Anti-roll bar bushes

PostPost by: stuartgb100 » Sat Apr 29, 2006 12:22 pm

How on earth am I supposed to replace the bushes for the link brackets (the ones that bolt to the chassis)?

I can burn the old bushes out easily enough, and remove the brackets, but I cannot for the life of me see how the new bushes will even fit over the flattened end of the roll bar, let alone then fit the bracket over the bush!!!!

Is there a trick to this?

In the meantime I'll get back to the 'forked' track rod end that is seized on the track rod itself, and the track rod ball joint that has just 'forked' my ball joint splitter.......grrrrr!!!! Spanners will soon be flying !!!

Regards,
Stuart.
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PostPost by: nebogipfel » Sat Apr 29, 2006 1:14 pm

Stuart,

I had exactly the same thought when I looked at mine but it was actually easy.

I fitted poly bushes supplied by Susan Miller and they are supplied with a small sachet of silicone grease which makes it a simple task to squeeze them into the links in a vice. A smear of grease on the bar and they slide over the ends and round the corners with little effort.

I would guess that OE bushes being softer would be at least as easy to fit.

Fear not :D
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PostPost by: ppnelan » Sat Apr 29, 2006 2:25 pm

It's easier if your anti-roll bar isn't covered in flaky rust & paint ! Otherwise you'll damage lots of things trying... :wink:

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PostPost by: stuartgb100 » Sat Apr 29, 2006 4:58 pm

John, Matthew,

Many thanks. Getting there.

Didn't realise that the roll bar can go back in two ways, so stupidly did not check before removing it.

Basically at the end of the bar where it fixes to the bottom of the damper/spring assembly, the bar becomes a 'flat' through which the bottom stud of the damper locates. This flat is not central to the bar itself. One side of the flat is in line with the outside of the bar, the other edge approximately aligns with the centre of the bar.

Seems to me you could refix it with the aligned face either up or down, if that makes sense. There are no marks at the end of the bar which are conclusive as to the correct way forward.

Regards,
Stuart.
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PostPost by: schroeder » Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:42 pm

Flat side up. Otherwise and it will foul the lower wishbone when the suspension is unloaded.

Also looked at the parts catalogue. It also shows flat side up.

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PostPost by: Foxie » Sat Apr 29, 2006 10:43 pm

I have done this a few times - lots of washing-up liquid lubricant and just as much sweat. But when I was inspecting the Spyder Zetec prototype a few years ago, I noticed that they had cut through the lower eye and welded on lugs, so it can be split and bolted onto the bushes.

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PostPost by: schroeder » Sun Apr 30, 2006 12:03 pm

Stuart

Forgeot to mention. Remeber that the hangers are handed to align with the chassis V. And if for some reason you manage to get them on the wrong way around (as I have been known to do in the past :oops: ) you only need to romove one and slide it on the opposite end.

These things are hard enough to put on in the first place. About 2 gallons of liquid soap should do the trick.

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PostPost by: pamitchell » Sun Apr 30, 2006 1:39 pm

Hang in there Stuart.

It took 3 of us to get these bushings on plus a full can of silicon spray. It was like wrestling match to force the bushes.One of my helpers didn't come back for 3 months! Softening the bushes in hot water also helped.
Phil
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PostPost by: nebogipfel » Sun Apr 30, 2006 3:31 pm

I'm beginning to wonder why mine were so easy? :shock:

I'm wondering now if poly bushes are actually easier to fit than the standard ones.

As Matthew said the bar does need to be clean. I rubbed mine smooth prior to fitting but it really wasn't the difficult task I thought it was going to be.
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PostPost by: stuartgb100 » Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:25 pm

An update, on what is fast becoming a comedy of errors!

Several attempts using different methods......all failed.
Finally the following worked for me (with polyurethane bushes) and working on my own:

a) Scrupulously clean anti-roll bar held vertically in a vice.
b) End of bar liberally coated with the proverbial Fairy (detergent).
c) Poly bush fitted into link via a vice, then in very hot water (10 minutes).
d) Link worked over end of bar until no further progess (still on flat bar).
e) Hit a drift with a hammer to move link past the flat of the bar.
f) Easy from there on to work by hand.

However, despite my earlier checks I'd got the links on wrong way round.
So removed one and put it on the other end.

Trouble is, somewhere along the way second time around, I've split the poly bush.......brilliant!

Will order new on Tuesday. Looks like I can't avoid the garden after all !!!

Regards and thanks all for the suggestions,
Stuart.
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PostPost by: nebogipfel » Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:41 pm

Sorry to hear you've struggled Stuart.

I must have just been lucky - perhaps the flats on my bar are slightly narrower?

Oh the joy of Classic Cars :roll:
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PostPost by: stuartgb100 » Sun Apr 30, 2006 6:39 pm

Hi John,

Yeah, while I was struggling I wondered about manufacturing tolerances in respect of the flats, since you and others had no problems.

I may take a look at those flats. Maybe radius off the corners a little. It was a major problem to get the bush on, on its own, let alone when fitted inside the link.

I was as careful as I could be using the drift. Maybe not only is the flat a little wide, but there may be a 'sharp' edge to the shoulder, as well.

Never mind, another one for my Elan scrapbook of knowledge. Probably to be either filed under 'Not looking forward to' or 'To Avoid until absolutely necessary'.

Actually, that might be an interesting thread..........

Regards and thanks,
Stuart.
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PostPost by: GrUmPyBoDgEr » Thu May 18, 2006 12:08 pm

I've found that soaking the rubber bushes in very hot water softens them up nicely. Then as the others have said, make sure the bar has a nice smooth surface & then plenty of washing-up liquid.
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