Rear Axle bushes :(

[aposegil 0]

Hello guys

 

Last weekend when i was under the car doing the brake line change i notice my rear axle bushes had seen better days (well i was warned about them on my last MOT)

 

Ive got a set of original VW's sitting at home and I was wandering how easy it eas to change them???

 

Im guessing drop the axle and swope them over ??? or is it harder than that??

 

Thank you in advance

[dr_mat 0]

Apparently you need a special tool to press the new ones in, due to the shape of them. Dunno, I've not done it, but it's not a doddle.. :-\

[aposegil 0]

special tool i dont like the sound of that :cry: :| :(

 

and how the feck would u be able to press them in there is no room :mad:

[Andy Brookes 0]

Its a bitch of a job Alex, give yourself at least 2 hours per side...and expect you knuckles to bleed!!!!

 

First drop the axel, support well.

Drill out as much of the rubber as poss, to remove central bush.

Chisel out outer metal ring.

Press in new bush.

 

Sounds easy, but I would never do them again, well worth paying a man to do the job.

[Rpmayne 0]

Don't you have to undo the rear brake pipes from the axle aswell to let it drop for access to the bushes?

[olly elworthy 0]

I take the whole axle off that way you can get at the bushes easier, drift the old bushes out , (after removing all the rubber part from inside) and replace them pressing them in with a tool which i fabricated from some threaded bar and some steel plate, its not so bad, you just need to look at the profile of the face of the bush as it is higher on one side than the other, and make a top plate for the puller so it is stepped, that way it pulls the bush in parallel, hope that helps, pm me for my phone number if you require a better explanation, Ill try and post pics of the tool i made, honestly its a doddle if you spend half hour making up a tool first,,, :D

[aposegil 0]

thanx Andy but i really wanted to get them out of the way before the car goes in for the MOT as i dont have road tax at the mo :(

[aposegil 0]

olly want to lend me the tool lol ;)

[olly elworthy 0]

shame your a bit far away!! , ill try get some pics on here,,, :)

[aposegil 0]

cool thanx mate :)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Luckily you don't have a VR6 as you have to add a brake compensator to the equation.

 

Doing the bushes is a piece of cake on a ramp, wouldn't fancy doing it on axle stands to be honest.

 

When you drift the new ones in, be careful to align them properly and make sure the bush protusion on the inboard side of the axle is 8mm.

 

K

[24V Renshaw 0]

Alex,

 

When I did mine the easiest way to get the old ones out is to drill a hole in the rubber and pass a hacksaw through. Hacksaw out the rubber section as much as possible, then hacksaw through the metal outer sleeve in two places. That then allows you to "chisel" out a section of the metal outer quite easily and then the whole bush just falls out.

 

In terms of getting them in again I used a steel box frame and a VW spare wheel jack, pushed them in no probs.

 

J

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Precisely, in fact, a drill will chew it's way round the bush in a circular motion. Then you just knock out the outer shell as you say. Takes about 2 hours on a ramp.

[16VG60 1]

Alex, i have the VW tool for this job. I am doing alot of thses bushes now because of the age of the Corrado. The tool Costs £400 so not keen to loan it out, but give me a call if you want me to fit. Likewise if any other forum members require this task to be carried out. Rear bushes are an unpleasant job, but made simpler with the correct tooling.

[Majik 0]

i might be able to help you mate, will contact you later

[g60bv 0]

Alex,

 

When I did mine the easiest way to get the old ones out is to drill a hole in the rubber and pass a hacksaw through. Hacksaw out the rubber section as much as possible, then hacksaw through the metal outer sleeve in two places. That then allows you to "chisel" out a section of the metal outer quite easily and then the whole bush just falls out.

 

J

yep that was the way i did it,except i used the drill to cut through the rubber, just wind the drill bit round, then hacksaw in to places, then chissel the old one out, getting them in is a nightmair, i bought a halfords 2 arm pully it get the new bush, and i would never do them again, not with out the correct tools, the pully broke just as the last one went in, .

[aposegil 0]

i might be able to help you mate, will contact you later

mate i might have to take you up on any help you might be :D

 

will call you later :)