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[cam.in.head]

hi. the subject of good and bad wishbones have been discussed as I see on here many many times.i have one question thou.i have changed a few of these in the past and never really noticed the type/style of rear bush. Bear with me ! . just last month after my brothers car started braking strange and pulling to the left by a set amount we traced it to the o/s arm vertical bush usual tearing of rubber.so I rang a few factors to see if anyone had an arm in stock to get it so I could fit it before Christmas. I went along to a very helpful guy in Huddersfield who had a pair of veco ones in stock. now here's where my curiosity kicks in. !    the new arms he had were both in sealed green veco bags but they were very obviously of different quality. the Lh one felt and looked like any of the non gm ones I had fitted in the past. ( sharp edges here and there,lots of very obvious spot welds and the same looking stepped rear vertical bush ) the rh arm however was quite noticeably heavier / thicker metal.seemed much better quality welds and paint.and the rear bush was welded continuously all around rather than just here and there. also the actual rear vertical bush was totally different as well.filled with rubber right up to the sleeve and and curved up to the top of mounting bolt sleeve.there was a large RH label on it too. I've since searched all available pictures of arms on google and for sale on eBay and cannot find any other arms with the same type bush for lhs.only rhs.one has just been found on eBay that looked identical but was described as ,first line,manufacture. I ordered it and it came yesterday. same nice heavy ,RH marker etc ,full bush ....?. so my question is. are these veco / first line ?? RH arms good and can you only find RH ones? ?.its the only arms I've seen with this style of vertical bush. not sure what original gm busehes look like or le former ones.

[Doctor Gollum]

Ask them for a matched pair.

[cam.in.head]

I would but has anyone seen a Lh arm like that . if so where did u find it ?

[Doctor Gollum]

First-line etc simply repackage parts from the cheapest suppliers, and buy in blocks... Those arms have come from different factories...

Personally I would take them back for a refund and buy them from ATP. Be around €80 for wishbones,droplinks and track rods delivered.

[cam.in.head]

I have tried that. Its more a question of the right hand arm looking very good quality with a different looking rear bush. Where can i find a left arm to match it. I have looked at the £80 sets but none have the better / same type rear bush as my two right arms have.

[Lazydocker]

I have tried that. Its more a question of the right hand arm looking very good quality with a different looking rear bush. Where can i find a left arm to match it. I have looked at the £80 sets but none have the better / same type rear bush as my two right arms have.

Looks can be deceiving... First Line rarely good

[Doctor Gollum]

I have tried that. Its more a question of the right hand arm looking very good quality with a different looking rear bush. Where can i find a left arm to match it. I have looked at the £80 sets but none have the better / same type rear bush as my two right arms have.

Looks can be deceiving... First Line rarely good

Agreed.

I would avoid them given a choice... and why you bought two right arms is beyond me

That said, rather tha whining about it you have two choices...

1. Get them refunded as not fit for purpose and buy these... https://www.atp-autoteile.de/de/product/65488-querlenker-komplett-set-lenkungssatz-va/

2. Use a bit of imagination and drill the balljoint rivets on one arm and fit a lft hand balljoint if sided or simply turn it over.

Nothing more to add.

[cam.in.head]

please don't misunderstand me but I'm not whining ! .what I'm asking is ...has anyone ever seen a Lh arm with a full ( for want of a better description) rear vertical bush. this arm needed changing quickly as its his only and daily driver .the veco RH arm was fitted and is performing perfectly. would have liked to find a matching arm to this one to fit as a matching set. he has a receipt from only a few years ago and 12000 miles for a pair of gm arms fitted and these are the ones that the RH bush has split on. happened day after had new tyres fitted and suspension had been left hanging at max .will see how the veco arm lasts ! !

[cam.in.head]

I bought two RH arms because they "appear to be well made" and would be happy to find Lh arms to match .

[Doctor Gollum]

I bought two RH arms because they "appear to be well made" and would be happy to find Lh arms to match .

Use a bit of imagination...

[Nick W]

Time for a picture of a full vertical bush as it's an incomprehensible description. Then we might be able to come up with a mutually acceptable answer. Even the cheap bushes that I've seen are, externally at least, identical to GM ones.

[biggriffin]

I bought two RH arms because they "appear to be well made" and would be happy to find Lh arms to match .

,
The arms only become handed,when the ball joint is attached.

[ted_one]

IIRC...haven't we been warned off Firstline, due to quality issues

[cam.in.head]

hi. been searching through google images left right and centre to find some bushes that look similar .nearest I can find is from google images type in.     heavy duty control arm bushing kit           the pictures come up with something similar to them. appearance wise I mean.

[cam.in.head]

 they also look like the meyle heavy duty wishbone bush for vw golf on eBay. not the same dimensions maybe but that style ? ?

[Doctor Gollum]

I bought two RH arms because they "appear to be well made" and would be happy to find Lh arms to match .

,
The arms only become handed,when the ball joint is attached.

Hence my simple suggestion to turn the balljoint over... like I said, no imagination 

[terry paget]

I bought two RH arms because they "appear to be well made" and would be happy to find Lh arms to match .

,
The arms only become handed,when the ball joint is attached.

Hence my simple suggestion to turn the balljoint over... like I said, no imagination 

Wow! That never occured to me, no imagination I suppose. Just drill out the rivets, and reattach on other side with nuts and bolts, et voila, left becomes right.

[Doctor Gollum]

I bought two RH arms because they "appear to be well made" and would be happy to find Lh arms to match .

,
The arms only become handed,when the ball joint is attached.

Hence my simple suggestion to turn the balljoint over... like I said, no imagination 

Wow! That never occured to me, no imagination I suppose. Just drill out the rivets, and reattach on other side with nuts and bolts, et voila, left becomes right.

Simplicity itself

[biggriffin]

I bought two RH arms because they "appear to be well made" and would be happy to find Lh arms to match .

,
The arms only become handed,when the ball joint is attached.

Hence my simple suggestion to turn the balljoint over... like I said, no imagination 

Wow! That never occured to me, no imagination I suppose. Just drill out the rivets, and reattach on other side with nuts and bolts, et voila, left becomes right.

Simplicity itself

Or as a stupid fluffy toy that sells car insurance says"simples"

[Andy H]

I bought two RH arms because they "appear to be well made" and would be happy to find Lh arms to match .

,
The arms only become handed,when the ball joint is attached.

Hence my simple suggestion to turn the balljoint over... like I said, no imagination 

Wow! That never occured to me, no imagination I suppose. Just drill out the rivets, and reattach on other side with nuts and bolts, et voila, left becomes right.

Just make sure to use the appropriate bolts - from memory they are high tensile with a smooth shank about 10mm long, a fine thread and nyloc nuts.

[terry paget]

I bought two RH arms because they "appear to be well made" and would be happy to find Lh arms to match .

,
The arms only become handed,when the ball joint is attached.

Hence my simple suggestion to turn the balljoint over... like I said, no imagination 

Wow! That never occured to me, no imagination I suppose. Just drill out the rivets, and reattach on other side with nuts and bolts, et voila, left becomes right.

Just make sure to use the appropriate bolts - from memory they are high tensile with a smooth shank about 10mm long, a fine thread and nyloc nuts.

Thank you. I did wonder whether the bolts were critical.

[cam.in.head]

Obviously due to my 'lack of imagination' i have now discovered that the arms can be handed by turning over the balljoint.i never knew this and now know that this can be done.i live and learn. Thankyou .id bet there are some other omega owners or garages that didnt know either. Wish id known a few years ago. Anyway its still strange that through the many omega arms ive done over the years including genuine ones its only recently that ive found the two arms with the different rear bush. As i posted earlier they look heavy duty like meyle ones for golf and some audi.see the pictures for yourself and see what you think. As we all know ,the rear bushes dont last long even gm ones .i assume this forum is for people to help others and come up with things ,ideas they may not have seen or been aware of.

[Doctor Gollum]

There is only one other bush application in the known universe than dimensionally matches the rear bush.

It has been well documented here but is unsuited to this application and is most certainly NOT a VAG product

If you've not seen a matched pair of arms, then you've clearly never bought genuine GM arms or bushes. You'd be readily able to identify the real thing because they're about £270 each...  incidentally, Autovaux aren't known for accuracy when it comes to product sourcing

[Mr Gav]

There is only one other bush application in the known universe than dimensionally matches the rear bush.

It has been well documented here but is unsuited to this application and is most certainly NOT a VAG product

If you've not seen a matched pair of arms, then you've clearly never bought genuine GM arms or bushes. You'd be readily able to identify the real thing because they're about £270 each...  incidentally, Autovaux aren't known for accuracy when it comes to product sourcing

I`ve never had a problem with Autovaux and looking at the OP`s location it`s not a bad place to start, I`ve used them for years for Carlton, Senator and Omega parts and if you specify GM parts that is what you get.
They have the 10/40 GM oil in stock and last time I got some it was £48 for 20 litres 

[terry paget]

There is only one other bush application in the known universe than dimensionally matches the rear bush.

It has been well documented here but is unsuited to this application and is most certainly NOT a VAG product

If you've not seen a matched pair of arms, then you've clearly never bought genuine GM arms or bushes. You'd be readily able to identify the real thing because they're about £270 each...  incidentally, Autovaux aren't known for accuracy when it comes to product sourcing

I`ve never had a problem with Autovaux and looking at the OP`s location it`s not a bad place to start, I`ve used them for years for Carlton, Senator and Omega parts and if you specify GM parts that is what you get.
They have the 10/40 GM oil in stock and last time I got some it was £48 for 20 litres 

I bought 20 litres TC 10w/40 oil from Drive Vauxhall last month for £22.50 plus VAT, so worth joining Autobahnstormers for that alone.

[cam.in.head]

Just so you can see the other type of rear bush i was talking about ,there are a pair of used arms on ebay at the moment from derby vauxhall spares..you will see what i mean anout the rubber

[Doctor Gollum]

Just so you can see the other type of rear bush i was talking about ,there are a pair of used arms on ebay at the moment from derby vauxhall spares..you will see what i mean anout the rubber

The bushes vary from one (bush) manufacturer to the next. The person that assembles/packs the wishbones doesn't necessarily make the bushes.

It is therefore no surprise that different ones exist incidentally these can be pressed out and replaced with genuine bushes, so most of this thread is irrelevant.

In other words, you're making one hell of a mountain out of it.

[terry paget]

Whta sort of press do you have, Doc? It seems a useful skill to have to replace failed bushes.

[Nick W]

Whta sort of press do you have, Doc? It seems a useful skill to have to replace failed bushes.

I use a cheap 10ton floor standing press from Machine Mart. But the press is the easy bit: look at any working press, and you'll find an assortment of plates, tubes and other fixtures to actually use the thing. It's not a tool that gets used very often, but the saving in time and effort can pay for it quickly.

[Doctor Gollum]

For removal I use a suitable hole saw and a hacksaw.

For refitting, I use a G clamp or two, freezer and blowtorch, but not necessarily in that order