My car has been pulling to the left on acceleration recently - as it was due a service I asked the dealer to fit Cupra bushes (which I supplied) to the car.

Ross (Lummox) kindly advised me that the OEM bushes were the likely problem and advised fitting Cupra bushes to fix it. I got under the car and they were both cracked - right more than left...(Alignment, tire pressures are fine)

I was told by the dealer that my car was pulling to the left because 1- different tread patterns rear and aft and 2- OEM bushes appear "slightly cracked" but should be ok till the next service. (can you say - BS!).

AND they said that the cupra bushes were not compatible as they had no collar (pn 6LL407183)

Now I have no choice but to attempt fitting the cupra bushes myself. I have two questions to ask those in the know:

1- the bushes are cup-shaped with 4 alignment marks on one side - this is the side that is outermost, correct?

2- has anyone the size length and thread of the big bolt that tightens the new bush in when fitting? Washer should be the diameter of the bush itself or perhaps larger....

(the mysterious 'pukka tool'). I dont fancy taking off the console again, what with the expense and time-wasting of re-alignment afterwards......

I should have gotten Powerflex ones as they are apparently 2-piece and a doddle to fit but I hate to waste the cupra ones that I brought back from the UK....

Thanks for any help/comments

Bas

The front ones from Powerflex are two piece and a doddle to fit, not sure if anyone has seen these mystical two piece rear bushes yet.

If you did find out if the Powerflex ones are easier to fit it might well be worth it.

the consoles on the Cupra and VRS are exactly the same , the part numbers are different due to it having the Cupra bushes fitted

the flat side of the bush goes toward the rear of the console , those 4 sticky out bits are there from when the bush was moulded and are not for alignment AFAIK

the original VRS bush has an alignment mark , but on checking the Cupra bushes and console i have in the house , there is no marks on them other than for VRS bushes

i removed my consoles to fit the bushes as i didn't have the VAG tool , but i made

a tool from some Ford bush/bearing fitting tools, the bit that sits on the bush will have to be slightly smaller the the bush as it has to go inside the console to get the bush fully home , iirc the bush is 60mm in diameter

when i fitted my bushes i just marked the position of the hex so as to get the correct position for the new bushes , i think the VAG tool aligns the bush properly

the Powerflex ones are for the front bush on the wishbone , the udders are for the rear

Thanks for the info ric - that is enough to set me straight, appreciate it.

Will mark the position of the hex on before removing OEM bushes(hammer and screwdriver). Now sure which way round the bush goes (!)

I have a nice piece of steel that I will chuck up in my lathe tmrw and make up a pusher that is a metric tad smaller than the bush outer diameter- with a flat plate on the other side should work out. If all fails I'll have to remove the console and take it to a mate's hydrualic press (!!!)

Cheers

Bas

I think that you will always find that the main problem will be driving the new bush in EXACTLY at the correct "angle" - ie keeping it true to the axis of the console hole otherwise it will just "grab" in the bore. I also seem to remember reading that the correct position in the console, for the bush, is so that it is flush with the rear face of the console. That information was found on this site by the way. I think if you read back a bit that Lummox indicated that this problem is exactly what the VAG collection of bits avoids by using the TCA bolt fixing front hole (in the console) to retain correct alignment while fitting the bush in the rear hole. Refresh my memory, as I think one of my bushes seems to have been fitted in reverse, one face of the cupra bushes is "flat" - that should be the one facing the rear, is the other one slightly dished? I seem to remember that detail - or at least the outer aluminium sleeve is "proud" at the end that should be the front. Obviously you already know that the hex hole in the bush needs to be rotated so that there is no strain on the bush while the car is "at rest on its wheels" - my "reversed" bush also has roughly a 5-10 degree error - grrrrh! A very competant VAG indep did this work for me - so I did not get a perfect job done!

so from what your saying rum4mo , you have one bush fitted the wrong way round , how the f00k could they get that wrong

Basil, to get the original VRS bush out , just carefully hacksaw the plastic then split it with the screwdriver , it'll just drop out then

Thanks again Ric - will do. Made up a pusher disc today just less than the bush diameter. Will give it a go over the next few days hopefully.

Cheers

Bas

Thanks again Ric - will do. Made up a pusher disc today just less than the bush diameter. Will give it a go over the next few days hopefully.

Cheers

Bas

i think Ross mentioned the use of some lube when fitting the bush , just to help it in , as ally to ally can stick and cause problems

yes thanks, I was gonna use summat water-based like fairy liquid or K-Y as oils and grease can be acidic as well as allowing the whole bush to torque afterwards....

so from what your saying rum4mo , you have one bush fitted the wrong way round , how the f00k could they get that wrong

Yes sounds a bit unlikely, at first I thought that the problem was only that one had been pressed not quite up to flush with the rear face whereas the other was spot on both "up the bore" and the positioning of the hex flats. Then I realised that the "not flush one" had a rotational positioning error and it looks like it in "back to front" as the slightly protruding outer shell is fully down the bore and the rubber inner isn't. Strange but true, also when the rains finally came, a lot of horrible rubbery noises come from that side - coincidence? Both sides remain good and tight power on/off and when crossing slight kerbs etc though! I will not name and shame, but I think that eventually I'll have to do something about it - and that means I'll have to do something about the "not too good" repair that I got an exhaust specialist to do on replacing the exhaust flexi pipe. Sometimes you just don't get what you had hoped for - and paid for!! I'm not too lucky in that respect!!!

For someones benefit, there is a tool for this bush removing/fitting job on ebay - see the other console bush thread. I'm not suggesting that it is up to the job of fitting the cupra bushes - I'm just raising an awareness of a tool to do this sort of job.

Is it this one? looks a tad pricey for a couple of turned bits of ally n steel, perhaps the box is platinum.

Polo / Fabia / Ibiza : New! Front suspension bush tool - eBay Other Garage Equipment Tools, Garage Equipment Tools, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 05-Oct-07 18:23:07 BST)

Yup, if you take a look a the previous thread "bushes, Cupra R or Powerflex" you will see my doubts about its suitability with Cupra solid bushes, also this is backed up with Lummox's pictures of the proper tool.

I don't know if this clouds the issue or gives an option to using the Cupra solid bush, but, I have heard from another source that an alternative could be to use the Golf MK5 bush, unfortunately it seems that this bush is sold ready fitted into an aluminium housing - so it needs removing from this before you can use it. The known advantage of this Golf MK5 bush is that it is still voided but - lesser than the original bush and heavier duty (heavier car), so it will last longer than the standard non-Cupra bush but will allow a certain degree of shock absorbing and in doing so protect the rest of the suspension from higher than previously loads. Is this useful information - I'm sure that the small aluminium housing that it comes fitted into can be carefully cut/split as it will have no use - other than scrap metal value - so the recovered bush will be as "good as new".

Fabia consoles are about £65 each , so i'd imagine a Golf MK5 console to be a similar price if not more , so an expensive way to get a bush which is only marginally better than standard , and nowhere near as good as the Cupra one which is £7 each

Just so i know, is this whole console bush thing the big round bush on the back of the wishbone, in that aluminium housing?

Fabia consoles are about £65 each , so i'd imagine a Golf MK5 console to be a similar price if not more , so an expensive way to get a bush which is only marginally better than standard , and nowhere near as good as the Cupra one which is £7 each

I got the impression that the Golf set up is quite different so the bit of aluminium round its bush is much smaller so cheaper - either way VAG only offer the bush complete with "ring" for the Golf MK5. By the way the Golf bush was described as having an X array of rubber, so it offers a compromise between the usual floppy crap bush and the hard Cupra bush. It could be that the noises I am getting reported back to me by my wife has something to do this the fact that I've only stiffened up one of the three suspension points and one other - maybe the top mount is now carrying the stress of hitting pot holes and it does not like it. Just my thoughts you understand and remember I am only mentioning the Golf MK5 bush to widen peoples knowledge and choice - that in its self is no bad thing, its what these forums are all about. Anyone that just thinks NO as they have backed the Cupra bushes is being dangerously narrow minded - remember I have also backed the Cupra bush - but now, for the cars that have the lower powered engines and softer suspension mounts, maybe this could be the sensible route to getting rid of the crap original bushes. Finally, I hear that the Audi A2 never seems to need its solid - but softer? bushes replaces - is that another possibility for the non VRS/Cupra/GTI cars?

Just so i know, is this whole console bush thing the big round bush on the back of the wishbone, in that aluminium housing?

Spot on! They are voided - ie there are holes or "no rubber" areas and they are crap and floppy so rip through for quickly. The Seat Ibiza Cupra bushes are solid rubber so should never rip unless you end up ripping something else off first! Usual hints that all is not well is horrible noises during power ON/OFF and maybe to a lesser extent braking. Also if you cross over a slightly raised kerb you will find that the affected side will sort off get left behind and will only join the other side "some time later" - slight exageration that but still quite close to reality! Also, when parked on level ground, out of gear, if you grab a front wheel and try to rock it firmly back and forwards you might hear a rubbery noise as the inner rubber rubs against the outer rubber - well my wife's sh*ty little car did that just before I organised getting the bushes changed. By the way VAG seem to call all these aluminium lumps used to connect/attach engine and suspension parts to each other and/or the car body CONSOLES.

Spot on! They are voided - ie there are holes or "no rubber" areas and they are crap and floppy so rip through for quickly. The Seat Ibiza Cupra bushes are solid rubber so should never rip unless you end up ripping something else off first! Usual hints that all is not well is horrible noises during power ON/OFF and maybe to a lesser extent braking. Also if you cross over a slightly raised kerb you will find that the affected side will sort off get left behind and will only join the other side "some time later" - slight exageration that but still quite close to reality! Also, when parked on level ground, out of gear, if you grab a front wheel and try to rock it firmly back and forwards you might hear a rubbery noise as the inner rubber rubs against the outer rubber - well my wife's sh*ty little car did that just before I organised getting the bushes changed. By the way VAG seem to call all these aluminium lumps used to connect/attach engine and suspension parts to each other and/or the car body CONSOLES.

Hmm, just had mine replaced with the normal bushes... At least i didnt pay for them

My local Seat dealer now routinely replaces all rear wishbone bushes with Cupra items. 'Standard' items are no longer fitted by them to any model

The MK5 console set up is very different . There is a small section which bolts to the subframe on its own, very easy to change.

My local Seat dealer now routinely replaces all rear wishbone bushes with Cupra items. 'Standard' items are no longer fitted by them to any model

This could be good news, but I am still a bit concerned that the other "rubber" mounting points will now have to take higher loads as one point that was allowed to move and so absorb quite a lot of the shock from hitting potholes etc, has now been stiffened up quite a lot. I might change my BBY 1.4SE Polo top mounts "up" a stage - once I nail down the source of my current noises that occur under very small suspension movements - I might disconnect the drop links and cable tie the ARB first to eliminate both of these bits first.

.......... Cupra one which is £7 each

Until they realise why they are selling lots and up the price !

The top mounts are pretty robust. I have only replaced them when someone had buggered up fitting a strut brace...lol

Other than that there isnt really any other bush on the front axle that takes loading. Not seen a front wishbone bush fail.

The top mounts are pretty robust. I have only replaced them when someone had buggered up fitting a strut brace...lol

Other than that there isnt really any other bush on the front axle that takes loading. Not seen a front wishbone bush fail.

I've now had a proper look at my TCA/CONSOLES and can confirm without any shadow of a doubt that the O/S console bush has been fitted in reverse and slightly outer of position relative to the flats on the TCA pin!! On the N/S, the rear rubber face of the bush is approx 1mm resessed in from the rear face of the console, on the O/S, the rear rubber face of the bush is approx 11mm resessed in from the rear face of the console. Now I think that this causes two problems, one being that the front face of the O/S bush is fouling the TCA round tubular section and the other is that this will probably cause the TCA to try and sit further forward than it should and load the front face of the small front TCA bush. The second problem could be incorrect but I think that this is not a very good situation and is probably causing the groaning noises from the O/S that accompany small suspension movements . So its back to the VAG indepy very soon I'm afraid - I only hope that he will curve up the O/S bush in a bid to save the console and not just extract and refit it. Oh joy!!