New Rear Bushes - Advice Please

[Guest paulrrh2b]

Hi All,

 

During a drive at the weekend I noticed a knock from the rear end and what could be described as very mild bump steer. On inspection, it appeared that the nearside trailing arm had play in it fro the outer bush. So I am going to replace them on both sides. The rear end is the Sierra set up

 

So two questions:

 

1. Best place to purchase the new bushes?

 

2. Is it easier to drop the whole rear sub assembly as the bolt looks tricky to access?

 

Many thanks

 

Paul

[Longboarder]

I did this job years ago. The bolts are difficult to access but its a whole lot harder and more involved to drop the rear assembly and you have to remove these same bolts anyway. You may have to carve some bodywork away to gain room to remove the bolt. If the worst comes to the worst undo the bolt, pull out as far as you can and slice of as much of the bolt as you can with the angry grinder. Then repeat like slicing a loaf of bread till the bolt is shorter than the bush and it can then be pushed back inside the bush and the front of the arm will drop. I couldn't get the bush out so I burnt it some with a blow torch till the centre sleeve fell out and I could carve/burn the rest out. If I remember rightly there was no outer metal sleeve. Pain in the proverbial type job.

Ford dealer can offer replacements but I used polybushes.

 

Nigel

[Andy Spencer]

I cut the bolts as well to remove, a lot easier. In the end I removed the trailing arms to make the whole lot easier, and replaced both bushes in each.

I got the replacement bushes and bolts from the local Ford dealer

I drilled the old ones out - by drilling into the rubber until loose. Pulled the new ones in with bolt and washers. Easy with the arms on the bench.

Whole lot took about a morning, was 2 or 3 years ago so whether dealers still stock the bushes not sure.

Cheers

Andy

[Guest paulrrh2b]

Thanks guys,

 

What about putting the new bolts in with sub frame in situ? Is it a case of drilling the bodywork?

 

Paul

[Guest old_timbo]

I wouldn't be able to get the bolts out on my 2B without either dropping the subframe (two bolts holding the back of the diff. and four bolts holding the beam to the floor pan etc.) or making a hole in the outer skin in front of the rear wheels. When I had play in a trailing arm I was lucky and found the bolts were loose, but if the worse came to worse I was going to get an approx 1" dia coring drill and make a hole I could get a socket through and extract the bolt through once it was loose. Afterwards the plan was to fill the hole with a large rubber grommet.

[fry61]

Seem to remember I fitted the bolts from the inside of the arm, so just the nut to remove from behind the bodywork;you may be lucky & your's are fitted the same way;if not slice bolt as above & replace from inside out.

[Andy Spencer]

replace from inside out.

That's what I did when replacing them, forgot to mention that!

[Guest paulrrh2b]

Thanks Guys,

 

Whats the best place to buy the bushes?

 

Regards

 

Paul

[Guest chris brown]

Ford should be able to get you standard ones and Burton Power do polybushes.

[Guest paulrrh2b]

Thanks - Rally Design seem to be cheap - anyine had any experiences?

 

Paul

[Guest paulrrh2b]

So, new bushes delivered car up on lift everything loosened off and discovered that the bushes are not gone but the movement is coming from the hole bush on the nearside outer arm moving. It appears that the hole the bolt goes through is slightly larger allowing movement. So I have tightened the bolt up as tight as I dare, and no more movement.

 

Anyone else had a similar experience. My gut reaction is to drop the rear sub frame a rectify by welding a plate with the correct whole in over the existing.

 

Regards

 

Paul