Cupra lower wishbone bushes.

[Tech1e]

The pukka tool doesnt have one part number, it made of several parts of a couple of tool kits.

[skeetdrs]

Any reason why the old bushes cant be pushed out in a press (and the new ones pressed in)?

Unless theres something im missing in the pictures the tool shown seems to be pulling against the other end of the console which doesnt look that strong.

We have a press that can take the console and it wouldn't be so hard to turn down a steel disc and put a centre on it so that the bushes can be pushed out/in without scoring the sides.

Any comments/advice/abuse welcome .

p.s. I cant believe how awful the original bushes are. These were knackered at 15k

[Tech1e]

The reason you cant really press the bushes out is under any real load the consoles bend as they are only made of aluminium, the tool doesn't stress the console. Plus getting the console in a suitable position in a press isquite tricky due to its shape.

[VRStu]

I see no reason why they couldn't be pushed out as long as you didn't stress the console but the tool is the proper way to do it. Remember when fitting the new ones to observe the correct orientation of the bush in the console.

*****Edit - Bugger, Ross you always manage to get in first don't you!!!! :P *****

[TeflonTom]

i can wholey recommend not attemping to push the bushes out using a press.... i've tried.... it dont work..... i shattered one of my consoles doing it

[ric04vrs]

getting the original bushes out is a doddle , just cut a slot in the nylon outer ,don't go too mad and cut the aluminium, then split the bush , should just fall out then .

the only problem i had when i fitted the Cupra bushes was getting the hex on the wishbone fully into the bush , got it in so far but had to use the press to finish it off

[Tech1e]

I sweated like hell doing Toms then got some of the propper VW bush assembley lube and they flew in.

[Tom_vRS]

Yep, I sweated like hell driving the poxy 1.2 with no a/c courtesey car while you were at it too!

[TeflonTom]

yeah i had probs getting the track control arm into the bush with it still on the car.. so i took it off and assembled the track arm/console in one piece and then fitted that in..... it's a tight fit, but i can be done

[skeetdrs]

lummox:

OK. But the proper tool appears to pull against the skinny end of the console and if they are that bendy...? The end with the bush on the other hand is pretty big....

Teflontom:

what exactly happened?

Lummox:

I can buy the requisits bits if required from Klann; I don't see a specific tool for the job. The parts we do have don;t obviously jump out at me as being what we need; this may be because the items we have are NOT the items we need to combine for the job at hand. Which parts are you using to actually do the work?

Are you using a threaded tool or a mini hydraulic ram?

Cheers for any help.

We are not mechanics but we do lots of engineering stuff and from looking at the console it just appears to be a simple pressing job.

[Tech1e]

It doesnt load up the front end of the console as all it is doing is screwing into it in the direction that the bolt goes.

For installing the front thread section just holds the threaded rod central and a nut pushes the bush back in.

Give it a go if you fancy pressing it, only going by the workshop manual saying not to do it and a couple of members experiances of bending/breaking the consoles in the process.

[Tech1e]

And the tool numbers for doing the job are all somewhat random as they take parts from a couple of tool kits designed for removing/installing bushes.

[skeetdrs]

Right folks, I will report back with the gory details as and when

[mexicorich]

Does anyone know if Cupra bushes will fit models below the 130s?

I think I read that 230s upwards had different consoles so that the parts weren't interchangeable

[Tech1e]

As mentioned elsewhere the bushes themselves will fit any of the consoles.

The only difference is the n/s console due to the six speed gearbox. I have fitted Cupra bushes to 1.4 16v and PD100 Fabias in the past.

[skeetdrs]

Cupra solid bushes into 100bhp tdi consoles.

Car on single post ramp.

Wheels off.

Disconnect wishbones.

Disconnect arb drop links.

Remove consoles from the car.

Measured distance of hex from back face of housing.

Noted how far 'out' original hex was

Old nylon bushes were removed by cutting out the rubber centre with a hacksaw blade and then carefully cutting the nylon sleeve.

Lubed up the new bushes and the houses.

lined up hex carefully.

We have a split bed in the press which meant we could put a flat steel pad right behind the main housing.

Pressed in new bushes with flat plate initially changing to conveniently sized round mandrel for final few mm

Maximum pressure required was 2.5 tons.

Needed press to refit wishbone into hex. Bit hard otherwise

Refitted consoles.

Adjusted tracking tried it at normal specs and eventually left it parallel.

Bloody car still pulls to left as if we hadn't done a thing!

Changing the bushes was hopefully going to cure this

Unless we missed something there appears to be no other adjustment for the suspension other than tracking; I guess the '4 wheel' alignment' is really a '4 wheel alignment check' rather than '4 wheel alignment check & adjust'

All took a bit more than 2 hours.

[ric04vrs]

you can adjust the front camber to even the settings out between the 2 sides , this is done by moving the subframe across to whatever side requires more camber

i've not actually tried to do mine yet to see how much adjustment is available though

[mexicorich]

2.5 tonnes pressure :confused:

[Tech1e]

I guess the '4 wheel' alignment' is really a '4 wheel alignment check' rather than '4 wheel alignment check & adjust'

All took a bit more than 2 hours.

A tracking check checks the front wheels are parallel to each other. That is all well and good but if they arent running parallel to the back of the car then its all kinda pointless. A four wheel alignment aligns the front wheels to each other and to the thrust line of the car. Also camber can be effected by moving the subframe.

[skeetdrs]

A tracking check checks the front wheels are parallel to each other. That is all well and good but if they arent running parallel to the back of the car then its all kinda pointless. A four wheel alignment aligns the front wheels to each other and to the thrust line of the car. Also camber can be effected by moving the subframe.

I see.

We dont have any of the laser type equipment but we did use straight edges off the back wheels to make sure it was all lined up best we could.

How much movement is avilabel in the fabia sub frame? There didn't appear to be any but maybe we weren't looking hard enough.

Has anyone cured the 'pull to the left' by doing a 4 wheel alignment?

For the record the steering is perceptibly 'sharper' with the cupra bushes so not all is in vain

[ric04vrs]

I see.

We dont have any of the laser type equipment but we did use straight edges off the back wheels to make sure it was all lined up best we could.

How much movement is avilabel in the fabia sub frame? There didn't appear to be any but maybe we weren't looking hard enough.

Has anyone cured the 'pull to the left' by doing a 4 wheel alignment?

For the record the steering is perceptibly 'sharper' with the cupra bushes so not all is in vain

the subframe mounting holes are bigger than the shafts of the mounting bolts , therefore by loosening the bolts the subframe can be moved to wherever the bolt hole will allow

[skeetdrs]

Hmm. Looks like we're going to have to check the camber then.

It's pulled ever since we had the car.

I have it written down here that the camber should be 1 degree negative.

Can anyone confirm this?

How do the work shops move the subframe? Rubber mallet? Jigs with screws?

Hydraulics?

Thanks for the input so far

[skudmissile]

How do the work shops move the subframe? Rubber mallet? Jigs with screws?

Hydraulics?

wouldnt it be easyer to just loosen the consoles bolts and slide the console?

_____

john

[mexicorich]

A full degree of negative camber is quite a lot for a modern road car

I''d aim for 0.5 of a degree or the car will dart about all over the place

[skeetdrs]

It seems the camber is out on the car. we have no camber on the near side and 3/4 of a degree negative on the offside.

I borrowed an autodata book and it seems the car requires 0.3 degrees negative and the tolerance is plus or minus 0.3 degrees

This does explain the pull to the left I think; I assume the more upright tyre has more drag..?

So it seems the subframe must be moved to the nearside to equalise the cambers.

If my maths is right 0.3 degrees is about 2mm in at the top?

If the subframe roughly in line with the hub this means the movement is something like 1mm towards the nearside ?

Took another look at the subframe holes and it looks like there might be enough slack to allow this much movement.

Klann catalogue seems to have some strange cranked apparatus to help force the bodywork and the wheels apart in order to move the subframe.

Here we go again then