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        General >> Problems >> Wishbone bushes (rear) done!
        
(Message started by: harry.m1byt on Dec 15^th, 2006, 9:04pm)

Title: Wishbone bushes (rear) done!
Post by harry.m1byt on Dec 15^th, 2006, 9:04pm

Here's the detail, for anyone considering having a go at the front wishbone bushes (for the rear of the wishbone)..

The bushes turned up (I'm told) at around 3pm. They are just like a large sewing cotton bobbin, with a steel sleeve down the middle to bolt onto the wishbone.

You may remember I felt the handling didn't feel quite as good as it ought to be, seeming to float or wander at speed and an occaisional bit of judder at times when braking. The wishbone was also not centred in the O/S bush.

I ran the front of the car up the ramps, hard against the ramp stops, applied the hand brake tight and chocked the back wheels - slackened the four saddle bolts and the larger nut holding the bushes onto the wishone stub. I then got the trolley jack (a garage type, not a DIY type) out and just took a little of the weight. It seemed secure with just the ramps, the jack was a 'just in case' measure. Too make sure I knew which way it ought to go back, I marked the old bush and saddle with a Tippex line, then transferred a line onto the new bushes. However if you forget, the gap in the large metal ring on the bush goes uppermost - into the chassis socket.

You can only undo the nut so far, without popping the wishbone and its bush down out of it's socket in the chassis, mine popped out easily with a large screwdriver for a lever.

Neither of the old bushes had perished or broken up, but both looked quite worn on the external 'splines' as well as the internal rubber snubber blocks. Comparing the two old bushes, one against the other, they were slightly different, so my guess is that at least one had been changed in the past - so probably a regular replacement item. My guess is that the O/S one which was off centre, was the original and the N/S one had been replaced in the past. The O/S one was of identical style to the two new ones, which came in a Ford labelled pack from Fordpartsuk.

The bolts and nuts were as I suspected, just like new with the plating still shining like new. Exaust system has nil pitting, just a fine patina of smooth rust. Further evidence that this car has never seen salted roads. It was no more difficult to get them off than had it been a new car.

Looking at the new bushes in place, one of them O/S is about 3mm further forward in the saddle than the other, but the front bush spacings look the same. So I'm a little bit puzzled by this, perhaps they will square up after a little use on the road? Certainly no evidence of any accident damage to suggest any chassis misalingement.

The whole job took less than an hour and a half for both, while the rain rattled down on my garage roof. A really easy one to do.

Road test next and I'll re-edit this to add the difference it has made to the handling after a quick test run.

[Re-edit following road test] Wow! Handling is spot on now. It goes just where I aim it, even on the flooded roads we have at the moment. The slight brake judder has gone, the vagueness of the steering at speed, has as a slight knock I sometimes heard even taking it easy over the speed bumps. All very much more confident, knowing I can place it precisely where I want on the road.

I gave it a good thrashing and even managed to trigger the ABS a few times, for the first time since I got it.

MOT next, between Christmas and the NY. Difficult to believe that these dud bushes could have got this bad in the 3,000 miles since its last MOT.

Title: Re: Wishbone bushes (rear) done!
Post by SCORPY_NEWBY on Dec 15^th, 2006, 9:17pm

Its probably worth mentioning that my ultima estate was pulling to one side under accelleration and the other when let off. My first thought was the bushes but further investigation lead me to the offside rear bearing. Once fitted it ran straight as a dye. Easy to fit as well ;D

Title: Re: Wishbone bushes (rear) done!
Post by VSBlue on Dec 16^th, 2006, 1:09am

i am doing my bushes this week if it stays dry ;D

Title: Re: Wishbone bushes (rear) done!
Post by harry.m1byt on Dec 16^th, 2006, 1:20am

on 12/16/06 at 01:09:08, VSBlue wrote:

i am doing my bushes this week if it stays dry ;D

I think they are promising dry, but cold.

Hope your result is as good and as easy as mine was. ;)

Title: Re: Wishbone bushes (rear) done!
Post by pappa on Dec 17^th, 2006, 4:47pm

Thumbs up for the bushes! It's an easy job to do and has a big impact on the driveablity. Did my bushes
last wednesday and replaced also the front stabilizator "bones" at the same go. What a difference I tell
you. :)