Rear axle bush replacement.

[mooG60 11]

I'm looking for garage to replace my rear axle bushes. 

If anyone has had theirs done or knows of a place that will undertake the work, please let me know.

Hopefully midlands based.

Thanks.

[fendervg 32]

Once the garage has a decent press (and they all should have) it's a relatively straightforward job - best way is to drop the beam and press the old one out, new ones press in - I'd advise only using OE rubber ones for the rear, although poly ones will just slide in but give off handling.

I had it done by my mechanic here in Dublin for rwo hours labour and I supplied the bushes.

[mooG60 11]

Hi  fendervg

I've done the sensible thing and bought OE, 

Going by the axle bush replacement guide in the Wiki section (and other comments online), it's a real ball banger and should only be done with the correct vag 3111 tool.

I'm just left under the impression that without the corrects tool and die the bushes can easy be chewed up when fitting.  I was just hoping  to find some one in the area with previous experience with them.  

Just to clarify,  did he remove the axle completely from the car, or just let it swing in situ? 

Thank you for the reply

[_Matt_ 32]

It is possible to do both in situ but is easier off the car.

As for pressing in you'll need to get creative with what you have lying about to build something that ensures an even press across the bush's metal outer edge. You'll need some threaded bar and some washers and nuts as well.

Sent from my SM-G990B2 using Tapatalk

[tonedef 9]

I took mine to the local VW independent who kept it a couple of days before phoning to tell me they couldn’t do it. So it was up to me to get “creative” as Matt suggests!

The first one took a couple of hours getting all the steel blocks and packings set up, the second one took 10 minutes….I can’t imagine trying to do it in situ though, there really is nothing to be gained as you’ll already have disconnected the brake lines to lower it so there’s not much else to undo. The photo isn’t great but it gives the idea.

 

[fendervg 32]

14 hours ago, mooG60 said:

Hi  fendervg

I've done the sensible thing and bought OE, 

Going by the axle bush replacement guide in the Wiki section (and other comments online), it's a real ball banger and should only be done with the correct vag 3111 tool.

I'm just left under the impression that without the corrects tool and die the bushes can easy be chewed up when fitting.  I was just hoping  to find some one in the area with previous experience with them.  

Just to clarify,  did he remove the axle completely from the car, or just let it swing in situ? 

Thank you for the reply

They took the rear beam off - it's much easier that way and not much more labour - it can be done i situ but gets tricky with the access. so most people just end up pushing in some poly bushes after cutting the old ones out. They used a large hydraulic bench press that they had for wheel bearings etc. - with a bench press you don't need the special VAG tool. 

If you want to get the tool, the like of Sealey etc, do their own versions - alternatively, with a bit of research you will find lots of folks have made their own DIY version. But to be hones this should not really be a challenge for any experienced garage, as all older VAG cars had this kind of setup. Very surpised that tonedef's specialist were not able to do it.

[Dox 23]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284168505398?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=RnFV2d8IQli&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=SPgov0z1SyG&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 

is this the tool?

[fendervg 32]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284168505398?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=RnFV2d8IQli&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=SPgov0z1SyG&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 
is this the tool?

Looks like it should do the trick.

[tonedef 9]

4 hours ago, fendervg said:

Very surpised that tonedef's specialist were not able to do it.

Me too, they knew exactly what I was talking about when I asked them if they could do these bushes too….then took two days to fail!

[mooG60 11]

14 hours ago, fendervg said:

They took the rear beam off - it's much easier that way and not much more labour.

2 hours is an impressive turn around,  shame I don't live near these guys.

Thanks for all your input guys, by the sounds of it all, it's not as bad as I thought it was. It's time to grow some balls and grab the bullet!

I'm curious on the life span of said bushes, can you guys remember what mileage you where at when they began to show signs of wear?

[Cressa 44]

5 hours ago, mooG60 said:

2 hours is an impressive turn around,  shame I don't live near these guys.

Thanks for all your input guys, by the sounds of it all, it's not as bad as I thought it was. It's time to grow some balls and grab the bullet!

I'm curious on the life span of said bushes, can you guys remember what mileage you where at when they began to show signs of wear?

I changed mine at 120k when I had the axle off. They were heavily corroded. Where in the Midlands are you? I have a tool that I purchased last year for doing  them on my mk2 golf and it worked a treat. Only works on pushing them in, you do need to cut and chisel the old ones out. 

 

[fendervg 32]

10 hours ago, mooG60 said:

2 hours is an impressive turn around,  shame I don't live near these guys.

Thanks for all your input guys, by the sounds of it all, it's not as bad as I thought it was. It's time to grow some balls and grab the bullet!

I'm curious on the life span of said bushes, can you guys remember what mileage you where at when they began to show signs of wear?

You'd have to hop on the ferry to Ireland! It helps that the chief mechanic there is Lithuanian guy who has two Corrados and knows his VAG stuff inside out.

I think in terms of labour time the main thing that will catch you out are seized bolts - if everything comes off straight away, it's handy enough - and I gues a good lift will also come in useful.

In term sof the lifespan, how hard it's been driven and rubber perishing would be the factors - I changed mine at 95k (albeit 26 years) and just wanted to refresh and tighten things up as I was doing all the front bushes too - it made the handling and steering much nicer, but not sure how much you would notice on their own. I don't know of a test, maybe excessive side to side play in the axle, or cracked/worn rubber? There's obviously meant to be some play in there anyway. Probably same lifetime as a decent clutch at a guess.

Edited August 21, 2023 by fendervg

[daves16v 1]

On 8/19/2023 at 9:47 PM, mooG60 said:

Hi  fendervg

I've done the sensible thing and bought OE, 

Going by the axle bush replacement guide in the Wiki section (and other comments online), it's a real ball banger and should only be done with the correct vag 3111 tool.

I'm just left under the impression that without the corrects tool and die the bushes can easy be chewed up when fitting.  I was just hoping  to find some one in the area with previous experience with them.  

Just to clarify,  did he remove the axle completely from the car, or just let it swing in situ? 

Thank you for the reply

Hi, where did you buy the bushes? I've seen genuine VAG for £67 each.

Thanks.

[_Matt_ 32]

Mine need doing per MOT crib sheet at 91k. I think it's also time dependent - rubber degrades with time.

As for replacements Dave - Lemforder from autodoc is about the best you can get outside OEM. https://www.autodoc.co.uk/lemforder/1265578

I am not looking forward to it but luckily have a spare beam off the car to build. 

 

[mooG60 11]

4 hours ago, fendervg said:

You'd have to hop on the ferry to Ireland! It helps that the chief mechanic there is Lithuanian guy who has two Corrados and knows his VAG stuff inside out.

.

I do know a competent garage that agreed to do them a while ago, even after my incessant scare mongering, it's just pays to have that kind of mech onboard. Treat him kindly!

9 hours ago, Cressa said:

I changed mine at 120k when I had the axle off. They were heavily corroded. Where in the Midlands are you? I have a tool that I purchased last year for doing  them on my mk2 golf and it worked a treat. Only works on pushing them in, you do need to cut and chisel the old ones out. 

I'm based a little north of Coventry in sunny Bedworth.

 

3 hours ago, daves16v said:

Hi, where did you buy the bushes? I've seen genuine VAG for £67 each.

Thanks.

I've bought Lemforder from AVS which has always given me a great service.  https://www.vwspares.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=2678  

My bushes were given advisory at 119k so judging by others, it seems mine have done pretty well. 

 

[daves16v 1]

Thanks Matt and mooG60, I'll most likely go with Lemforder as my car won't be doing mega miles.

I've got a spare beam too that I've started stripping.

[fendervg 32]

Lemforder or Febi Bilstein would be OE suppliers, so should be good quality. I think I bought directly from VAG at the time (5 years ago or so) and they were around 80 euro the pair.

[_Matt_ 32]

oh yes another vote for AVS I use them a lot too and always have good service. UK / Norfolk based too. If you email them part nos he will try and get it in for you if available too.

[mooG60 11]

Parts are definitely getting scarce now, even bread and butter service parts. I bought my latest Corrado 5 years ago,  there was a good selection of service and drive train parts still available from the likes of GSF and Euro Parts, even down to brake pedal rubbers. Looking through AVS recently I noticed a fair amount of parts delisted too.

 

[fendervg 32]

1 hour ago, mooG60 said:

Parts are definitely getting scarce now, even bread and butter service parts. I bought my latest Corrado 5 years ago,  there was a good selection of service and drive train parts still available from the likes of GSF and Euro Parts, even down to brake pedal rubbers. Looking through AVS recently I noticed a fair amount of parts delisted too.

 

Agreed - and even basic parts that used to be available at good quality from a known manufacturer now seem to have been replaced with a flood of cheap replicas that are not to be trusted.

[_Matt_ 32]

Yep took 3 weeks for me to get front hubs recently from AVS (price was good vs autodoc). I've also been waiting 9 weeks for a koni/h&r order and it's put me behind requiring 2 alignments now as car needs to be driven to stealth this weekend.

Could be summer shut downs in Germany. My daily shat its steering rack and the part has been on order for 4 weeks now. Car has been off road for 8 weeks as took a month for a booking to open up. Had to buy another car - Audi Q2 for my wife just so we had something decent to go on holiday in. She's happy but these delays are coating me a lot of money!

Sent from my SM-G990B2 using Tapatalk

[mooG60 11]

3 minutes ago, fendervg said:

Agreed - and even basic parts that used to be available at good quality from a known manufacturer now seem to have been replaced with a flood of cheap replicas that are not to be trusted.

Topran and Febi etc  and anything else with China stamped on it.

On purchase of my car I decided to replace many little bits that I thought would improve overall reliability.  Leads, filters, temp sensors thermostat  etc etc. I made sure that I bought quality stuff.  I do remember though having to settle for some mid range rear wheel bearings as the car was due to go into the garage. Everything I bought has worked perfectly for 5 years. The only failure is the wheel bearings, after 3k one side has play in it that won't tighten out, the other side is noisy, according to the mot tester that is.

[Dox 23]

Your rear stub axles will be oval by now. Jack the rear wheels up, handbrake off. Hold the wheels at 3 and 9 o'clock, with new bearings there should be some play (if not the bearings will squeegee the grease away and you have metal on metal and premature failure), swap to 12 and 6 o'clock, if there's more play this is an indication of oval stub axles. Most testers are too young to have experienced taper bearings and compare them to cassette bearings on modern cars and fail / advise is the norm.

[fendervg 32]

6 hours ago, Dox said:

Your rear stub axles will be oval by now. Jack the rear wheels up, handbrake off. Hold the wheels at 3 and 9 o'clock, with new bearings there should be some play (if not the bearings will squeegee the grease away and you have metal on metal and premature failure), swap to 12 and 6 o'clock, if there's more play this is an indication of oval stub axles. Most testers are too young to have experienced taper bearings and compare them to cassette bearings on modern cars and fail / advise is the norm.

This is correct - I've seen quite a few NCT fails on taper bearings because testers were no longer familiar with them - there shoul be a small amount of play in them when properlyy adjusted. Part of the adjustment process is to tighten them and then back off.

[Dox 23]

The book was written by stripping a new car, with OE spec parts and might need some interpretation using what we have now (I think so).