A Arm Bushes replacement Coupe Q '85

["Iain Atkinson (ETL)" <iain.atkinson@etl.ericsson.se>]

Hi all

First off I would like to say thanks to all those who have given me their advice over the last couple of weeks on the above subject, it was invaluable. Well I finally got around to doing this over the weekend, it was actually easier than expected. Once I had the arm off and in the vice I first replaced the small bush that the link to the roll bar goes on, this involved putting the arm on the floor and with the aid of a couple of different sized flat bladed screw drivers pushed the new one in.

Then it was onto the main event the wishbone bushes, I drilled a series of holes to remove as much of the rubber as possible and then got my vice grips to pull the steel insert out. After this I still had to get the old outer steel shell out so I put two cuts with my hacksaw (being careful not to cut the arm) opposite each other and knocked them out with hammer and chisel. I then had to press in the new bushings. But before I cut off two pieces of scaffold pole (dimensions I can get if anyone's really interested) one to push the bush in and the other to go on the other side of the w.bone to protect it and allow the new bush to go all the way in.  In my vice it was no problem at all, after doing all four I then replaced the bushes on the end of the roll bar, what a PITA these are to get in, I really struggled using the screwdriver method, next prob was to get the steel insert back into the bush, but a couple of minutes with a nut bolt and two washers to pull it it through and we were done.

After re installing the crucial part was to re torque the A arm to subframe bolts with the car's full weight on them in their normal position, the only way to do this properly and safely was to purchase a set of ramps (thanks Phil P you were right!!!) which made the job really easy and safe. Also re installed the roll bar and it's new bushes to the subframe.


After all this and with the new shocks etc the car handles so well now it's like new. Now how about the rear ...................


Hope this helps for anyone else contemplating the same thing.


Iain