rear arb bushes

[fatjon]

anyone know if an idiots guide to replacing the rear anti roll bushes exists anywhere.

[Ireland]

If you have the "underneath" ARB it's as simple as -

- loosen the bracket nuts

- pull down the brackets

- remove the old rubbers

- fit the new bushes

- refit the brackets

- refit the nuts.

I'd guess the "overhead" ARB procedure must be somewhat similar.

[fatjon]

I didn't know there were different variants. Car is a later (2000) model.

[peteA]

fatjon said:

I didn't know there were different variants. Car is a later (2000) model.

Think the later cars, and by later I think its 97 / 98 onwards, all have the upper ARB. Replacement should be relatively easy...?

[Nefarious]

Easy job, but one trap to potentially fall into (I know because I did!)

There are two bolts that hold on a retaining platefor the ARB and its bush, and the bottom of these is very close to the damper. Thinking I was being clever, I used a closed ring ratchet spanner to undo it, only to realise that there wasn't room to get the lower bolt all the way out - or get the spanner off. And because it was a ratchet spanner, I couldn't do it up again either. D'oh!

Came about this >< close to havign to take the damper off, but fortunately there was enough room to slip and open spanner on the outside, then the inside of the ratchet one.

Oh, and make sure you measure the size of the ARB properly - I believe there are 21mm, 23mm, 25mm and 28mm versions, but mostly the parts places will only mention the 21mm and 25mm ones.

And one more tip, when you reassemble, use lots of copper grease, and make sure the ARB can move smoothly in the bushes. My replacements were an extra couple of mm longer than the originals, and the retaining plates clamped them too hard, so a couple of washers were needed to keep the ARB moving properly.

[fatjon]

Thanks all for the very helpful tips. Better get my ARB measured up then.