Having just fitted the Whiteline RARB, I now want to replace the standard FARB bushes with Powerflex.

What is the best method of doing this? Can I get away with unbolting just the bush brackets and pull it off the ARB, or is it best to remove the whole ARB and do it off the car?

Thanks, Drew.

Looks like it's an ARB out job. Had to undo the ARB links and the splined bolt stripped it's threads, so now need to cut it off. May aswell replace both of them while I'm fannying about...

Having difficulty removing the ARB. I take it the bushes are bonded to the bar? Whats the best way to remove them?

Surely someone can help after having 40+ views...

Its a bit of a job. According to the bloke who did mine (excellent indy sort) but then he was using a proper car lift.

Yes it is. I've had the car up on ramps for the past 2 days. It looks like it's the brackets that house the bushes that's stopping me from removing the ARB. The brackets look like they are in two parts, but I can't seperate them while im under the car.

Got bored and just fitted the ARB links. Contemplating buying an uprated FARB and chopping up the old one to get it off the car...

On my old mk1, the bushes were held in by a clip which hooked into a slot one side and held by a bolt at the other. Easy enough to remove, somewhat tricky to replace with the new bush. The bushes wern't bonded on, just very attached. Not sure if the mk2 is the same. My man had remove the front subframe.

I found the uprated RARB gave a much better balance to the car's handling. Increasing roll stiffness at the front with a stiffer FARB will negate this.

If you just have to spend some money, try an anti lift kit. I used a Superpro, but Whiteline has a more expensive version. Worked well.

And a proper alignment.

Originally I was'nt looking to stiffen up the front end. My car suffers with the creaky/wheezing suspension when going over bumps, and after investigating the likely cause is the FARB bushes.

What I hoped to be a simple job is being a pain in the ass. From what I can see the brackets is in two pieces, a flat part that sits on the flat of the bush, then the curved part that fits over the bush and the bar. Both parts meet so that the fixing bolts go through both of them and secure them to the subframe.

LIke I tried to explain (maybe someone can post a diagram from elsawin?) the curved piece is hooked into the flat bit and the bolt hold them in (on the mk1) remove bolt and the curved bit is then levered over, it should come loose with out too much force. If yours has two bolts, then it should be easier to replace.

The rubber stuff may have degraded and stuck to the steel, either the bar itself or the clamp, or both.

I would be extremely reluctant to cut the old bar, I was assured the subframe needs to come out to get the bar back in. Then its total from square one to realign everthing.

Just tried to access elsawin but failed. Check the differences between the mk1 and mk2.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?988261

The picture in step 13, shows what your explaining. On the mk2 the two "tabs" where the red and yellow arrows are, are both flat and have nuts fixed to them. Then there is a piece the sits under the flat of the bush that completes the bracket holding the bush.

I thinks it's to do with the orientation of the brackets and because they are fixed/bonded to the arb that I can't rotate/remove it. I've tried prising apart the bracket so I can just fit the new bushed in situ, but having no luck.

Think I'll speak to Skoda parts in the morning and see if they can shed any light to a technique.

Appreciate your input.

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=57328.0

First picture, that's the same design of the mk2.

This is from elsawin.Hope it helps

On there removal procedure it says you have to remove the whole carrier assembly :(

Thank you. Found a video of it being replaced on a mkV Golf. He dropped the sub frame to remove it. Look's like it's a garage job.