Anti Roll Bar Bushes Advice Please

[Jay6565]

So my sons 2015 Ibiza is squeaking while going over speed bumps etc like mad and have been told its likely to be the anti roll bar bushes.

I have the bushes and will do them this weekend.

My question is do I need to jack up the suspension slightly when taking the anti roll bar bush bracket off or can it be done with the suspension fully down?

Or preferably is there a guide somewhere? I can find one for other cars but not this one.

Thank you

 

[RUM4MO]

Any guide for earlier versions including 2002> VW Polo would work, I've only ever changed bushes on a 2002 VW Polo, I'd always jack both sides up and put the car on axle stands. Doing that will "relax" the ARB and so make life easier, one issue is, with the car on its wheels you can reach one bolt on each bracket and with the car up on stands you can reach the other bolt on each bracket - well that was the way it was with the 2002 VW Polo, never needed to do that job on my daughter's late 2009 Ibiza 1.4 SC or my wife's 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI.

That 2002 VW Polo, when it was maybe 11 years old received a comment about the ARB bushes, and sure enough they were worn or at least the ARB was free to move within them, it never made any other noises that could be attributed to these ARB mounting bushes.

I'd think that any funny noises that my wife's 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI makes - in cold winter weather only, will be due to the lower arm rear mounting bushes starting to "go" - have you checked that neither of them have started to tear or otherwise break free from their steel outer?

 

[Jay6565]

Hi, thanks for the reply. Nothing at the rear seems to make a noise, just the front. I know on the Ibiza forums the squeaking is quite common from the bushes but nobody has ever made a guide. I have elsawin but thats on about taking out the driveshaft! Something I won't be doing!

 

[RUM4MO]

Remember that the "lower arm rear mounting bushes" are at the front of the car, lower arms can also be called TCA and other names. ARB drop links can also cause noises especially in winter time.

 

[Jay6565]

Of course, sorry read it a bit quick. I am going to jack the car up tomorrow, take the wheel up and have a proper look, I have the bushes so may just change them anyway. And if its anything else will look at that too.

I was mainly concerned about if I needed to jack up on the brake disc for instance while undoing the bolts for arb. One video I saw showed they did and another didn't.

 

[RUM4MO]

If you do as I suggested, and lift the front up onto a couple of axle stands, then you can use a trolley jack to ease each hub in turn by jacking under the front hub swivel points, that needs to be done to gain access to the bolt obscured when the hubs are hanging free, which gives access to the other bolt.

 

[Jay6565]

Cheers mate, will give that a go

 

[Jay6565]

Ok final bit of advice needed. I have worked on plenty of cars and always end up asking the same question as each car is different.

I can't get the jack and the axle stand in the same place obviously. Where is the best place to put the axle stands on a Ibiza?

Thank you

 

[Jay6565]

So looking under the car I was thinking about jacking up on the subframe bolt area. Any thoughts on this?

 

[RUM4MO]

That is the mounting bush I was talking about, does it look cracked/torn at all?

 

[Jay6565]

I had a good look at it and it looks fine, though have hit a snag I really should have forseen.

Trying to find a bit to fit the anti roll bar bush bolt. Thought I had one but I dont and no idea where to get one

 

[RUM4MO]

I've forgotten what size that bolt is, I probably used a wobble joint and an extension to reach them, maybe even used a 3/8" socket set instead of a 1/2" socket set.

 

[Jay6565]

its the XZN spline tool. I got a set and they were either too small or too big. I can't be bothered with it anymore so got a mobile mechanic coming to do it for £40.

 

[RUM4MO]

Ah, I like buying tools, so seem to have all types and sizes covered, at least at the moment! Though my RIB bits don't seem to have been used yet!

 

[Jay6565]

I thought they would be a worthy addition to be honest but the M8 which I am sure its supposed to be was far too small and M10 was too big and didn't fit. There was a bit of corrosion on the bolt which could have caused the M10 not to fit but there is no room in there and I didn't want to go hammering away in case it really was too big.

So after the cost of the bits(which I have now returned) it was only a tenner more to get a mechanic(who has worked on previous cars of mine) so they can worry about it.

Thanks for all the advice in this thread, handy for next time I ever come across this job, which according to what I have read maybe sooner than I think

 

[RUM4MO]

I've just checked up on both 2015 Ibiza and Polo parts listing and both, which I expected, use the same bolt which is described as being "hex flanged M8 X ??mm" - but for you, seeing is believing, I'm only going by what I've found on a 2002 Polo and a 2009 Ibiza, time to check what is on my wife's 2015 Polo then!

 

[Jay6565]

There is a hex on the bolt but when my hex socket was on there it started rounding the corners due to corrosion so that way was a non starter for me. On top of the spline not fitting neither way was going to work.

 

[Jay6565]

Had the bushes replaced yesterday and car is quiet again, squeaking has completely gone. Happy days