Xantia lower arm bush replacement

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 22 Apr 2006, 20:24

Took the lower arm off in 20 minutes and got it refitted in 15 today but had a REAL battle of attrition with the damned bushes for hours and hours and hours trying to get the blasted things off/out of the arm and putting the new one's back on isn't pretty either - Is there a knack to doing these?

And it didn't seem to make any difference or influence things leaving the drop link alone untouched - the only saving grace after checking and IGNORING it being mentioned in the BOL!!

I don't have a plasma/oxy torch to melt the bloody things out with but the idea does appeal to me

Are there clever dodges of actually REMOVING these blighters!! Go ahead make my day, I've got to do the other side tomorrer!!

Andrew

deian · Unread post by **deian** » 22 Apr 2006, 21:53

hairdryer? or maybe blowtorch?

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 22 Apr 2006, 23:47

Drill a hole large enough to get a hacksaw blade through the rubber. Then patiently cut the rubber free. Slow and easy does it. You KNOW it will come out - be patient.

New bush is fitted using standard grease in the control arm. Heat the rubber to some 60degC - just barely NOT scalding you - to make it softer. Then press in the rubber bush using wood as memberpieces in a large vice.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 23 Apr 2006, 00:06

AndersDK wrote:Drill a hole large enough to get a hacksaw blade through the rubber. Then patiently cut the rubber free. Slow and easy does it. You KNOW it will come out - be patient.

New bush is fitted using standard grease in the control arm. Heat the rubber to some 60degC - just barely NOT scalding you - to make it softer. Then press in the rubber bush using wood as memberpieces in a large vice.

Hi Anders, thanks!

I've used the hacksaw approach carefully today but still managed to cut into the arm which annoyed me a tad! Interesting idea to heat the rubber - I use boiled water help heat up and pop on awkward hoses and bump stops etc but I didn't want to heat and thus expand the metal insets in the rubber bushes...

Andrew

bxbodger · Unread post by **bxbodger** » 23 Apr 2006, 14:58

Is there a knack to doing these?

Yes- take the arm and new bushes down to the local engineers where they'll charge you about a tenner and do it in 5 minutes

- thats the trick I learned after years back spending all afternoon and finally breaking a big vice wrestling with Skoda Rapide kingpin bushes.........

Stewart(oily) · Unread post by **Stewart(oily)** » 23 Apr 2006, 15:17

I cut the old ones off with a grinder, terrible smell of burning rubber, then pressed/hammered the new ones on, remember to mark where the brackets go

Stewart