Trying to get wishbone off - help needed?

[Chris Berry]

@ theezenutz - Sissors-jack idea might be a good plan, that might give me some good leverage between the console housing & the wishbone.

 

@ TMB - Which penetrating fluid would you recommend? I've given it a good dose of 3 in One.

[TMB]

@ TMB - Which penetrating fluid would you recommend? I've given it a good dose of 3 in One.

 

That stuff should be fine to help getting the arm out of the bush.

[Doily]

To pull the wishbone out I looped some rope through it, sat on the ground infront of the car, put both feet on the consul where the front bush goes wrigled the wishbone  heaved as if I was rowing a boat at the same time. It popped out like a champaign cork so I toppled back and cracked my head on the garage door! A lesson for me for the other side was to fit a second loop of rope through the wishbone and around the back of the rear consul to prevent the wishbone from moving more than 3 inches or so.

 

Also, from my (limited) experience I would not recommend Wino's extension bar at the front method, as there will be a strong tendancy to twist the socket off the head of the screw. However, I could be wrong, it might have been my technique that was wrong. I got the car as high off the ground as I could and used a ring spanner with the faithful bit of pipe to extend it (I was so knackered and hacked off after doing the first side I bought a ratchet ring spanner for the second side which made it 10 times quicker - but it was still a bitch!). 

[sepulchrave]

To pull the wishbone out I looped some rope through it, sat on the ground infront of the car, put both feet on the consul where the front bush goes wrigled the wishbone  heaved as if I was rowing a boat at the same time. It popped out like a champaign cork so I toppled back and cracked my head on the garage door! A lesson for me for the other side was to fit a second loop of rope through the wishbone and around the back of the rear consul to prevent the wishbone from moving more than 3 inches or so.

 

Also, from my (limited) experience I would not recommend Wino's extension bar at the front method, as there will be a strong tendancy to twist the socket off the head of the screw. However, I could be wrong, it might have been my technique that was wrong. I got the car as high off the ground as I could and used a ring spanner with the faithful bit of pipe to extend it (I was so knackered and hacked off after doing the first side I bought a ratchet ring spanner for the second side which made it 10 times quicker - but it was still a bitch!). 

 

 

Use a ratchet strap instead of rope if you want to avoid injury.

[theezenutz]

A ratchet strap is very handy for getting it back in although you can have some trouble keeping it in the right alignment but it does work and makes things easier.

[Breezy_Pete]

{hijack time!} Weirdly, I'm trying to get my wishbone(s) off & have encounter the opposite problem - I cant get the wishbone out of the console bush, its properly held in. The bushes are the curpra upgraded ones that were fitted some years back by a garage & the wishbone isnt even budging.

Is there a 'best method' on getting the wishbone out? Theres no way to get behind the wishbone bar in the console as its blocked by the car floor.

If you really can't shift it, you may be better off taking the console off the car. The problem with trying to get the wishbone out of - or into - the bush with console fitted to the car is that you can't align it perfectly because only when the front bush is tucked in between central subframe and console is the hex spigot of the w/b on the same axis as the bush. 

 

With console off the car, this misalignment is eliminated, or greatly reduced, 'cos the engine/central subframe won't be in the way. You'll also be able to use a  vice to hold stuff, and get at all sides of the thing to hammer at stuff.

[awfabia]

Agree with comments about being careful with long breaker bar, could snap bolt and generate even more hassle.

As above, lubricate with plenty of penetrating oil ( Plus Gas is a trade name for it - like 'hoover' is for vacuums), you should be able to buy it at hardware stores, Screwfix etc - not expensive. Having penetrating oil in your garage is like we need Araldite, sooooo handy when you need it.

I snapped of the bolt head and had to buy a used console to finish the job.

Isn't BRISKODA such a great forum to help DIY repairs? Have you paid your subscription yet? It pays for itself the first handy tip you read, cheaper than a Haynes Manual ( which I wouldn't do without, either!)

Let us know how you get on.

[Breezy_Pete]

I think Doily's concern may stem from my second photo, where it appears that the extensions are at an angle well below the horizontal. This is just because I didn't have a third hand to hold the near end up at the 'best' angle while I took the photo.

In practice, with this car you can get it almost perfectly aligned. With different/lower bumper like the vRS has, it may not work so well.

As for worrying about using a long breaker bar; that just gives more control, versus having to put 'all your strength' into it with a shorter lever. I would argue that this makes problems less likely, not more. Obviously, when tightening your new bolt you'd use a torque wrench to 70Nm, then a bar for the extra 90 degrees.

[alessio92]

Can't seem to get hold of PlusGas over the counter at the moment (think I'm gonna have to resort to online) but did get told by a bloke in a garage that:
- "Nothing is better than WD40"
- I wouldn't be able to get the wishbone off

- Even if I did, I wouldn't be able to get it back on

- He had a guy who could do it for a charge. :no:
 

[Breezy_Pete]

WD40 is better than nothing, so he's nearly right, just got his words in the wrong order.

Countless people who've used both will pick PlusGas if given a choice though, I believe.

[Bassets4eva]

Wd40 is a jack of all trades master of none. Don't know if just plumbfix or if screwfix do it as well but a freezing penetrating oil in a spray.