Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[geoffr70]

Hi peeps

After developing low pitched knocking on the front in the last few weeks, I got under and had a look.

Drop links appear ok, all bolts etc tight, wish bones are cheap ones, When i levered the front bushes with a bar I easily got 1cm of movement without trying. When i go over one particular, slightly raised manhole cover it always pulls and tramlines on it.

How much movement should there be in the Bushes? Not much? Not as much as this i bet? I think it is the wishbone knocking on the frame due to fubarred bushes? Does this sound right to everyone? Although I couldn't see any marks. It only happens when i go over bumps/holes/bad surface etc.

Also, when i fit new wishbones, when torquing up the front bush, I think I'll hand tighten the front bolt, then lower onto breeze block (to allow more access whilst still loading the wheels), then fully torque up. Can anyone see any probs here?

Thanks

[Shackeng]

I tried cheapo wishbones a couple of years ago, the front bushes were gone within about 4000 miles. False economy I'm afraid.

[Michael2.6]

Fit new wishbone bushes  do not fit pattern ones

See if it makes any difference

[geoffr70]

Can you buy the front bushes seperately? If so where from and how much? (I have an acquired aversion to dealers as they're miserable unhelpful money grabbing barstewards). Do I need a press to put standard bushes in - I'm not going to fit polys.

Thanks

[Michael2.6]

Yes you can buy seperately.

vauxhall dealers

a big metal work vice to press them in will do

[Kevin Wood]

There will always be a bit of movement in the front wishbone bushes. The question when it comes to deciding if they are shot or not is how easily they can be deflected. By your description they sound past their best although knocking noises are generally more often down to the anti-roll bar drop links so be sure the check them too.

My advice would be to cut the old wishbone bushes out and replace with poly bushes. Rubber front wishbone bushes always give a degree of tramlining and vagueness to the steering, IME, and even quality bushes often only last a few thousand miles whilst some cheap ones last longer. Poly bushes are also much easier to fit.

[Jimbob]

Yes you can buy seperately.

vauxhall dealers

a big metal work vice to press them in will do

Have you tried!

Try a 10 tonne press!

[Kevin Wood]

Yes you can buy seperately.

vauxhall dealers

a big metal work vice to press them in will do

Have you tried!

Try a 10 tonne press!

Indeed. You haven't got a prayer without a decent press.

[geoffr70]

OK thanks for that advice! The current w/b are only a year/6k miles old!

I tried to check the drop links as much as poss ut seemed ok.

I think I will poly bush after all then (cheaper than new w/b, chrimbo and all that!) despite that fact i want my Elite for smoothness - I like the fact it is sloppy and vague - to a degree!

Will I be able to fit poly bushes with these a set of these bad boys?

http://www.holmatro.com/rescue/en/m1185-2-1686/sp-4240-c.aspx

I would've thought so, I can just press them in can't I?

Thanks peeps

[aaronjb]

Poly bushes push in with just your fingers. You just need a drill and a saw to get the old ones out.

[Kevin Wood]

Yep, just remove the rubber from the old wishbone using a hole saw, drill, or melt it with something hot, etc.

Then cut a slot in the outer metal cylinder of the bush with a reciprocating saw being careful not to cut into the wishbone, so the outer can be pushed out. Poly bush will then just push in by hand.

It can be done with the wishbone still on the car.

[feeutfo]

Hi peeps

After developing low pitched knocking on the front in the last few weeks, I got under and had a look.

Drop links appear ok, all bolts etc tight, wish bones are cheap ones, When i levered the front bushes with a bar I easily got 1cm of movement without trying. When i go over one particular, slightly raised manhole cover it always pulls and tramlines on it.

How much movement should there be in the Bushes? Not much? Not as much as this i bet? I think it is the wishbone knocking on the frame due to fubarred bushes? Does this sound right to everyone? Although I couldn't see any marks. It only happens when i go over bumps/holes/bad surface etc.

Also, when i fit new wishbones, when torquing up the front bush, I think I'll hand tighten the front bolt, then lower onto breeze block (to allow more access whilst still loading the wheels), then fully torque up. Can anyone see any probs here?

Thanks

From your description, bushes fubar. Check for splits in the rearward bushes, if ok fit Polly. If not fit polly to new wishbones, then fit to the car, unless you wa t to get the use out of the oe bushes. But be aware fitting Polly to loose wishbones is easier.

If fitting Polly there is no need to tighten the bolts with wheels loaded.
However if fitting new wishbones with oe bushes then your plan sounds good if you have a beefy jack of 2.5 tones to lift the car high enough to place breeze blocks under. Going by this method using ramps placed umder, you'll need 6inches under the wheels to get clearance to swing a torque wrench with wheels loaded. 120nm+30degrees+15.

Saw a car today with a rattle, new drop links fitted, but shot bushes. So fitted Polly, found one of the front wishbone bolts little more than finger tight. That 'll be the rattle then! 

Check drop links with both wheels jacked. Any play can be felt by pulling the roll bar to drop link joint up and down.

[Kevin Wood]

Saw a car today with a rattle, new drop links fitted, but shot bushes. So fitted Polly, found one of the front wishbone bolts little more than finger tight. That 'll be the rattle then! 

Beats me how those bolts ever come loose.

[geoffr70]

Yep, just remove the rubber from the old wishbone using a hole saw, drill, or melt it with something hot, etc.

Then cut a slot in the outer metal cylinder of the bush with a reciprocating saw being careful not to cut into the wishbone, so the outer can be pushed out. Poly bush will then just push in by hand.

It can be done with the wishbone still on the car.

Brucey Bonus! 

Thanks all you peeps!

[Psychoca]

Saw a car today with a rattle, new drop links fitted, but shot bushes. So fitted Polly, found one of the front wishbone bolts little more than finger tight. That 'll be the rattle then! 

Beats me how those bolts ever come loose.

People who have no idea what torque is!!!