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Front wish bone rear bush & ARB replacement (updated).

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Toe-side
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Front wish bone rear bush & ARB replacement (updated).

Post by Toe-side » Sun Jan 20, 2013 7:55 pm

Had the car for around 4 months and have not been happy with the steering. Checked the movement front to back after jacking the car up and there was visible movement of the wheel front to back so I guessed bushings needed a change. Decided to go standard bushes on wishbones also Anti roll bar (ARB) bushes looked tired so ordered some poly bushes for the ARB.
1. Jack car up at front and place on axle stands BE SAFE :!:

2. Remove plastic engine cover bolts that attach the plastic tray to the chassis subframe 3 x 8mm (updated)

3. Remove the metal tray that is bolted to the chassis rails and subframe 8 x 16mm bolts.

Image

Access to bushes can now be progressed

Image

2 x 16mm bolts releases the rear bush. I found the jacking the car up furter allowed the wish bone to drop clear on the chassis.

Now for the difficult bit removing the old bushes. :headbang: I did this one side at a time. The old bushes would not move. Having been on for 9 years the needed a little persuasion!

Finally I had to resort to an angle grinder but on the first wishbone I was not sure what I was cutting into!

The next bush was easier. I used a hot air gun which allowed the outer alloy bush housing to be wrestled off (rubber didn't like the heat much) then using an angle grinder I cut the inner bush along its length and peeled it off.

Image

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The new bush versus what was left of the old bush!

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The bare wishbone, alloy hexagonal.

TOP TIP: Fitting the new bush Use washing up detergent as a lubricant for the rubber bush. This allows correct positioning. Grease or WD40 did not seem to work.

Bolt every thing back up.
I have repeated the exercise by fitting Poly bushes today. In comparison to the first time this was a breeze and the old lollipops came off easily :thumbsup: . I used a 3 leg puller to help.

Image
***************

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What a difference in the cars handling the old bushes were clearly knackered. They didn't last long!

Now tackle the ARB!

I removed the ARB from the drop links and car but its not really necessary. Undo the the 4 nuts that hold the ARB saddles 2 on each side from the chassis. Remove the old bushes. Cut the new bushes on the bottom of the circumference of the 'D' with a sharp blade. You can just see the cut in the second photo
Peel over the ARB fit saddles and bolt back up.

Image

Image :)
Last edited by Toe-side on Mon Apr 13, 2015 5:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Before: 2003 3.0 Roadster, Porsche Boxster 987S Now 981S
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Wondermike
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Re: Rear wish bone & ARB bushing replacement.

Post by Wondermike » Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:36 pm

Nice write-up.

You would think the ARB bushes would come already pre-cut?

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Toe-side
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Re: Rear wish bone & ARB bushing replacement.

Post by Toe-side » Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:03 pm

Thanks Wondermike.
Yes I contacted the supplier when they arrived and they said that they don't cut them as some applications the purchasers don't want them cut. However there was no way they would slide on and up the z4 ARB so hence the cut! :(
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Re: Rear wish bone & ARB bushing replacement.

Post by GuidoK » Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:15 pm

What brand are those ARB poly bushes?
Z4 3.0i | ESS TS2+ | Quaife ATB LSD | Brembo/BMW performance BBK front/rear | Schrick FI cams | Schmiedmann headers+cats | fully polybushed | Vibra-technics engine mounts | H&R anti rollbars | KW V3 coilovers | Sachs Race Engineering clutch

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Re: Rear wish bone & ARB bushing replacement.

Post by Toe-side » Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:01 pm

Before: 2003 3.0 Roadster, Porsche Boxster 987S Now 981S
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Re: Rear wish bone & ARB bushing replacement.

Post by jan_tekin » Wed Mar 19, 2014 12:02 am


What size did you order 24mm or 25mm, would it be the same for a 3.0lsi?
Current: M135i
Sold:3.0lsi Sport Roadster, Xenons,Heated seats, blutooth, Hi Fi,Comfort Pack, Cruse Control, Stormworks ST1
Gear Knob, Stubby, KW V2s, 224s

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Re: Rear wish bone & ARB bushing replacement.

Post by jan_tekin » Wed Mar 19, 2014 12:03 am

jan_tekin wrote:

What size did you order 24mm or 25mm, would it be the same for a 3.0lsi?
Also how are you finding the ploy bushes?
Current: M135i
Sold:3.0lsi Sport Roadster, Xenons,Heated seats, blutooth, Hi Fi,Comfort Pack, Cruse Control, Stormworks ST1
Gear Knob, Stubby, KW V2s, 224s

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Re: Front wish bone & ARB bushing replacement.

Post by Toe-side » Thu Mar 20, 2014 11:23 pm

Poly ARB's seem fine not that harsh.
I have the sports suspension set up so the old bus is pretty choppy ride already. No noise (some have reported 'creaking')
Its a thumbs up from me :thumbsup:
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Re: Front wish bone rear bush & ARB replacement (updated).

Post by Steve84N » Fri Sep 11, 2015 12:20 pm

If I'm looking to replace the ARB bushes can I simply undo them one at a time and put the new ones in or will the bar spring out of position making it impossible? Does it make a difference if the car is on the ground, jacked one side, jacked boths sides, jacked on lifting points or axle stands under wishbone arms etc?

Just wondering if it's an easy job or if I would come unstuck having loosened the old bush...

Thanks
C63 AMG Estate 6208cc

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Re: Front wish bone rear bush & ARB replacement (updated).

Post by jan_tekin » Fri Sep 11, 2015 8:40 pm

Fronts are very easy, I think fitted mine when I fitted my coilovers, car jacked up and wheels off etc. Just undo the two brackets and the bar will drop down, I fitted pewerflex ones so they were pre cut.
Current: M135i
Sold:3.0lsi Sport Roadster, Xenons,Heated seats, blutooth, Hi Fi,Comfort Pack, Cruse Control, Stormworks ST1
Gear Knob, Stubby, KW V2s, 224s

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Re: Front wish bone rear bush & ARB replacement (updated).

Post by Steve84N » Sat Sep 12, 2015 3:49 pm

So you don't need a lot of force to get the bar back into position to do it back up again with one wheel in the air? Was thinking that might put a twisting force on it and make it difficult to relocate?
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Re: Front wish bone rear bush & ARB replacement (updated).

Post by jan_tekin » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:37 pm

I had both wheels off the ground and worked under the car, axle stands on the jacking points so there was no force on the bar.
Current: M135i
Sold:3.0lsi Sport Roadster, Xenons,Heated seats, blutooth, Hi Fi,Comfort Pack, Cruse Control, Stormworks ST1
Gear Knob, Stubby, KW V2s, 224s

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