Replacing front suspension bushes, advice please

[top-plumber]

Just finished doing the entire front end on my 93 S4. Was undersealed at some time in the past. I scrapped the underseal off completely and did an acid bath dip on all the parts. Used sprits of salts as it eats the rust in minutes, Pressed out all the bushes on a pals press in his workshop ARB bush was about .5mm to long for the circlip to relocate in its grove, just filed that off no problem. With the poly bushes I found that the top wishbone arms wouldn't keep their shape so I cut them in half like top hats and then pressed the insert through the two halves. Im hoping this will be ok but will keep my eye on them.

With the stripped metal I used smooth hammerite. The finish is nice but only time will tell about durability of them. Good thing is I can touch up if required.

I also changed the top swivels and wheel bearings. Lastly I replaced all the bolts, nuts and washers with Marine grade Stainless steel. I have considered the tensile strength and decided that the 5/16 unf bolts are big enough not to be of concern and the 8mm through the top swivel will be very closely monitored.

In all im happy with the out come but as said earlier only time will tell.

[Zolder]

. Lastly I replaced all the bolts, nuts and washers with Marine grade Stainless steel. I have considered the tensile strength and decided that the 5/16 unf bolts are big enough not to be of concern and the 8mm through the top swivel will be very closely monitored.

In all im happy with the out come but as said earlier only time will tell.

Having seen stainless bolts shear...... If you ever sell the car, I hope you tell the new owner that you've used stainless.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Zolder

[top-plumber]

Hey Zolder,

                       totally switched on to what your saying, which bolts had you seen shear? The 8mm?

[Zolder]

Wasn't on an Esprit, it was 7/16th UNF wishbone bolt on a Westfield type car.

[Techspy]

Looks good Plumb. What shocks/springs are you using?

[top-plumber]

Hey John,

                  you know I have completely forgotten, I have looked on the invoice from SJSports cars and it does not state. I will have to get under the car. They are adjustable springs and dampers, but the name........................................................gone.

[andydclements]

SJ, adjustables, aluminium with no colouring? If so then Protech.

[Alex Carter]

Alan you re not the guy with the blue v8 in Swindon are you with the oz wheels on it ?????? I've seven one parked up and hasn't moved in ages I want the wheels from it lol

Edited January 20, 2014 by Alex Carter

[Mysterae]

Alan you re not the guy with the blue v8 in Swindon are you with the oz wheels on it ?????? I've seven one parked up and hasn't moved in ages I want the wheels from it lol

 

Blue Esprit yes, V8 no, Swindon yes, OZ wheels - which ones are they? I've fitted the wheels from an S4 on mine. You wouldn't have seen mine unless you've been peeking through my garage window the last few months

[Alex Carter]

Ah no I won't say exactly where it is but if I said Royal Mail depot I'm sure you d guess what area it's defo a v8 with a glass roof purple or blue but it has the oz wheels I want I think it's been left , I May ask if they want to sell it for another project ,

Alan I didn't run into you at bells did I getting a new set of tyres on the front of yours ? That was a blue s4 lol so many lotus 's

[Mysterae]

I'll put some feelers out to find out about it, it's not in my car park, I'd have noticed it!

 

I've not put tyres on mine for 7 years (it's been off the road almost as long) so it wouldn't have been me. I usually go to Imperial Tyres so I can get the geo checked at the same time.

[Alex Carter]

I'm pretty sure it's not moved in three years it'll need a lot of work but do able and I may get my oz wheels lol

[top-plumber]

You are right Andy Clements, Protech.

[Mysterae]

Guys, got a hopefully not so stupid question for you.

 

I want to protect my wishbones from the elements using this stuff :

 

 

 

..just wondering the best way to do it - painting the wishbones before fitting the bushes, after, or once it's all fitted to the car? I think it would be better and easier to do it before fitting the bushes, and therefore should I mask off the areas where the bushes are fitted?

[Corban]

Hi all,

Resurrecting this thread. 
I'm replacing all my bushings in the front suspension. Is there a trick for the ARB to lower wishbone bushing? Seem tricky to press it out since I guess it sits over a "ridge" in the wishbone.
Using a too large tool, it will press against this ridge, too small and I will press it into the hole for the ARB. Also have some problems with the bushings that have a small "lip" at each end.
Using a perfectly sized tool and the "lip" will curl up and follow the bushing in thus pinching the tool and on the other side the "lip" will rest on the edge of that tool and get pinched there.
Maybe they should be cut off with a knife first?

Work has not halted but I feel this could go smoother and faster so all tips and hints are welcome! Same when it comes to fitting the new ones.

[andydclements]

Rubber or poly bushings going in? If poly then a special tool is advisable. When I pressed the rubber ones in I found that lots of lube ad lots of force were enough but make sure to insert the narrower side (relative to the groove) , or to try and describe it another way- with the link the appropriate way up on the press bed, put the bush so that its groove is higher (the groove is not central). let the bush deform and form an arrowhead shape, it will narrow and pop into place. 

 

 

Removal- big sharp knife, perhaps cut away half of one side and press, but I just cut them off.

[Barrykearley]

Arb bushes are a total pain in the ass - mine was a 1990 esprit

i borrowed a tool - and still knackered one up. I have the uk tool on my desk here.

To get mine out - I just set fire to them and let them burn !

 

[Vulcan Grey]

4 hours ago, Corban said:

Using a too large tool, it will press against this ridge, too small and I will press it into the hole for the ARB. Also have some problems with the bushings that have a small "lip" at each end.
Using a perfectly sized tool and the "lip" will curl up and follow the bushing in thus pinching the tool and on the other side the "lip" will rest on the edge of that tool and get pinched there.
Maybe they should be cut off with a knife first?

 

Yes, pressing the old bushings out would be a problem for the reason's you noted.  In my case I pried/cut them apart using a flat head screw driver, without damaging the lower suspension arms. 

 

[Corban]

Upper wishbones were not much trouble, used a 19mm socket at one end and a large socket at the other, once they gave, it was an easy push.

The small one in the lower wishbone is out and the larger halfway, need to find something deeper of the right size to push it into.

Setting fire to the ARB one might be worth testing if cutting it doesn't cut it. If a press an old knife through it, maybe I can make a slice that can be pried out much like Travis suggests.
 

[Vulcan Grey]

@Corban

When it's time to press the new ARB bushings into the lower wishbones, you'll definitely want to get a tool like this.  You can ask to borrow this one, possibly.

I made one

 

 

 

 

[Barrykearley]

^ that very tool is on my office desk should you need it

[Corban]

That is brilliant! I can see the problems pressing that bushing into place over the ridge without such a device.

Think I'll take you up on that offer, I'll send you a pm Barry.

 

[Vanya]

While it's doing it's Swedish tour, could I perhaps borrow it? I have two shiny new wishbones that need bushes fitted! Just lemme know how much time I have on me to order them from SJ/Paul Matty etc

[Corban]

OK, old ARB bushing is out and it was not that hard. Inspired by Travis poking around with a screw driver, I stuck a medium sized screw driver between the bushing and the wishbone, turned it 90 degrees
and tried to compress the bushing sideways in order to reach the ridge and rest the blade of the screw driver against it. This would work as a wedge and when pressed part of the "lip" would slide on the screw driver.
Decided to use a long 19mm socket to press with in order to give the rubber as much space as possible to distort and compress. From there it was a walk in the park. Came right out!

[Barrykearley]

Just remember how easy that bit was 

the next bits not so easy.......

parcel is now awaiting collection - baton handed over - I'm officially not the man with the tool now!