Re: UrQ bushings

["Mike Hopton" <mike@genesis-microchip.on.ca>]

     Andrew,
     I'll have a stab at some answers:-
     
     1) Do the rear diff bushings just slide out or are they
     pressed into either the housing or the subframe?
     
     Don't quite follow you here the rear diff is supported in three 
     places, on either side by mounts very similar to the front tranny 
     mounts, they simply bolt to the subframe and then to the diff. At the 
     rear its supported by the "strange rear diff bushing".
     
     2) Has anyone replaced the strange rear diff. bushing?
     
     Did this about 6 months ago. Press out the old bushing, you will 
     probably find the rubber comes away from the outer metal sleeve. I cut 
     through the metal sleeve with a hack saw blade and then used a masonry 
     chisel to remove the metal sleeve - this sounds a lot worse than it 
     actually is, be careful not to score the rear diff. The rear diff has 
     to be removed from the subframe to do this. The replacement bushing is 
     pressed in, note the upward pointing arrow on the bushing should point 
     up after the bushing has been pressed in - this is important. My 
     advice is if you had problems with the control arms then you would be 
     better to remove the rear diff and take it to a transmission shop to 
     press in the new bushing, on my car it was much tougher than pushing 
     in the control arm bushings, maybe you'll have more luck :)
     
     3) Replacing the control arm bushings
     
     If you have an early ur-q they have much heavier, stronger control 
     arms, the factory installed bushings with rubber doughnuts at either 
     end to fit these you need the special tools shown in the Bentley. Most 
     people choose to replace the bushings with the newer style which have 
     a metal sleeve. It helps if you have a large vice and the right size 
     pieces of pipe or drifts to push them in. If I was doing them again I 
     would just remove the control arms and take them to a shop to press 
     out the old and press in the new.
     
      4) Can the subframe bushings be replaced without removing the 
     subframe. There was a discussion about jacking them into place from 
     below. Did anyone get that to work?
     
     It's probably fairly easy to jack them into place from below, but I 
     don't see how you could get the old ones out without removing the 
     subframe, I guess a propane torch could be used to melt them, eh, I'd 
     just remove the subframe.... FWIW I replaced the originals with a set 
     of aluminium ones. 
     
     6) I have to replace the left-hand side axle seal behind the rear CV 
     joint.Has anyone done this, tips? 
     
     I think you just have to unbolt the drive shaft, I think it's an 8 or 
     10 mm triple square socket, but it could depend on which side of the 
     Atlantic your on... Slip in the seal and bolt the drive shaft back on.
     
     Regards, Mike