As said- two fails (IMHO)due to the mini tank traps on roads today. 

First is drop link fail ( ARB front ). Haynes makes it look straight forward, but it could be problems. Any known ????

 

Second is  rear rubber bush on wishbone. Haynes suggests removing bush cover, but I'D appreciate any advice on removal on cover and replacement, WRT any  tracking problems, or in getting bush into housing.

Drop link is very easy just two bolts top and bottom. Replace both sides cost roughly £15 for both.

The rear bush on the wishbone is where it bolts onto the subframe. Usually cheaper to buy a new wishbone than just the bush and then the time to remove old and fit new. Again do both sides cost roughly £50 for both.

Then get tracking done as suspension geometry will have altered.

Probably an hours labour at a garage

Sent from my Galaxy S5

The rearmost bush on the wishbone is press fitted into an aluminium casting, it's not part of the wishbone, it's quite a tricky job and you need a special tool to remove and inert them

Don't forget to do both console bushes, replacing one isn't smart, the other side will be nearly as bad.

 

Use Cupra solid bushes since they are cheap and improve handling no end, do a search, I think there's even a sticky for masochists who did the work themselves writhing around on the ground using bits of threaded rod and penny washer stacks.

 

I paid a mechanic to do mine since the jobs a doddle with the correct tool and a four-poster, get him to do the drop links as well while he's at it.

In my experience fitting VW bushes the rear bushes are not difficult and, as I could do it, you don't need a huge amount of expertise. The job is just full of possible poo traps that can turn a straightforward job into a major project. Always do both sides.

The special tool is preferred but you can cut the old bush out and use penny washers and a long bolt etc. to push the new in.

If you are weedy like me you will need a ratchet strap to force the wishbone into the new (pulling the wishbone out was also a struggle).

The so called "captive" bolts on the backing plate that holds the ball joint to the end of the wishbone are not very captive and, due to their small size and rust, can not be gripped.So, if they do rotate - and mine did, it is a job for a hacksaw/Dremel. So have new backing plates and bolts ready.

The long 12mm bolt that passes through the front bush can be very,very tight because the steel bolt siezes to the alloy subframe! You need plenty of ground clearance to swing a long spanner. If you are very unlucky you will strip the thread in the subframe making it impossble to tighten the bolt up to the required torque. Requiring a new subframe on that side (it does happen - I've read the threads). So remove the bolt as if you are tapping a thread in reverse (ie. wind it back in a couple of turns now and again). That will reduce the chance of major thread damage.

The engine sump will probably be in the way of removing the long bolt on the offside. So the offside engine mount must be undone and the engine jacked up at that end by 2 or 3cm. Again, not difficult, just more to do. 

Get the tracking checked.

Good luck.