How do I fit...
How do I fit...
Author
Discussion

Jaye R

Original Poster:

790 posts

248 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
...my new polly bushes in to the front wishbones??? Am I missing something obvious - the packaging says that they can be fitted by hand and a 'press' is not required????



Many thanks in advance for your advices smile

Cheers
Jaye

v8s4me

7,270 posts

242 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
When they say, "press not required" what they mean is "a press will make this job a hell of a lot easier but with some Heath Robinson tools, a bit of ingenuity and a lot of brute force, oh and of course lots of time, you can do just about this without a press, eventually". As with pushing anything into a tight space lots of lube is essential. thumbup

You will need some m12 studding, nuts and thick washers which are wider than the holes the bushes are going into. That will get it in most of the way. A picture would explain it all now but unfortunately I don't have one. Sit tight and one will appear soon I'm sure. Getting the lip out of the end once the rest of it is 99% in will be the tricky bit. Good luck.

Jaye R

Original Poster:

790 posts

248 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
Hi Joe

Thanks - looks like I'll have to take the slow, but steady approach & try my hand at engineering a press for 'assistance' smile

Another quick question - is it best to fit the bush without the inner sleeve first or fit 'all at once'???

Thanks again

Cheers
Jaye

PotlessPaul

332 posts

263 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
Try putting the bush in the freezer overnight (as with most things that get cold they shrink, so I'm told!) plenty of lube and it should go in a bit easier, ooer missus biggrin

Its worked for me on other similar jobs. Hope this helps.

Paul.

greymrj

3,329 posts

227 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
Agree with both the above, chill the bush then use a strong vice* taking great care to keep the bush parallel to the tube. If you have a socket big enough to go round the diameter of the bush then use this to get things started and always put something between the vice and the job, dont want those nasty indentations from the vice jaws nono. Plus of course, plenty of your favourite lube (no need to declare the brand! wink)

  • I have several I am told, but the 5" Record is my favourite!

v8s4me

7,270 posts

242 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
Jaye R said:
....Another quick question - is it best to fit the bush without the inner sleeve first or fit 'all at once'???...
Hi Jaye - personally I'd leave the liner tube until last so that the poly bush is as squidgy as possible. Other may have another approach.

I've not fitted polly bushes but I'd be inclnied to warm it not cool it on the basis that you need the bush to squidge up as much as possible to squeeze into the hole. I can't see it contracting by a significant amount but it will get harder if it is frozen. On this occasion soft and supple might help it slip in more easily rather than the hard on approach biggrin

Barkychoc

7,848 posts

227 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
Don't know about the freezer - I stuck mine in hot water

The Big G

1,001 posts

191 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
v8s4me said:
Hi Jaye - personally I'd leave the liner tube until last so that the poly bush is as squidgy as possible. Other may have another approach.

I've not fitted polly bushes but I'd be inclnied to warm it not cool it on the basis that you need the bush to squidge up as much as possible to squeeze into the hole. I can't see it contracting by a significant amount but it will get harder if it is frozen. On this occasion soft and supple might help it slip in more easily rather than the hard on approach biggrin
When I came to do this job, I failed miserably. They just would not fit. Squashing them in with m12 studding and large nuts and washers just bent them out of shape. I simply could not get them to fit even after putting them in hot water to make them softer and more malleable. The only way I could think of improving my technique is to use a mikolor/jubilee clamp in the same manner as a piston ring compressor, pushing in the flange so that it could the. Be pulled through with the m12 bar.

I gave up and got my local regular garage to do it for me on my behalf. One hour, a press and lots of experience and it was done.

Good luck!

Griffinr

1,017 posts

197 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
The Big G said:
The only way I could think of improving my technique is to use a mikolor/jubilee clamp in the same manner as a piston ring compressor, pushing in the flange so that it could the. Be pulled through with the m12 bar.
A possible improvement would be to roll a piece of thin metal or plastic around the bush first and then apply the Jubilee clips to compress it to the correct diameter for insertion.
Not tried it but it sound feasible with plenty of lubricant.

phillpot

17,455 posts

206 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all



Bush left out and definitely put in hot water not the freezer (imho) smile

Jaye R

Original Poster:

790 posts

248 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
Hi All

Many thanks for all your suggestions & advice - always appreciated & always useful - I will be trying pretty much everything this weekend - if I still can't get the things in then I will have to refer to my local garage smile

So, a weekend of squashing, squeezing, pushing, hot & cold & all with plenty of lube coming up smile Happy Days!!! thumbup

Cheers
Jaye

TVRees

1,086 posts

135 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
down under, they know how .....

-Oz Style-

Did you try this with the vice ? I used this method to remove all of the old bushes a few weeks ago.

With a standard 80 ShA PU, if you heat it to 100 degC it will expand in size by approx. 2% - I know, because we make the stuff in work.
Heating it up will not really make it much softer though, maybe just 2-3 ShA lower, this is one of the properties of PU which makes it better than rubber for many applications.

The PU which Powerflex uses (Adiprene) should be stable down to -40 degC, but I don't think you need to put them in the freezer.

AutoAndy

2,270 posts

238 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
TVRees said:
down under, they know how .....

-Oz Style-

freezer.
..there you go Jaye...couldn't be easier "mate" and then down the pub for a few tinnis....remember to wear your safety shorts though... wink

magpies

5,191 posts

205 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
AutoAndy said:
..there you go Jaye...couldn't be easier "mate" and then down the pub for a few tinnis....remember to wear your safety shorts though... wink
have a look at the video next on youtube regarding the 'issues' with powerflex and similar.......really explains how these bushings work (or don't)

arhTVR

226 posts

148 months

Tuesday 8th September 2015
quotequote all
I did this recently and it came under the 'worst job in the world' heading for me! I tried what is shown in the video and failed miserably, despite lube, more hands, etc. etc.
However, I then made myself a special tool (stop it!) to help ease the bush into the wishbone. Pics below:


Essentially these are nylon tapered tubes so the bush squashes gradually as it is pushed into the wishbone using a vice and appropriate socket to push with. I used a woodwork vice since my metalworking one would not open up enough with this arrangement. The white one is split and uses a job clip to go around but the black one is just one piece and works better.

They'll go in a jif bag if you get really stuck. Good luck!
Tony

Jaye R

Original Poster:

790 posts

248 months

Wednesday 9th September 2015
quotequote all
Tony - YHM

Cheers
Jaye

ketvrin

3,504 posts

232 months

Thursday 10th September 2015
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Hi Jaye old mate...

Probably doesnt help you with yours but mine came in two halves, so pushed in easily from each end then pushed in liner tube last... Easy job with the silicon grease supplied liberally applied.

Perhaps you should cut yours???

K wink

Jaye R

Original Poster:

790 posts

248 months

Friday 11th September 2015
quotequote all
ketvrin said:
Hi Jaye old mate...

Probably doesnt help you with yours but mine came in two halves, so pushed in easily from each end then pushed in liner tube last... Easy job with the silicon grease supplied liberally applied.

Perhaps you should cut yours???

K wink
Now then Kev, how're doin??

The thought of cutting them had crossed my mind - the trailing arm ones were in two pieces & were a piece of cake to fit...

I'm assuming they shouldn't be cut as it will affect the performance?

Tony's 'gadget' for fitting them has arrived so I'm going to give them a go again over the weekend - if that fails then I'm off to my local garage smile

Cheers
Jaye