Bushes need changed, they separate, tear, break up or just get soft. The places the bushes we are looking at today are mostly found in the suspension. The rear axle and front wishbones use them.
A word of advice, regarding front wishbones, depending on the type used often the rear bush wears first, depending on your car it may be worthwhile just doing the 1 bush. However as a rule I would just replace the full wishbone, this way you get both bushes and a new balljoint and often its a lot cheaper than you think.
The rear bushes these need to be done separate as buying a whole new axle is for those with to much money generally. However in the case of the older 16V cars the new bushes come with brackets and cost nearly £200 each, in this case I would look for a good 2nd hand axle. On cars like the Laguna 2 where these bushes go frequently and Vauxhalls and fords then new bushes are the way to go.
- Knowing when your bushes need done
Knowing when your bushes need done. In general driving a wander may present itself, over rough ground or when breaking, check there's no play in the balljoints though. Banging over speed bumps or small bump can also reveal bad bushes, or worn ARB bushes/links.
This is very useful if your looking at buying a car or just want to check. With the car on the ground, this is so the bushings are not loaded. For the front, car in neutral grab the wheel and rock it back and forth, it shouldn't move, if it moves back and forth easy and often will clunk, theres some bush issue. For the rear, handbrake off and put the car in 1st gear or P if its an auto and again grab the wheel and rock it.
The pictures used here are on a Ford Puma rear axle and I done it in the way that the common man will have the tools to do this, so no pullers, or pressing tools just general hand tools.
This car clonked when driving and it also had a bit of a rear end wobble when braking. I checked and confirmed this easily with my car on the ground wheel rock.
In this picture care jacked up still bolted up and in the free hanging position
This picture is me pushing the axle up with just my thumb
It shouldn't do that as you can imagine.
After the car was jacked up and supported properly obviously supported on the shell not the axle it was time to unbolt some things. Now on some cars you can do one side and leave the other bolted up, on others like this car both ends have to be unbolted the axle drop slightly and supported.
This picture axle dropped slightly and supported in the middle (with a bottle jack), the bush is pretty bad although the picture doesn't show how much it moves
What you need to do next is get the old bush out. Now theres a few options, remove the axle press it out, buy a porta power and suitable adaptors, threaded rod and some suitably sized collars or the old and most easily available to the home tinkerer a hacksaw.
How to hacksaw out an old bush. First you need to get the inner sleeve where the bolt passes through out. Now most bushes this is just a tube bonded to the rubber, in this case it was a funny shaped thing made so it couldn't just pull out. So first I had to break the plastic ring this then pulled out and exposed the rubber. You can then burn the rubber out or cut it and pull it out to get the sleeve out.
When the sleeves out the rest of the rubber will normally pull out, if not cut it etc.
Now you need to hacksaw through the metal sleeve. This will allow it to come out. Don't go crazy here you just want to cut the sleeve not its housing. Sorry for lack of picture here.
Once its cut through or weakened you can normally knock it out with a hammer, if not make another cut and remove the section you cut out then the rest of the bush will come out easily.
This is what will come out
Now its fitting the new bush. Often the housing will be corroded or may be damaged from removal, with burrs etc, file any burrs down and run a wire brush through it. Or even better a wire brush or a flap wheel through it to get it new and shiny.
Cleaning this up will help a lot as will putting a smear of oil on the housing, run it all over this prevents corrosion and helps the bush pull in.
Sometimes people buff the new bushes outer down to help it go in, you shouldn't do this, this will mean the bush isn't as tight a fit as it should be. It will go in if its straight and the right force is applied.
Put the bush up to the hole, noting any special position it should be in and then chap it in a bit with a hammer on the outer so it gets started.
Now a vice thats obviously not bolted to a bench is great to pull, them in as is a g-clamp. Obviously there are better tools but this is a weekend warriors guide.
Now you need to find something to put over the bush a bit of wood with a hole for the central bush is ideal but you might not have that handy.
What you can do is put the vice over the bushes centre and draw it in until it stops. Something like this
Now you need to get the bush fully home, but your limited with tools. Got any old pliers lying about? You can use them, I never tried it this way (I have the right tools) but did to see if it would work and it did. Open the pliers and put them so they touch the bushes outer, this means the inner can stay where it should, do the same on the back of the housing. Draw it in, if you don't get it lined up you'll bend the outer, no big deal I done that on the first one I did. Draw it in until its central.
Repeat for the other side. This pic shows the first I did like this and you can see the bent outer.
And repeat for the other side.
Its a lot easier with the right tools and a LOT quicker but you can maybe sort something out so its easier for yourself but this way every home tool kit I know off has a few spare pliers and usually a vice or g-clamp.
Most bushes can be done this way, however all are a lot easier with the right tool. Laguna 2 rear axle bushes can be done this way and even just knocked in with a hammer and drift. But the right tool makes it a very quick job indeed.
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