cupra bushes DIY?

[1000baird]

hi guys
im thinking about upgrading the bushes on my ibiza to solid cupra ones.
ive read that to get them fitted by a garage it will be around the £100 mark plus cost of bushes on top of that
is this a job i could do myself?

ive got a good selection of tools, axle stands, jack etc but no lift

 

[S7UYJ]

I have just done mine with no lift, just axle stands. Can get at them ok, and easy enough to get out as they will break up. problems come when fitting the new ones. very very tight. seat use a specific bushing press so they can do it under the car. I took the whole bracket out to press them in. All I would say is make sure you have a means of getting the new ones in!

 

[Seatmann]

Are they the same as the mk3 or are they worse?

 

[S7UYJ]

not sure mate, never done a Mk3, the problem is the hard outer coating. no flex at all and even with the bevelled egde its still a pain. best advice to anyone is take the whole assembly off (aluminum bracket), get on a bench and take the old one out. Then take to a garage who can press it in. be there all day otherwise!

 

[Seatmann]

Na that sounds different, the mk3 like my cordy has steel wishbones with the bushes having a metal ring around them. Still fairly tight though and deffinitely better to take the wishbone off and fit them on the bench.

 

[Blanco92]

Also did it myself, pain in the arse though.

If you want to make your life easier then you can buy a tool made by Laser that should press the bushes in without removing the whole wishbone from the car. Problem is, the tool costs £135.

With the cost of the tool, you may as well send it away to have them done.

I struggled without the tool, ended up ruining one of the new bushes so had to go to SEAT and buy a 3rd one. Ended up pushing them in with a combination of a different bush insertion tool and a G clamp... was still hard work though I wouldn't recommend using such tools to others!

 

[Seatmann]

I did mine on my Cordy when it was -15 and breezy! To much coca cola me thinks.

Just had a look at your car Blanco92, I see they've gone back to a more sensible stereo fitment.

 

[Blanco92]

I did mine on my Cordy when it was -15 and breezy! To much coca cola me thinks.

Just had a look at your car Blanco92, I see they've gone back to a more sensible stereo fitment.

Was bloody cold when mine were fitted too... brrrr!

Yeah the built-in stereo in the mk3 was a bit silly really.

 

[Slimy]

Most bushes are pretty much the same, they come out with a bit of encouragement, heat or a hacksaw. I had metal framed ones in mine that got a hammer and cold chisel on them. As soon as they deformed they dropped out.

Getting them in needs something like a g clamp or in my case I used a threaded rod, some bits of metal and a couple of nuts. The metal framed ones though are particularly challenging, some people put them in the freezer beforehand to shrink the frame and make them slightly easier. Just make sure they're going in square otherwise you can damage the bush and the wishbone.

 

[DEAN0]

You can make a tool quite easily.

Have a look at this thread - http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/92625-fabia-wishbone-bush-replacement-diy-guide/

the home made tool is shown

 

[Modelmakerman]

I fitted mine using the home made tool linked above and without taking the wishbones off.......... I wouldnt recommend it, it takes some serious force to get the Cupra bushes in (extending wheel brace with a scaff pole on the end for the last 10mm and I stripped about 10 nuts)!

I wouldnt wish this on my worst enemy, if it ever needs doing again which I sincerely hope it doesnt itll be going to a garage.

 

[1000baird]

thanks for the response guys
these cupra bushes sound like there going to be a real dog to fit!
if i got the wishbones out, would a press work to get them in (the ones that apply x tonnes of pressure)?
if it saves me the £100 or so getting seat to do it im happy, got a timing belt change coming up so money will be going towards that

 

[Slimy]

if i got the wishbones out, would a press work to get them in (the ones that apply x tonnes of pressure)?

yep, that's what most garages would use. You might need a socket or something to push them all the way in, the press will only be able to get them flush with the wishbone and you might need to get them another couple of millimetres.

Make sure everything is perfectly lined up before applying pressure though, and go really slowly. Those presses can quite easily break the wishbone if it's not straight.

 

[1000baird]

yep, that's what most garages would use. You might need a socket or something to push them all the way in, the press will only be able to get them flush with the wishbone and you might need to get them another couple of millimetres.

Make sure everything is perfectly lined up before applying pressure though, and go really slowly. Those presses can quite easily break the wishbone if it's not straight.

thanks for the advice
wouldnt like to be adding a new wishbone to the list for the sake of taking my time
thanks