the collars are still there break off the collars. They will fit on.

I've ordered another set of super pro bushes in 17mm. At £17 a set on ebay it's not going to break the bank, out of interest does anyone know what size the bolts are? Based on the advice on the thread I was looking to get some longer bolts but not sure what size to order.

I think they are M6 bolts

Yes If I remember correctly 25mm. The standard bolts are 20mm but tapered end. I just bought one screwed it in all the way. Then removed it put original bolt back in.

SO will the 19mm bushes I have fit on or not? lol 2mm doesn't seem that much and the car has only done 60,000 miles so the plastic sleeves may still be there?

Mine were knackered at 49,000. As were the collars underneath.

Do poly bushes make the ride harsher? Mine still creak/squeak after new ones fitted and tempted to try super pro ones. But doing some other suspension parts that are going to stiffen the ride so want to keep everything else less harsh, but if they don't i think i may try them!

Sorry to op for hijack

You're not going to feel any difference with ARB bush material. They will (normally) last longer, and MAY squeak less, but the feel won't change one bit.

Mine were gone at 40k

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I've purchased 21mm bushes for standard octy vrs bar with collers still on. Habe I beought the wrong size?

Also how do you get to the bolt on the bracket to undo it as I'm struggling to get anything in there to undo it? ?

Thanks

Knock the collars off and figt 17mm bushes

Drop the subframe