Diff Bushes Replacing?

[Wildfire]

How difficult is it to replace the side Diff bushes. I have some new ones and whilst I dont think mine are gone I'd like to replace them whilst I have time before they go.

Any advice is welcome.

Chris

[spend]

They are a doddle to get out complete with the brackets, just pop a jack under the diff to take the strain (still held in by the rear mount).

Easy for the later cars replacing with poly, but the early cars have a different bush which is not captive but floats on the inner race. IIRC AntJ was contemplating some workaround but I can't remember if he did it. I tried Poly bushes, but couldn't keep them located so swapped back to the correct metelastic. This seems to be one of the least mentioned differences in the chassis BTW.

[V8 Animal]

spend said:

They are a doddle to get out complete with the brackets, just pop a jack under the diff to take the strain (still held in by the rear mount).

Easy for the later cars replacing with poly, but the early cars have a different bush which is not captive but floats on the inner race. IIRC AntJ was contemplating some workaround but I can't remember if he did it. I tried Poly bushes, but couldn't keep them located so swapped back to the correct metelastic. This seems to be one of the least mentioned differences in the chassis BTW.

Spend,
Could you give a little more detail as these are the only bushes i have'nt replaced it looks a nightmare job to me.
I was thinking you have to strip the rear suspension,drop the exhaust and the prop are you saying there is a easier way?
96 chim.
Thanks,
Paul

[chrispitman]

on the later design the front 2 bushes are in the brackets that hold the diff so you can unbolt and do off the car, though the poly bushes are a PITA to fit and require loads of force to push through.

The fun one is the rear mount. You just have to take your time and cut out gently with a hack saw, I used a piece of threaded bar accross to the suspension with a brace to wind the poly bush in. The top one can be replace with diff in situ but with suspension on maybe hard.

[spend]

V8 Animal said:

spend said:

They are a doddle to get out complete with the brackets, just pop a jack under the diff to take the strain (still held in by the rear mount).

Easy for the later cars replacing with poly, but the early cars have a different bush which is not captive but floats on the inner race. IIRC AntJ was contemplating some workaround but I can't remember if he did it. I tried Poly bushes, but couldn't keep them located so swapped back to the correct metelastic. This seems to be one of the least mentioned differences in the chassis BTW.

Spend,
Could you give a little more detail as these are the only bushes i have'nt replaced it looks a nightmare job to me.
I was thinking you have to strip the rear suspension,drop the exhaust and the prop are you saying there is a easier way?
96 chim.
Thanks,
Paul

Just 3 bolts each side, no connection with suspension at all? Job is done from underneath not the side/above, Id just drop the exhaust which entails spinning away the ARB (wouldn't call that stripping the suspension though )

Early / late cars are pretty much the same, just the bush arrangement and brackets differ AFIK..

[The AJP Griff]

Has anybody got any pics,so we could see the difference between the two?

[spend]

Ask Ant Mike - he has lots of pictures?, yours is also probably the early variety (or started out that way) I'll have a look next time I see it.

[Wildfire]

I shall attempt this weekend if I have the time, along with, HIDs, lower steering UJ and RARB Bushes. I'll take some pics if I get that far.

[HRG]

Wildfire said:

I shall attempt this weekend if I have the time, along with, HIDs, lower steering UJ and RARB Bushes. I'll take some pics if I get that far.

If you're doing the rear ARB bushes with Powerflex ones you might need a jack to compress them into place.

[v8sag]

If you search username nztrev on photobucket.com (3rd)page you will see the btr/gkn comparisons of the top mount's.Previous pages will show bottom mount gkn pics.I have btr bottom pics somewhere I will have to dig out.
Always found the easiest way to get the bush out is with a slightly larger Id pipe than the chassis mount,then using a longer bolt and wide washer to winde it out.