Replacing front suspension arms and bushes

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by Arctic

5

it's no wonder that they are hard to line up with the subframe after being fitted to the arms.

Thanks for this Steve. It hadn't occurred to me that the rubber bush would be misaligned with the housing at the factory on some aftermarket brands. Now I understand the problems people have been having.

I recently suggested that buying directly from X-Part shouldn't be overlooked but the idea wasn't well received. Well, I bought my front lower arm bushes from X-Part and I had no trouble at all with alignment to the arm or insertion of the two securing bolts to the subframe. Everything else gave me grief but that bit was a joy!

Simon

[Costa Fortuna]

As said the balljoint will not allow any fore and aft movement and if the bush mounting bolts are an easy fit by hand the bush must be in the right place.

If lubed nicely the first few bumps/braking will allow any neccessary very, very small learning adjustments.

[COLVERT]

Originally Posted by Cantray

Hi all.

Watching this with interest having recently struggled with the job - in particular fitting the Bush housing bolts. The bushes were stiff on the new arms and don't "move freely". Next time I will file down the arm if bushes are stiff but what is best tool for this? Hand file? Flap disc? Grinding disc feels too severe for this but look forward to advice. Many thanks!

A hand file would be best, however it depends on your skill with a file.-----


I found it easy but had to use a file on lots of occasions during my apprenticeship as a tool maker in a factory.

Filing something flat is not as easy as it sounds.--

[Retap]

Originally Posted by Arctic

Hi John.
I have in the past posted about how these bushes are pressed into the castings, and how they differ from different makes.


SNIP

You have and i appreciate it, the os arm i removed from the car last Christmas time had a bush that had been pressed wrongly into its cast by the supplier it was a pig to fit 6 months earlier but i did not know the reason until you told educated us many thanks. And it explained the black "dirt" on that wheel only as it got shredded in time just 6 months and it was naff.

[Retap]

Originally Posted by Cantray

Hi all.

Watching this with interest having recently struggled with the job - in particular fitting the Bush housing bolts. The bushes were stiff on the new arms and don't "move freely". Next time I will file down the arm if bushes are stiff but what is best tool for this? Hand file? Flap disc? Grinding disc feels too severe for this but look forward to advice. Many thanks!

So you buy an expensive part thats highly engineered to its specification and start filing it down? I DONT GET IT If it doesnt fit its out of spec so send it back!!!


The Q drive OEM arm from DMGRS i put on last week is the best quality of the four ive done over the last couple of years but the bush would not go on without pressing. The oem arm from Rimmers lasted 6 months and the bush was mis pressed into the casting. Avoid ebay parts cos you will need to file lol every 6 months without fail on both sides.

[Retap]

Originally Posted by COLVERT

A hand file would be best, however it depends on your skill with a file.-----


I found it easy but had to use a file on lots of occasions during my apprenticeship as a tool maker in a factory.

Filing something flat is not as easy as it sounds.--

If a part doesn't fit as supplied then its out of spec and modifying it will invalidate any warranty. Proceed with caution folks and buy quality parts from trusted sellers only to avoid such woes. I wore these shoes for 1000 miles, you can wear them to if you want to but im not professional dancer.

[binraider]

Ive fitted quite a few R75 control arms over the years and never seen this thread before (or never read all of it if i had), so i have always struggled with impossible to put on bushes. It is that time again and this time i followed Artics advice (from this thread) and put my makita large belt sander on the arm until the bush can push on with reasonable hand pressure (and fairy). Then i bolted the bush to the subframe and when i offered the arm up with a bit of pressure it would go in no problem. So simple i could have cried. I could have saved so many hours of sweat and tears over the years.



It just goes to show that knowledge is power!


Thanks Artic

[BigRuss]

Originally Posted by Arctic

I have in the past posted about how these bushes are pressed into the castings, and how they differ from different makes

5

it's no wonder that they are hard to line up with the subframe after being fitted to the arms.

Yes, the quality of aftermarket parts can be poor to say the least, only last week I was investigating unusual tyre wear on my S60 and also a noticeable clunk from the offside front suspension.

Both front tyres had worn significantly on the inner portion of tread.
When I bought the car 2 years ago both front wishbones/bushes had been replaced by the dealer for the MOT.

I had decided that I would get all the necessary parts together to rebuild the whole of the front suspension, using original replacement parts as it was feeling a bit soft on the original struts and springs.

Finding the clunk was easy, it was down to a failed ball joint

But on removing the bottom arms (which were aftermarket) and comparing them with the new original parts the reason for the tyre wear became obvious.
The aftermarket arms were approx 13mm wider each.
No wonder the tyres were wearing on the inner edges.

Moral of the story here is to always measure/ compare any replacement arms or parts against your old ones

Steve, just noticed on that picture that if you put a straight edge against the base of the casting where it bolts to the subframe, it looks like there's a quite noticeable difference in the position of the bush depending on the brand. If so that won't do the steering geometry any good either and may result in the car not being able to be tracked up properly if it throws it out of adjustable limits.

Russ

[macafee2]

Originally Posted by Arctic

I have a set of these in the stores ready if and when i may need them.
1

Also a set of these.
2

The ends look quite smooth already but when the time comes i will still give them a file over.
3

Extra grease as already been added to the joints.

artic, could you tell us/me the uni part part number please?

just in case there are any still about.

macafee2

[Arctic]

Hi Ian.
here you go

1

2