Wishbone bushes
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Hi,
I finally succeded to remove the last front wishbone after drilling in the rubbber. So now I will mount new superflex bushes. However, these seem to be of a different size compared to the old ones. Diameter of superflexes is to the yellow arrow in the photo. Do I need to get rid of the inner metal tube (red arrow) or have I got the wrong bushes?. I really need your expertise on this...(The wishbone to the left still has the old bushes mounted)
Thanks
/Ulf
Sorry for the bad quality of the photo
I finally succeded to remove the last front wishbone after drilling in the rubbber. So now I will mount new superflex bushes. However, these seem to be of a different size compared to the old ones. Diameter of superflexes is to the yellow arrow in the photo. Do I need to get rid of the inner metal tube (red arrow) or have I got the wrong bushes?. I really need your expertise on this...(The wishbone to the left still has the old bushes mounted)
Thanks
/Ulf
Sorry for the bad quality of the photo
1974 Lotus Elan +2 130/5
- Uboat
- Second Gear
- Posts: 175
- Joined: 21 Sep 2007
Sounds to me like you still have the outer shell of the old bush in place....perhaps try some careful hacksaw work followed up by a hammer / chisel (again being careful not to damage the arm itself).....or press it out if you can find a suitable drift
- robertverhey
- Fourth Gear
- Posts: 766
- Joined: 20 Feb 2007
Yes - you need to remove the outer casing of the old bush. I would be careful about trying to use a hacksaw or screw driver - these are critical components that you do no want to fail later. Sawing mat well put a notch in the wishbone that will then be a great site for a crack to start.
Try if possible to drift it out - evenn better use two suitable sized sockets and a vice.
Richard
Try if possible to drift it out - evenn better use two suitable sized sockets and a vice.
Richard
- Higs
- Second Gear
- Posts: 160
- Joined: 02 Dec 2009
Hi Ulf
I had exactly this problem on mine. I did use first a hack saw VERY CAREFULLY! to cut the old bush part way through. Then a small drift ground to a sharp flat screwdriver type end was tapped in by the grove I had cut between the bush casing and the edge of the suspension member. The bush casing then yielded along the cut line and was quite easy to pull out then. Just be very carefull with the hacksaw!!
best of luck
Bob
I had exactly this problem on mine. I did use first a hack saw VERY CAREFULLY! to cut the old bush part way through. Then a small drift ground to a sharp flat screwdriver type end was tapped in by the grove I had cut between the bush casing and the edge of the suspension member. The bush casing then yielded along the cut line and was quite easy to pull out then. Just be very carefull with the hacksaw!!
best of luck
Bob
- bob_rich
- Fourth Gear
- Posts: 564
- Joined: 06 Aug 2009
The old bushes are not difficult to remove with a ten ton press and two mandrells.
The lower (outer) mandrel is machined to a slightly larger Dia than the OD of the bush,
the top mandrell is simply a spigot that goes through the bush hole, it also has a shoulder
dia a little less than the OD of the old bush, assemble and align parts in the press,
and after a few pumps the outer part of the bush should begin to move out of the wishbone.
Often these bushes are rusted in... so, using some gentle heat with the Oxy
should fix that (No you wont hurt the MS metal)... along with some WD40 or similar.
It's not rocket science, just good old practical workshop nouse.
The lower (outer) mandrel is machined to a slightly larger Dia than the OD of the bush,
the top mandrell is simply a spigot that goes through the bush hole, it also has a shoulder
dia a little less than the OD of the old bush, assemble and align parts in the press,
and after a few pumps the outer part of the bush should begin to move out of the wishbone.
Often these bushes are rusted in... so, using some gentle heat with the Oxy
should fix that (No you wont hurt the MS metal)... along with some WD40 or similar.
It's not rocket science, just good old practical workshop nouse.
Live your dream-wear your passion.
http://elantrikbits.com/lotus-elan-blog/
http://elantrikbits.com/lotus-elan-blog/
- ceejay
- Fourth Gear
- Posts: 623
- Joined: 27 Mar 2007
Back when my lathe was accessible and operational I made a puller/pusher for the bushes.
In a 4 inch cube of steel I turned a cylindrical recess just bigger than a whole bush. Then a clearance bolt hole in the blind end of the recess.
Then I turned a cylinder with a clearance diameter for the holes in the wishbones i.e about the size of a bush but big enough to press on the bush, but not big enough to jam in the wishbone. This inner part of the cyinderl then had a hole drilled down the centre and threaded for a long bolt.
I fit the long bolt through the cube, then through the bush and into the central cylinder. Using a socket spanner on the bolt head then PULLS the inner and the bush out of the wishbone into the recess.
To fit a new bush it is used inside-out with the flat surface of the cube against the wishbone and the head of the puller bolt inside the recess.
I think I made the long bolt as well, but I feel sure a suitable one could be bought or stock 10mm threaded rod could be used.
The really hard part was using a hand hacksaw to cut a 4 inch cube off a one-foot length of 4x4 steel stock.
In a 4 inch cube of steel I turned a cylindrical recess just bigger than a whole bush. Then a clearance bolt hole in the blind end of the recess.
Then I turned a cylinder with a clearance diameter for the holes in the wishbones i.e about the size of a bush but big enough to press on the bush, but not big enough to jam in the wishbone. This inner part of the cyinderl then had a hole drilled down the centre and threaded for a long bolt.
I fit the long bolt through the cube, then through the bush and into the central cylinder. Using a socket spanner on the bolt head then PULLS the inner and the bush out of the wishbone into the recess.
To fit a new bush it is used inside-out with the flat surface of the cube against the wishbone and the head of the puller bolt inside the recess.
I think I made the long bolt as well, but I feel sure a suitable one could be bought or stock 10mm threaded rod could be used.
The really hard part was using a hand hacksaw to cut a 4 inch cube off a one-foot length of 4x4 steel stock.
Bill Williams
36/6725 S3 Coupe OGU108E Yellow over Black.
36/6725 S3 Coupe OGU108E Yellow over Black.
- billwill
- Coveted Fifth Gear
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- Joined: 19 Apr 2008
Ulf when the superflex are fitted you may want to use the shallow height nylok on the spindle that holds the wishbone on a zealous MOT tester here picked up on the point that there was no thread sticking out of the std nylok due to the flanges on the superflex bush & to be fair it would be safer to have a couple of turns through the nylok.
Ian
Ian
- elansprint
- Fourth Gear
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- Joined: 12 Sep 2003
Thanks for all your advice,
My vice is apparently not big/strong enough, I guess the bush and wishbone have rusted together... I have also tryed to use a hacksaw with no effect yet. I'm seriously thinking of new wishbones, as the bolt holes have also turned oval. Any thoughts on alternative wishbones (are these identical to wishbones from Triumph Spitfire?)
My vice is apparently not big/strong enough, I guess the bush and wishbone have rusted together... I have also tryed to use a hacksaw with no effect yet. I'm seriously thinking of new wishbones, as the bolt holes have also turned oval. Any thoughts on alternative wishbones (are these identical to wishbones from Triumph Spitfire?)
1974 Lotus Elan +2 130/5
- Uboat
- Second Gear
- Posts: 175
- Joined: 21 Sep 2007
Hi Ulf
I am surprised the hacksaw idea would not work. It is necessary to assemble the hacksaw blade through the hole in the wishbone then hold in a vice and cut VERY CAREFULLY and parallel to get a grove across the whole length of bush outer liner. I had a similar problem 2 U in that my vice was not strong enough to use as a press which is why I used a saw. It took a long time ( 2 days 2 do all 8 wishbone members) but did not make any score marks on any of them.
surely worth a try if U R resigned to new wishbones any way.
Best of Luck
Bob
I am surprised the hacksaw idea would not work. It is necessary to assemble the hacksaw blade through the hole in the wishbone then hold in a vice and cut VERY CAREFULLY and parallel to get a grove across the whole length of bush outer liner. I had a similar problem 2 U in that my vice was not strong enough to use as a press which is why I used a saw. It took a long time ( 2 days 2 do all 8 wishbone members) but did not make any score marks on any of them.
surely worth a try if U R resigned to new wishbones any way.
Best of Luck
Bob
- bob_rich
- Fourth Gear
- Posts: 564
- Joined: 06 Aug 2009
If you can find some steel pipes of the right diameters, one with an inside dia just bigger than a bush and one with an outside dia just smaller than the edge of the bush, you could saw off two lengths of about 4 inches and then with two BIG STRONG Disks (drilled to make really fat washers) to cover the ends and some threaded rod and nuts, you could fairly easily make up something which would work the same way as the puller that I made (described above)
Bill Williams
36/6725 S3 Coupe OGU108E Yellow over Black.
36/6725 S3 Coupe OGU108E Yellow over Black.
- billwill
- Coveted Fifth Gear
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- Joined: 19 Apr 2008
As I understand it, the bushes are to be a firm press fit into the suspension arm. The arm movement is achieved by the "flex" of the rubber. On my +2 the inside arm final torquing was done when the suspension was weighted down. Apparently the internal shear of the rubber will "hold" the car at the proper ride height. At least a small amount.
If this is incorrect please respond.
Bob
If this is incorrect please respond.
Bob
- rdssdi
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