Wishbone Choice

[andy 0]

I'm thinking of doing a front end rebush/revamp on my 144k mile VR6. I think the recent road conditions have just about finished my wishbone bushes off!

 

VW Wishbones are £111 inc vat, the (Febi/Bilstein) ones are available from VWspares.co.uk for sub £40.

 

Who are the VW ones made by, surely Febi/Bilstein are pretty goos aren't they?

 

Opinions? I don't want to skimp but I don't want to pay through the nose for possibly the same part elsewhere.

[vwdeviant 0]

VAG all the way... have seen "OEM quality" wishbones from "certain suppliers" rust like cheap tat, to the point of one set failing a MOT after just 2 years! ... But then how long do you plan on keeping the car?

 

At the end of the day it's £50 vs possibly doing it again in 1-3yrs or (Very worst case) your car/life if it fails...

 

Tried TPS for them?

 

BTW are VR and Late (wide-track) Valver wishbones different? I paid £48 each for my Valaver ones.. a year ago! :shock:

[davidwort 0]

no such thing as wide track 16v (Corrado),

unless you mean mk3 golf 16v which like the mk3 8v and VR6 are all widetrack.

Agree about the non VW bits though, corrosion seems to be a real problem, whereas I'm still using 20yr old original VW ones on my 16v which have just had new bushes pressed in, they've got surface rust but they're solid as, simply got a couple of coats of hammerite and I reckon they'll last years yet.

I reckon it's a good idea whatever you fit to spray them with VW's hard body protection wax, same goes for all the subframe area keeps the salt spray off the paint altogether.

[A1 VR6 0]

If they're the same as Mk 3 Golf VR6 then they're £69 from TPS.

[andy 0]

If they're the same as Mk 3 Golf VR6 then they're £69 from TPS.

Are they genuine VW parts? How does it work with, TPS, can anyone order from them or just businesses?

[A1 VR6 0]

If they're the same as Mk 3 Golf VR6 then they're £69 from TPS.

Are they genuine VW parts? How does it work with, TPS, can anyone order from them or just businesses?

 

Yes, they are genuine VW and TPS (Trade Parts Specialists - trade parts arm of VAG) centres are located nationally and you need an account number. There are centres in Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton

[davidwort 0]

yep, complete wishbones, golf mk3 GTI/VR and Corrado VR:

1H0 407 151(RHS) and 1H0 407 151A(LHS)

[V-Dubstar 0]

I have a new N/S genuine VAG VR6 wishbone if u need it mate (I think it's N/S, I'd have to check)

 

Let me know if it'd be any use

[vwdeviant 0]

no such thing as wide track 16v (Corrado),

unless you mean mk3 golf 16v which like the mk3 8v and VR6 are all widetrack.

Agree about the non VW bits though, corrosion seems to be a real problem, whereas I'm still using 20yr old original VW ones on my 16v which have just had new bushes pressed in, they've got surface rust but they're solid as, simply got a couple of coats of hammerite and I reckon they'll last years yet.

I reckon it's a good idea whatever you fit to spray them with VW's hard body protection wax, same goes for all the subframe area keeps the salt spray off the paint altogether.

 

Dave, always though the "late" (9a) were "wide track" seeing as the had same wings/bumpers etc as the VR and same offsets to the wheels... even sure I ended up with "VR" A-Arms... but would need to check the reciept!

 

But then VAG-CAT lists same (non-abv) arm for KR and 9a engined cars! :scratch:

 

Corrosion's an issue because thay're made from monkey metal, never seam welded, and painted in coloured water... They are cheap for a reason!

[davidwort 0]

nope, all 4 pots are mk2 golf style, only 5 stud VR is plus axle.

Late cars got the same facelift and wider wings to allow the 205 tyres of the VR, but all the 4 pots got the same body panels from then on too as it was obviously cheaper to make one body style than two.

[8vMatt 1]

If they're the same as Mk 3 Golf VR6 then they're £69 from TPS.

Are they genuine VW parts? How does it work with, TPS, can anyone order from them or just businesses?

 

Yes, they are genuine VW and TPS (Trade Parts Specialists - trade parts arm of VAG) centres are located nationally and you need an account number. There are centres in Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton[/quote:23cfkwxo]

 

Just to clarify on the needing an account number? I've been using my local TPS in Exeter and never needed to have an account with them, I get a very good discount also. Don't know if things might vary from branch to branch though?

[V-Dubstar 0]

If they're the same as Mk 3 Golf VR6 then they're £69 from TPS.

Are they genuine VW parts? How does it work with, TPS, can anyone order from them or just businesses?

 

Yes, they are genuine VW and TPS (Trade Parts Specialists - trade parts arm of VAG) centres are located nationally and you need an account number. There are centres in Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton[/quote:2bxxdc2x]

 

How does one get an account number??

[Jim Bowen 1]

is that £111 for a pair of wishbones or each?

[V-Dubstar 0]

is that £111 for a pair of wishbones or each?

 

£97 + VAT I got quoted from VW a couple of months back, each :cuckoo:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

yep, complete wishbones, golf mk3 GTI/VR and Corrado VR:

1H0 407 151(RHS) and 1H0 407 151A(LHS)

 

Complete as in with bushes prefitted?

 

LOL, I'd cut them out and throw them back at the parts guy and tell he can keep them :lol:

 

Best bet is getting empty WBs and fitting the TT/R32 bushes as they're vastly superior!

 

And yes, that's a big "hell no" to the GSF WBs. They have prefitted bushes IIRC and i've heard nothing but complaints about them. If they rust real easy, I would imagine they'd bend real easy too. Cheap metal.

[hodaz 0]

I've just had this exact same thought about wishbone bushes, £111 each + vat isnt good at all. Ended up buying a set of Flo Flex polybushes and going to fit them, will undoubtetly be a pain pressing them in, and possibly getting the old one's out, but should be worth it.

I need to have a word with my local TPS next time I buy parts.

[V-Dubstar 0]

So how has everyone else managed to get accounts with TPS? :(

[andy 0]

I haven't managed it, filled in the application form, heard nothing :(

 

I'm thinking maybe I'll just rebush my existing wishbones with new R32/TT stuff. Got to be way cheaper, but it will depend on the general state of them when I get them out!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I would. I'm still on the original WBs at 183K and they're still straight and work perfectly. The front bushes are a pain to change, and tbh, not really worth it. I've never seen any shot ones. They are under much less strain than the rear ones.

[andy 0]

You reckon I could get away without doing the front ones, even with 144k on the clock? When you say they are difficult.....how difficult?

[V-Dubstar 0]

I managed it with a couple of steel bits I turned and a medium sized vice. Wasn't THAT much of an issue, but if faced with the options of not doing it, then I wouldn't :grin:

[Purple Tom 0]

I would agree with keeping your wishbones.

 

I just replaced the entire front suspension on my VR and in the end I decided to keep the original wishbones and just press a set of R32/TT bushes in. I kept the front bushes as they were because, as Kev says, they don't take any abuse at all and are only really there to stop the wishbone from moving about. It's the rear bushes that do all the work.

 

I simply removed my wishbones, cleaned them up, gave them a couple of coats of primer then hammerited them and fitted the new bushes. They are made of good quality steel and only had surface rust so it seemed pointless replacing them.

 

If you decide to go down that route then you'll need the R32/TT bushes too. They make a massive difference to the way the car drives and are pretty cheap. I got mine from TPS using my Club GTi discount and got 8% off. Total price including VAT was £29.46. It took about 5 minutes to press the old bushes out and fit the new ones.

 

If you want the part number, it's:

 

8NO 407 181 B

 

You'll need two of them.

 

Make sure you get the car properly aligned afterwards, and while you're there you could think about replacing the lower balljoints as, depending on how you do it, they pretty much have to come off to remove the wishbone anyway. Don't forget that on the VR you'll need to raise the engine on the O/S to remove the front wishbone mounting bolt.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

 

Tom

 

Oh, and incidentally, I've used TPS in Derby ever since they opened and have never needed an account number. They know me by sight and name now because of the amount I've ordered, but I've never had an account with them, I just always quote my Club GTi number to get the discount. It sounds like some TPS centres vary on their operating policies which is a bit daft really.

[andy 0]

Cheers Tom, very informative post mate thanks.

I'll speak to TPS Portsmouth by phone, see what they can do, I'll prob get BJs and Top Mounts/Bearings whilst I'm at it.

[8vMatt 1]

So how has everyone else managed to get accounts with TPS? :(

 

Don't worry, not necessary at all. They do serve the public. I got served the first time I went in and told them about being a club member of TheVR6OwnersClub. That meant I got a good discount straight away.

 

Go for it mate.

[andy 0]

Cheers Chaps, just spoken to Portsmouth Branch, they said no account needed for a cash sale. Ordered, bushes, bjs and bolts/plate, top mounts and bearings, will all be there tomorrow.