[Guest]

It's difficult to get used to doing it but it's doable, I did it every six month with a thinned out mix of red rubber grease and silicon lubricant spray. Wheels off and let the suspension drop while on axle stands. Full lock left the insert at 12,3,6 and 9 o'clock positions a little at each point into the inner bush area. Turn lock to full right and repeat on the other inner bush.

Nowadays I tend to drift the bushes out and grease them then drift them back in.... Cutting the old bolt head off and swapping for new bolts to insert the opposite way made it a lot easier and now I don't have to disturb the ball joint at all, just loosen the bolt, pull it out and twist. The arm round with the bushes out towards me.


There's an easy way or a hard way to everything, it just takes a little lateral thinking

 

[SchrodingersCat]

How do you drift out the bushes in situ one the bolt has been removed please? I seem to have collected some mice too! The car flew through it's mot last month so there's no play, just a bit of noise.

 

[Guest]

Once you have the rear of the arm twisted out towards you showing the bushes you can then use a long bolt with threads all the way along, long enough with at least 7cm each side poking out the bush. Spin a nut up towards the bolt head first before inserting the thread through the bush, this will be used to tighten down on the outer part of the bush.

Using a socket which is just slightly smaller than the alloy hole that the bush is pressed into placed on the the inner part of the thread. Attach a large penny washer to keep the socket straight and a locking nut to hold it all in place. Now using the bolt head on the outside part of the bolt start to loosen, you will need a second spanner on the outer nut to keep it tight and nipped up while performing this and the socket on the other side will start to draw/drift the rubber bush out of the alloy hole .

Grease up the alloy hole and the bush with red rubber grease, swap the threaded bolt/ socket around the opposite direction and repeat the process so the bush pushes in this time.
Repeat the process for the next bush...
Repeat the whole process on the opposite wishbone.

Like I said, a lot easier once the old wishbone bolt has been inserted the opposite way to aid removal in the future without fouling the bolt head against the coil spring and having to remove the strut from the hub.

If this has been done before hand, then you are looking at 45 mins to grease up both upper wishbones and refit the wheels
Note: you may need the wheel arch trims out for better access which are held on by a few screws.

Job done, No squeaks and with regular maintenance, your wishbones will now last as long as the ball joint has no excessive play. 4 to 5 years in some cases

 

[SchrodingersCat]

Thanks :thumbs:, I'll be replacing the front pads and disks in the next couple of weeks so I might as well kill two birds with one stone.

 

[CraigMans]

Does anyone know the exact size of the bolt?