Replacing suspension bushes?
Discussion
Hi all, just wondering how to go about changing the bushings on my suspension. I am mechanically minded but have never worked on a car because I have never had a car to work on until now. I am happy to give it a go myself but I am just wondering a few things:
I don't have access to a ramp or axle stands, what is the best way to get to the suspension?
Worst case scenario, how badly can I f
k this up and how much will it cost me to put right if I do?
Where should I look to buy new parts from?
How much are bushings?
How long should it take me?
Is there anything else I should check/change while I'm there?
Are there any specialist tools I need?
The car is a W reg vw polo, as far as I know everything is standard and I don't think anything major has been replaced on it. Any help is appriciated :-)
I don't have access to a ramp or axle stands, what is the best way to get to the suspension?
Worst case scenario, how badly can I f
k this up and how much will it cost me to put right if I do?Where should I look to buy new parts from?
How much are bushings?
How long should it take me?
Is there anything else I should check/change while I'm there?
Are there any specialist tools I need?
The car is a W reg vw polo, as far as I know everything is standard and I don't think anything major has been replaced on it. Any help is appriciated :-)
You are definitely going to need axle stands or a way to get the wheels lifted off the ground (axle stands with a fail safe is the safest way, outside of borrowing a lift). That's all I know for definite. I've seen videos of bushes being removed from wishbones and it looks like you need a press (looks similar to a workshop drill) which doesn't look too cheap.
A failsafe for the stands can be a spare wheel under the car or something similar to catch it if it goes south. This is the most important piece of information in regards to doing this kind of stuff...
A failsafe for the stands can be a spare wheel under the car or something similar to catch it if it goes south. This is the most important piece of information in regards to doing this kind of stuff...
Specifically which bushes are you trying to replace? "Suspension bushes" is far too general, there are numerous bushes on most suspension systems.
Physically getting the bushes in and out of components is often the main problem, they are usually tightly pressed into place so you often need some kind of puller or press. You can often use a DIY puller using threaded bar with nuts and washers and suitably sized sockets, and a big bench vice is always helpful.
The other issue is when suspension bolts get rusted into the center of metalistic bushes, they can be an absolute nightmare to remove.
Physically getting the bushes in and out of components is often the main problem, they are usually tightly pressed into place so you often need some kind of puller or press. You can often use a DIY puller using threaded bar with nuts and washers and suitably sized sockets, and a big bench vice is always helpful.
The other issue is when suspension bolts get rusted into the center of metalistic bushes, they can be an absolute nightmare to remove.
If you're on about pressed bushes in arms then this thread is going to go tits up.
Your best off purchasing a complete arm with the bush already installed.
If you're on about control arms you're going to need :
Axle stands
breaker bar
sockets
spanners
ball joint separator
penetrating oil
Time can be anything from 20 minutes to half a day on your back.
Far too many variables here.
Your best off purchasing a complete arm with the bush already installed.
If you're on about control arms you're going to need :
Axle stands
breaker bar
sockets
spanners
ball joint separator
penetrating oil
Time can be anything from 20 minutes to half a day on your back.
Far too many variables here.
So my main problem is getting the bushes out of whatever holds them then?
Im not sure which bushes need replacing, I will check when I get home. I know that I am talking about the front suspension, other than that I would need to look at the report I got from the service.
What sort of cost would it be to replace the control arms and bushes rather than just the bushes?
Also, if this is out of my league, what sort of price would you think is reasonable for a garage to charge for doing it for me?
Sorry for any stupid questions, complete novice here
Im not sure which bushes need replacing, I will check when I get home. I know that I am talking about the front suspension, other than that I would need to look at the report I got from the service.
What sort of cost would it be to replace the control arms and bushes rather than just the bushes?
Also, if this is out of my league, what sort of price would you think is reasonable for a garage to charge for doing it for me?
Sorry for any stupid questions, complete novice here
Best to get a Haynes manual for the car & read up on it. Check your local library & borrow if they've got it.
I know there is mixed opinion on them, but many of the line drawings are straight lifts from the factory workshop manuals & they assume you know little or nothing. The photos are useful. There are often workarounds shown where a factory manual just says 'use special tool number....'
I buy one each time we get a different car & they're a common item on many smaller garage workshop shelves!
Also worth looking for model specific websites. Often much info & 'how to' with photos. I can say that the Land Rover & Peugeot ones have saved me a lot of time & money over the years.
ETA. If you do work on your car & need to jack it up ALWAYS support the car with axle stands properly positioned. Never trust just the jack. Too many people seriously injured or killed when a jack gives way or slips.
I know there is mixed opinion on them, but many of the line drawings are straight lifts from the factory workshop manuals & they assume you know little or nothing. The photos are useful. There are often workarounds shown where a factory manual just says 'use special tool number....'
I buy one each time we get a different car & they're a common item on many smaller garage workshop shelves!
Also worth looking for model specific websites. Often much info & 'how to' with photos. I can say that the Land Rover & Peugeot ones have saved me a lot of time & money over the years.
ETA. If you do work on your car & need to jack it up ALWAYS support the car with axle stands properly positioned. Never trust just the jack. Too many people seriously injured or killed when a jack gives way or slips.
Edited by paintman on Thursday 12th February 15:19
With many modern cars you can't buy just the bushes - the replacement part is the entire link. That actually makes it easier because it's generally just a question of unbolting one part and bolting a replacement in its place.
I did both lower control links on the Octavia last year and it took me about half a day. I ended up needing a trolley jack, axle stands, socket set, torque wrench, breaker bar,... and a tap and die set to repair one of the threads which got mangled due to my ham-fistedness. Depending on the design, you may end up needing a ball-joint splitter too.
I did both lower control links on the Octavia last year and it took me about half a day. I ended up needing a trolley jack, axle stands, socket set, torque wrench, breaker bar,... and a tap and die set to repair one of the threads which got mangled due to my ham-fistedness. Depending on the design, you may end up needing a ball-joint splitter too.
Edited by kambites on Thursday 12th February 15:21
The first problem is the bolts are probably rusted solid so start soaking them Plus Gas or similar for a week of so before you try.
In a lot of cases it's much easier, and not a lot more expensive, to buy a new part with the bushes already fitted than try to remove old ones and then press new ones back in (a mate has a 10 tonne press and really struggled to get new bushes in to the wishbones on his FTO)
As said above, axle stands and a backup are essential, simplest method is axle stand and jack, but take some weight off the jack so most of it is on the axle stand to stop it moving around. Spare wheel under something solid is an easy backup too. The aforementioned seized bolts are going to result in a lot of hauling on spanners and smacking things with ever larger hammers so want it to be very secure.
In a lot of cases it's much easier, and not a lot more expensive, to buy a new part with the bushes already fitted than try to remove old ones and then press new ones back in (a mate has a 10 tonne press and really struggled to get new bushes in to the wishbones on his FTO)
As said above, axle stands and a backup are essential, simplest method is axle stand and jack, but take some weight off the jack so most of it is on the axle stand to stop it moving around. Spare wheel under something solid is an easy backup too. The aforementioned seized bolts are going to result in a lot of hauling on spanners and smacking things with ever larger hammers so want it to be very secure.
As said, sometimes easier to replace the whole component as its quicker & you don't need access to presses.
Recently replace both front lower arms on my wife's car due to the bushes failing the MoT. I do have a press but it was quicker to buy in & fit complete arms instead of faffing about replacing the bushes & I needed to get it back for retest the same day. That said, we have 2 307s in the family & I've fitted new bushes to the old ones so now have a spare set of arms for when the other one needs doing!
Recently replace both front lower arms on my wife's car due to the bushes failing the MoT. I do have a press but it was quicker to buy in & fit complete arms instead of faffing about replacing the bushes & I needed to get it back for retest the same day. That said, we have 2 307s in the family & I've fitted new bushes to the old ones so now have a spare set of arms for when the other one needs doing!
Kj159 said:
So my main problem is getting the bushes out of whatever holds them then?
Im not sure which bushes need replacing, I will check when I get home. I know that I am talking about the front suspension, other than that I would need to look at the report I got from the service.
What sort of cost would it be to replace the control arms and bushes rather than just the bushes?
Also, if this is out of my league, what sort of price would you think is reasonable for a garage to charge for doing it for me?
Sorry for any stupid questions, complete novice here
First off, you don't have a press so there is no way you'll get the bushes in and out sensibly. So a control arm swap is the only feasible option for a driveway. The two bushes are both on the same peice of metal (it's all one link). So it's bolts out, ball joint off, swap the arm. Do everything up.Im not sure which bushes need replacing, I will check when I get home. I know that I am talking about the front suspension, other than that I would need to look at the report I got from the service.
What sort of cost would it be to replace the control arms and bushes rather than just the bushes?
Also, if this is out of my league, what sort of price would you think is reasonable for a garage to charge for doing it for me?
Sorry for any stupid questions, complete novice here
I'd suggest this is easier, safer and probably cheaper to just let a garage do it. Unless you consider the money spent on tools, jacks and axle stands an investment (which is clearly is!). It's one of those jobs that is made a million times easier if you have a ramp.
shake n bake said:
Are you doing this because you know they're worn of just because?
I had the car serviced by VW a few months ago and they told me that:The rear exhaust mounting is snapped, (VW quoted £850 to fix
)The ABS light is on
The front bushings need replacing.
The only thing that would stop it from passing an MOT is the bushings (what they told me)
So generally, the advice is to let a garage do it?
If you're as new to this as you sound, I wouldn't recommend attempting this on your own. It's commendable that you want to do it yourself.
Try to get a friend round who knows what they are doing, and get them to show you what's going on. It's the kind of work that once you've done it a handful of times, you'll be proficient enough to do the vast majority of it. If you're on your own with no experience, the chances of you getting stuck by a rounded bolt or needing a spanner you don't have are high.
Try to get a friend round who knows what they are doing, and get them to show you what's going on. It's the kind of work that once you've done it a handful of times, you'll be proficient enough to do the vast majority of it. If you're on your own with no experience, the chances of you getting stuck by a rounded bolt or needing a spanner you don't have are high.
if you can avoid dropping it off it's stands, or doing it wrong and having it collapse on the motorway sending you into the path of a kitten delivery truck, you biggest risk is sheering something off which you can't realistically fix at home, but leaves the car undeliverable, because then you need to get it towed to a garage, and the whole job will end up costing you far more than it would have just to pay someone to do it.
Kj159 said:
I had the car serviced by VW a few months ago and they told me that:
The rear exhaust mounting is snapped, (VW quoted £850 to fix)
The ABS light is on
The front bushings need replacing.
The only thing that would stop it from passing an MOT is the bushings (what they told me)
So generally, the advice is to let a garage do it?
All those will fail an mot I believe. What bushes have failed? The rear exhaust mounting is snapped, (VW quoted £850 to fix
)The ABS light is on
The front bushings need replacing.
The only thing that would stop it from passing an MOT is the bushings (what they told me)
So generally, the advice is to let a garage do it?
A quick eBay search reveals that you can indeed buy two wishbones complete with bushes for a mere £56.99
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-POLO-1994-1999-FRONT-...
Jack car up. Remove bolts.
The hardest part is usually getting the lower balljoint off the hub - a bit of swearing usually sorts that out though.
(I'd personally replace both sides and then get the geometry set up, cos it will knock it out...but that's just me)
Bushes and exhaust are easy.
As for the ABS - I'm not sure what ECU the car has? If it's OBD2 then a cheap eBay OBD scanner will tell you why the ABS light is on. If it's OBD1 you'll need to use an LED and see what the error code flashes up. Google is your friend here.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-POLO-1994-1999-FRONT-...
Jack car up. Remove bolts.
The hardest part is usually getting the lower balljoint off the hub - a bit of swearing usually sorts that out though.
(I'd personally replace both sides and then get the geometry set up, cos it will knock it out...but that's just me)
Kj159 said:
The only thing that would stop it from passing an MOT is the bushings (what they told me)
Wrong. All three are a fail.Bushes and exhaust are easy.
As for the ABS - I'm not sure what ECU the car has? If it's OBD2 then a cheap eBay OBD scanner will tell you why the ABS light is on. If it's OBD1 you'll need to use an LED and see what the error code flashes up. Google is your friend here.
Edited by DrDoofenshmirtz on Thursday 12th February 17:01
Viperz888 said:
If you're as new to this as you sound, I wouldn't recommend attempting this on your own. It's commendable that you want to do it yourself.
Try to get a friend round who knows what they are doing, and get them to show you what's going on. It's the kind of work that once you've done it a handful of times, you'll be proficient enough to do the vast majority of it. If you're on your own with no experience, the chances of you getting stuck by a rounded bolt or needing a spanner you don't have are high.
If anything, I'm probably newer Try to get a friend round who knows what they are doing, and get them to show you what's going on. It's the kind of work that once you've done it a handful of times, you'll be proficient enough to do the vast majority of it. If you're on your own with no experience, the chances of you getting stuck by a rounded bolt or needing a spanner you don't have are high.
I would go down that route if I knew anybody even slightly competent under a car, but I don't. A rounded bolt is nothing I cant deal with and spanners are not really a problem, but I do see where you are coming from. I guess I'm trying to jump in at the deep end.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff