DIY front bush change, cheap press tools needed!!

[Armitageshanks]

Hi,

After reading the Briskoda article on upgrading your knackered wishbone bushes to Cupra solid type, i was all hyped up to do the job. Unfortunately getting some 8mm thick discs from an engineering firm will cost 70 quid to make or nearer 55quid if i change the diameters of the circles down by 1mm.

So, has anyone found any cheaper ways of getting the discs made up.i was hoping to get the DIY press made up for around 20 quid.
Cheers

 

[Altech]

When I replaced my bushes for the Cupra ones I cut up and knocked out the old bushes and then used a large vice to press in the new bushes. Obviously this requires removing the bush consol from the car, which isn't too hard.

 

[Armitageshanks]

By removing the consol,do you not automatically put your alignment or tracking out.

 

[Altech]

Yes it may put your alignment out. However when I took my car for a 4 wheel alignment after carrying out the work the only measurement that was out was the tracking on the n/s front wheel, and that was only because I replaced the tie rod end.

I replaced my front ARB at the same time, which meant dropping the subframe. So it was easier for me to remove the consoles too.

 

[Armitageshanks]

Thanks...sounds like an easier option takin the console out, but the added expense of alignment is puttin me off.

 

[Altech]

Could you not have a go at making the discs yourself? Out of some scrap metal....use a holesaw to cut the circles?

 

[Aimez]

Al which front ARB did you get a standard replacement?

 

[Altech]

Al which front ARB did you get a standard replacement?

I replaced my standard ARB with a Skoda Fabia vRS 21mm bar with metal bush retainers. My standard bar was 18mm thick

 

[Aimez]

Hmmm expensive? Gettin all this bush and ARB lack sorted all at once and thinking about this now. Oh dear looking like another expensive trip to TPS coming soon!

 

[Altech]

iirc I paid £80 for the vRS ARB and new ARB bushes.

 

[Aimez]

Cool thanks I'm reading lots of old threads you ahve commented in trying to figure out if I really need to do this first (if I have the older ARB)

 

[R1ch85]

how big is a standard cupra arb then?

 

[Aimez]

Did you need shorter droplinks for the front ARB I have read different arguments? I will need these for coilovers as well anyway but wondered?

 

[Altech]

how big is a standard cupra arb then?

I believe the Cupra ARB is 21mm...I'm not 100% sure though.

Did you need shorter droplinks for the front ARB I have read different arguments? I will need these for coilovers as well anyway but wondered?

Standard suspension won't need shorter droplinks. Only some coilover kits need shorter droplinks

 

[Aimez]

Cool thanks fro your help on this thread and on old ones I've spent all morning reading! Think I have sorted all this bushes and ARB business out finally! Wish I could do all this myself but they all sound like ******* jobs!
Mr Armitageshanks you decided what to do yet if you live near me you can do mine as well!?

 

[Altech]

Cool thanks fro your help on this thread and on old ones I've spent all morning reading! Think I have sorted all this bushes and ARB business out finally! Wish I could do all this myself but they all sound like ******* jobs!
Mr Armitageshanks you decided what to do yet if you live near me you can do mine as well!?

No probs Aimez. Yup these parts are fairly difficult to change, but I like a challenge and hate paying for things that I can do myself

 

[R1ch85]

Did you need shorter droplinks for the front ARB I have read different arguments? I will need these for coilovers as well anyway but wondered?

FK coilovers come with shorter droplinks so you won't need to buy them separately

EDIT: providing you buy FK coilovers lol

I believe the Cupra ARB is 21mm...I'm not 100% sure though.

Thats good news, saves me a job lol... I could really do with a rear arb tbh, i've fitted my coilovers and i find that it pushes wide even easier than before. I already have a front strut brace too lol looks nice and low though!

 

[Altech]

Thats good news, saves me a job lol... I could really do with a rear arb tbh, i've fitted my coilovers and i find that it pushes wide even easier than before. I already have a front strut brace too lol looks nice and low though!

I just finished fitting my coilovers yesterday. Made a huge difference to the look of the car. Just need to get it on a private road to test out the handling

 

[Proff_CUPRA 180]

im kinda confused with colivers, and as this is going to be my next job, what do you recommend? I quite fancy the AP coliovers, and i heard that different droplinks arent needed, is this true or am i talikng b*****ks lol

 

[RUM4MO]

Could you not have a go at making the discs yourself? Out of some scrap metal....use a holesaw to cut the circles?

The problem should be the degree of accuracy you need so that the inner removing/fitting plate is exactly the correct size to extend out to almost the edge of the bush outer liner but misses the inner surface of the console. It will be very easy to end up pulling the bush in at an angle and it will seize then maybe crack the console if you don't give up after it has jammed. The correct type of tool uses the small bearing bolt hole as an alignment/guide point to stabilise the tool and stop this happening,m this is why lots of "two bit" garages don't risk changing these bushes - they end up costing for fitting new consoles complete with bushes, it seems! As for me, I read too much about what could be wrong and "bottled it" especially as I was going to fit Cupra bushes, strangely shortly after that time, a small company launched a tool to do this job on the car - well it was intended to be used with the softer standard bushes - but they seem to have vanished and their site has been closed down