Some technical help please! - Wishbone bushes

[IH786]

Hi

I have bought some cupra wishbone bushes to replace the ones on my PD130. As they are solid, compared to the PD130, they should be better, and also get rid of the clonking suspension i have

However i have a technical question, once the bush is in the mount, how do you get the bush inside the wishbone? For anyone who has done this job, they will know what i mean, the wishbone has a hexagonal shaped end, like a bolt, and the bush has a hexagonal gap, like a socket. It is a very tight fit.

Is there a technique or tool you can use in order to get the parts together properly?

 

[IH786]

See the pictures in this post by muddyboots for a better explanation:

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=79059&highlight=CUPRA+WISHBONE

 

[DEAN0]

IH786
Is there a technique or tool you can use in order to get the parts together properly?

The following might be helpful to collect before the bushes arrive.

1 length of M10 threaded bar + 3 nuts to suit.

5 large washers - 1.5mm thick - 10mm bore - OD to suit the bushes
( These are for pulling the bushes out of the subframe brackets )



5 Large washers - 1.5mm thick - 10mm bore - OD 5mm larger than the bushes
( These along with the 5 above are for putting the bushes back in to the subframe brackets )

IMPORTANT - when the bushes go in to the subframe brackets - oil them slightly and make sure that one of the flats of the inner hexagon is at the top.

Torques -
The large bolt for the wishbone pivot is 80Nm + 90º turn
The three bolts holding the wishbone to the outer ball joint 20Nm + 90º


I struggled to get the wishbone to push in to the new bushes so i ended up threading the end of the wishbone M12 and using an M12 bolt& washer to pull it through.

Hope this helps

 

[IH786]

The following might be helpful to collect before the bushes arrive.

1 length of M10 threaded bar + 3 nuts to suit.

5 large washers - 1.5mm thick - 10mm bore - OD to suit the bushes
( These are for pulling the bushes out of the subframe brackets )



5 Large washers - 1.5mm thick - 10mm bore - OD 5mm larger than the bushes
( These along with the 5 above are for putting the bushes back in to the subframe brackets )

IMPORTANT - when the bushes go in to the subframe brackets - oil them slightly and make sure that one of the flats of the inner hexagon is at the top.

Torques -
The large bolt for the wishbone pivot is 80Nm + 90º turn
The three bolts holding the wishbone to the outer ball joint 20Nm + 90º


I struggled to get the wishbone to push in to the new bushes so i ended up threading the end of the wishbone M12 and using an M12 bolt& washer to pull it through.

Hope this helps

DEANO, just to clarify, the you bolted the wishbone to the aluminium subframe, with washers, to pull the hexagonal head of the wishbone into the bush?

 

[DEAN0]

IH786
DEANO, just to clarify, the you bolted the wishbone to the aluminium subframe, with washers, to pull the hexagonal head of the wishbone into the bush?

I used the M12 Tap to thread the hole in the end of the wishbone.

Then I screwed a piece of M12 threaded rod in to the hole.

put the threaded rod ( still in the wishbone ) through the installed bush.

Place some washers and a nut on to the M12 rod.

Turn the nut and pull the wishbone in to the bush.

 

[IH786]

I used the M12 Tap to thread the hole in the end of the wishbone.

Then I screwed a piece of M12 threaded rod in to the hole.

put the threaded rod ( still in the wishbone ) through the installed bush.

Place some washers and a nut on to the M12 rod.

Turn the nut and pull the wishbone in to the bush.

Oh i understand, that sounds a bit complicated I haven't got a M12 tap, and i haven't used a tap to thread anything since secondary school

Do you think the method i stated earlier, of using the long front subframe bolt with some washers, to push the wishbone into the bush, as opposed to your method of pulling the bush through, might work ???

 

[DEAN0]

IH786
Do you think the method i stated earlier, of using the long front subframe bolt with some washers, to push the wishbone into the bush, as opposed to your method of pulling the bush through, might work ???

You can try if you like - I tried but the problem is that you can't get the wishbone straight enough with the subframe to be able to pull it in to the bush.

You also stand a good chance of pushing the bush through the subframe hole as you are doing it.

 

[IH786]

Well i fitted the wishbones this weekend. I wasn't brave enough to try DEANOs' method, so i used a bolt with a lot of washers and my uncles airgun ratchet to push the wishbone through the hole, and it works

In order to intially push the wishbone into the bush to get it on straight, i used a big hammer and a metal bar

Car feels much better now, all the rattles are gone

You can try if you like - I tried but the problem is that you can't get the wishbone straight enough with the subframe to be able to pull it in to the bush.

You also stand a good chance of pushing the bush through the subframe hole as you are doing it.

 

[sooty22]

is it not a stupis way of doing this but can you not place the bush along with the wishbone between two blocks of wood in a vice and tighten er up or is this just stupidity?

 

[IH786]

is it not a stupis way of doing this but can you not place the bush along with the wishbone between two blocks of wood in a vice and tighten er up or is this just stupidity?

Yeah thats how i fitted the bush into the bracket, but the real fun starts when you try to put the wishbone in the hole, hence my method described a few posts above

 

[techie]

Aye they are fun aint they. We have assembley lube to put on the bush, it doesnt damage the bush and then the wishbone will slide in at an angle.

FYI this is the propper tool for doing them.

 

[sooty22]

so the hard bit isnt getting the new bush into the wishbone its fitting the bolt back through the hole in the bush?

 

[DEAN0]

so the hard bit isnt getting the new bush into the wishbone its fitting the bolt back through the hole in the bush?

Not Quite - The bushes are inserted in to subframe mounts not the wishbone

I found the bushes quite easy to change over. Just make sure when they are fitted that one of the flats is at the top ( See bottom picture in techie's post )

The hard part is to get the hexagon shaped wishbone stub in to the new bushes.

 

[sooty22]

so is it a pretty hard task? would i be able to do this all myself? or better off getting a garage to do it?

 

[DEAN0]

sooty22 so is it a pretty hard task? would i be able to do this all myself? or better off getting a garage to do it?

I guess it depends on how you see your mechanical skills. Most people who have tried to do it themselves have managed to do it but in different ways.

Why don't you get a couple of quotes for the job and see if you feel half a day under the car is worth the saving.

Don't forget to get the tracking set up afterwards or all of the work to do the bushes will have been a waste of time.

 

[air121005]

my local stealer quote 45mins to do the job, £80 all in!

SEAT Droitwich.

 

[DEAN0]

air121005 my local stealer quote 45mins to do the job, £80 all in!

If that is a drive in, drive out price with parts included then I would go for it.
( Just make sure they do the tracking as well )

It will be one of the best £80 you will spend on the car and it will save you money in the long term just in reduced tyre wear.

 

[air121005]

If that is a drive in, drive out price with parts included then I would go for it.
( Just make sure they do the tracking as well )

It will be one of the best £80 you will spend on the car and it will save you money in the long term just in reduced tyre wear.

that was parts, labour and VAT included

thought i'd make an enquiry whilst picking up the cupra bushes and top mounts for changing the suspension that weekend

i definately would of taken him up on the offer if i wasn't doing the shocks etc!
was expecting him to say double that amount tbh!

 

[sooty22]

hmmmm yeah wel i might just do that then as it seems a right chew on!!!!