Lower suspension arms-replacement
 

Hi

75 passed MOT with an advisory to change the front lower suspension arms ( bushes worn ), was looking at doing myself but I have been told to get access to bolts you need to drop the sub frame, is this true and if so is it easy to do? All help and advice gratefully received.

Geoff

i didnt drop the sub frame i undid the anti roll bar mounts then lifted the anti roll bar out the way and used a grinded down multi sided 18mm socket with a breaker bar and removed them that way

You dont need to drop the subframe or remove the anti roll bar mounts, I used a flexible head ratchet spanner. It gets right in there and you can get the bushes off no probs. I thinks there's a how to somewhere here.

That.s interesting, Were you working from the side of the car or from a pit or lift?
Also I thought the new ones had to be pressed on using a special tool. I would have to be working from the side of the car.

Special Tool = Hand

Oh well, Rover,s official workshop manual must have got it wrong. They use a special tool to press the bush onto the lower arm. Page 60-14. May be they are too fussy.

I didn't use any special tools or drop the roll bar, Used a Draper long reach spanner with my propriatory breaker bar (a chopped 2ft lenth of scaffold pole) Accessed the front mount from under the arch the rear one from under the car. I changed my whole arm as knowing my luck within 5 mins of changing the bush a ball joint would go!!

They just push on Easy as

Are you talking about these?

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Ro...a6e3e06&000320

Ive just bought one of them and the bush to fit so can take some photos if its an easy job to do - i was intending to put it in garage but having 2nd thoughts now

I changed one of these a couple of weeks ago, working with the car up on axle stands. Did not remove the roll-bar mounts or subframe. The two bolts holding the bush need an 18mm spanner. Access is very limited, but doable with an offset ring key. Working from the rear of the car, rather from under the arch, seemed best for me.

I found it quite a fiddle to get the bush bolts back in, made easier if you do NOT engage the two ball joints in their mounts till after the bush is bolted to the car - gives just a bit more flexibility to wriggle the bolts in.

Cheers
Tim