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[Boatboy]

Should there be any? I can lever mine out 3/16 with a screwdriver and light pressure. There is a rattle and clonk as I drive and the drop links seem firm enough.

I've read the how too, but how long a job is changing wishbones for average Joe, and is there any gain in buying OE over pattern parts?



Steve

[hans solo]

its not a bad job mate, i whizzed one off in half an hour. a little awkward to get back in. not too much of a BIG job.  

[Richard A]

Could well be worn 'wishbones', however there is always some movement on the rear mounting, drop-links tend to rattle over broken surfaces and are difficult to check under tension, but they are only £5 each and easy to replace.
regards
richarda

[jjleonard]

Allow yourself an hour or two per bone if you haven't done it before - my first took two hours, the second (replace old wishbone and droplink, fit new disc and pads) took about an hour all in.

it's easy to do if you detach the hub carrier so you can get the wishbone flat and level - then the rear bush slides right in with a bit of persuasion from a rubber mallet.

You WILL need to get your geometry / tracking done, especially if you detach the hub carrier! WIM (Wheels in Motion) are the recommended place on here - £60+VAT (OOF rate) to get it done.

[jjleonard]

As for OE vs. pattern - VX charge about £200 a pair, pattern ones seem to do the job fine without any problems - got a pair on my car.

Get them from buypartsby for about £40 a pair plus shipping.

[Boatboy]

Thanks all for the replies. £40 the pair gets my vote. o/e plus a full tank of juice would double the value of the car.

Steve

[HerefordElite]

i don't know about you guys but it takes me an hour to get my tools out of the garage, jack the car up and get the wheels off

Wishbones took me a day mostly down to bottom balljoint not wanting to seperate

[jjleonard]

I was lucky - both balljoints just fell out when i did mine!  

I think my wishbones were truly knackered.

[feeutfo]

As the bushes are rubber, obviously they will move. If you lever them when brand new you will get movement. What you dont want is slop or free play where the bush is worn or torn. If in any doubt though, change them. Esp if you had the car a while and you know they are a few years old. Of 13 cars attending the wheels in motion knowledge day last year, only 2 cars could be set up due to mostly shot bushes, also broken springs and worn stearing idler on one or 2 iirc. They do take a hammering.

When fitting get the rear bush in first. Also make sure you torque the bolts correctly with the car on the ground suspension loaded.(you can nip them up tight then re lift the car for clearance to turn the torque wrench) hth
 

[feeutfo]

ps make sure you dont drop anything down the sub frame when doing the rear bush. Thats a right bugger.

[jjleonard]

ps make sure you dont drop anything down the sub frame when doing the rear bush. Thats a right bugger.

 

Like I did. Never got the bolt out either - though it must be wedged tight because I am yet to hear a rattle!

Bit of advice, when fitting the rear bolt get right under the car and feed your arm (holding the bolt, of course) around the subframe and above it - that way you can get a good grip on the bolt when feeding it through. Make sure the holes line up (by inserting the bolt from below) first before attempting to fit it, if it's difficult to get in from the top you increase your chances of losing your grip on it and dropping it into the subframe.