Safe to drive 3 feet off a ramp?

[Hantsdave]

Hi all.....

Having struggled all day to refit the 2 bolts on the rear wishbone bush I've replaced I've decided that it would be easier to do off the ramps. A few years ago I successfully did the bushes by jacking one side and wheel off - this time I thought I'd do it on ramps - I wish I hadn't.

Your thoughts please......

I need to get if off the ramps - I have 2 choices, either jack the car up even higher and pull out the ramps then lower it (bit reluctant to do this as it would mean putting a 75 jack on each side up on wooden blocks to a height of 8"+ then raising jacks to max height)

or

Strap up the wishbone (don't forget the bush is unattached at rear) to the subframe and anti roll bar with heavy duty cable ties - in order to prevent the hub/wheel collapsing. Then reverse 3 feet off the ramp.

:shrug:

I have tried all of the methods for getting the bush into the correct position in order for the bolts to drop in nicely but to no avail. I remembered it was easier before by removing the wheel and undoing the bottom hub ball joint, which is what I will do.

So thoughts please about my preferred option for lashing up the wishbone....

Thanks Guys

Dave.

[Mike Noc]

I've found lightly clamping the bush with a G clamp then with the aid of a small mirror and torch, tap it with a hammer until one of the threads is centred in the hole and nip the first bolt up. Remove the G clamp then same again for the second bolt.

You aren't changing to Powerflex bushes are you? If so then they rotate so that isn't a problem, but if you have pattern lower arms, you may have to file a fair bit off them to get the bush far enough on to line up.

[marinabrian]

Hi all.....

Having struggled all day to refit the 2 bolts on the rear wishbone bush I've replaced I've decided that it would be easier to do off the ramps. A few years ago I successfully did the bushes by jacking one side and wheel off - this time I thought I'd do it on ramps - I wish I hadn't.

Your thoughts please......

I need to get if off the ramps - I have 2 choices, either jack the car up even higher and pull out the ramps then lower it (bit reluctant to do this as it would mean putting a 75 jack on each side up on wooden blocks to a height of 8"+ then raising jacks to max height)

or

Strap up the wishbone (don't forget the bush is unattached at rear) to the subframe and anti roll bar with heavy duty cable ties - in order to prevent the hub/wheel collapsing. Then reverse 3 feet off the ramp.

:shrug:

I have tried all of the methods for getting the bush into the correct position in order for the bolts to drop in nicely but to no avail. I remembered it was easier before by removing the wheel and undoing the bottom hub ball joint, which is what I will do.

So thoughts please about my preferred option for lashing up the wishbone....

Thanks Guys

Dave.

What are you playing at Dave? you have the car in the perfect position to do the job ;)

If you are having difficulty entering the bolts, file the first three threads down to the root diameter of the bolt.

Before attempting to fit the bolts, use an M10 bolt inserted through the bush into the subframe.

This can be wiggled around, not unlike a podger and you can judge better the positioning of the bush relative to the subframe.

Once you are centralised over the hole, insert the modded bush bolt, and turn it anticlockwise, until you hear the click when the thread engages.

You should be able to tighten this by hand to start with, then with an 18mm ratchet spanner, until just nipped down.

Fit the rearmost bolt first, then insert the front bolt, with the aid of a shifting spanner on the loop of the bush, this can be rotated around the centre of the previously fitted rear bolt.

You will find, despite your current experiences that this remains the best way to install the bushes, much easier than on stands ;)

If I can do four bushes on two cars in less than two hours, so can you :)

Brian :D

[Hantsdave]

Thanks Mike but I've been trying with a clamp but the bush is about 20 degrees off the flat of the subframe and its been a pig to get straight.
I'm using First Line bushes, original arms.

Brian, I hadn't thought of filing the bolt, that should help to centre it but I'm still battling with the 20 degree tilt in addition to getting the bush hole bang on centre. I've definitely got the bush in the correct positon viz the flats on the arm. Its that tilt that was making me think it'd be easier by freeing up the bottom arm ball joint.

Thanks again guys, you've given me the heart to try again.

[trikey]

Put a long screwdriver in the casting hole between the two bolt holes (from underneath the car) this can then be used to lever the bush into the correct position while you screw the bolt in.

[Dragrad]

Thread moved to appropriate forum. Re-direct left in old. ;)

[Hantsdave]

Thanks Trikey, I've been trying that to no avail. I even made up a hand tool stronger than a screwdriver, a narrow cold chisel fixed into an old trolley jack handle cut down for better purchase.

[Hantsdave]

Many thanks for the advice on here in the last 24hrs.

A combination of everything solved it and those ruddy bolts flew in. I think that when you've been on a job out in the cold for hours and you're tired you can't see the wood for the trees.

Grinding the end of one bolt was sufficient Brian. With the car still on the ramps I trolley jacked the side I was working on by lifting the subframe about 8", this just lifted the wheel from the ramp and gave sufficient movement to the arm to manipulate it and g cramp the bush at the rear. Using the mirror/torch method I sighted the front hole and the ground down bolt just dropped in. Once tightened I removed the cramp and the rear bolt just dropped in without any need for adjusting the position of the bush or grinding the second bolt.

The stupid thing is that when I was struggling I thought to myself why did Rover not make these bolts taper ended, it would have been so much easier. My next thought should have been "I know, I'll taper them myself". Necessity - the mother of invention...

Thanks for bringing clarity to fatigue and fog. :D

Dave.

[marinabrian]

Excellent stuff Dave :D

Now all we have to do is figure out why the flange on the bush wasn't parallel with the subframe with the weight of the car on the suspension :confused:

Brian :cool:

[RodgerD]

An alternative way, with the car on the ground, get two spring compressors and clamp the front spring so when you lift the car on a jack the front suspension assembly doesn't drop, jack the car up and then remove the wheel, extra spanner room compared with ramps as no wheel. Easier on a 75 as there's extra clearance between wheel and liner.

[T16]

Are you referring to the FRONT lower arm rear main bushes?

I found these a doddle, you have to get your approach just right, and I used a pry bar/very large flat blade screwdriver to nudge the bush parallel with the subframe, insert bolts, then use the bolts to tighten the bush down flat all the way.

If anyone is trying to keep the bush flat ON the subframe while trying to insert the bolts, well, christ, good luck! Thats the hardest way!

As I said, you just need to get the bush parallel, get the bolts started, and voila, just tighten down and its all good.

:)

[David Lawrence]

Are you referring to the FRONT lower arm rear main bushes?

I found these a doddle, you have to get your approach just right, and I used a pry bar/very large flat blade screwdriver to nudge the bush parallel with the subframe, insert bolts, then use the bolts to tighten the bush down flat all the way.

If anyone is trying to keep the bush flat ON the subframe while trying to insert the bolts, well, christ, good luck! Thats the hardest way!

As I said, you just need to get the bush parallel, get the bolts started, and voila, just tighten down and its all good.

:)

When i first started work on my recent purchase one bush needed doing which i did on the ramps and completed the job in just under an hour. The bush is pretty much flat when the car is sitting on its wheels.

When i looked at the side i wasnt working on i noticed the rear bolt was not bolted down and was protruding about 20mm. When i tried to sort it out i found it extremely tight and assumed the threads were damaged.

Worked it in eventually with some advice from here.

Now last week i was replacing the front strut on that side, removed the entire thing with the hub as well then needed to wait for a few days because my new drop links had been delayed in the post. A good time to change the second bush i thought, which i did, only this time both bolts went in by fingers all the way to the last few turns.

When i looked at the old bush next to the new bush it was a narrower casting, with much less rubber in it, and the bolt hole not quite in the same place. This must have caused the second bolt to become tighter once everything started to pull down to the subframe. Another case for always making sure you know where your bushes are made.

[ardvark]

So with everything done and dusted, will it be better changing the rear bush with wheels on car ramps or the car on axle stands?

[David Lawrence]

So with everything done and dusted, will it be better changing the rear bush with wheels on car ramps or the car on axle stands?

Id say if you are only changing the bush it is better done on the ramps with the wheels on. However if you are doing other work necessitating cracking open the lower ball joint then its easier done that way. The arm is much easier to align and get the bolts back in When there is no weight on it. The problem is that it can often be hard work undoing the lower ball joint.

On the positive side it gets easier each time you do one. Andy Willi has a fantastic looking device for popping a lower joint open. Wish i had one, does the job in a second.