Rear Wishbone Bush replacement - Polo 2003

[Davidkent]

Hi guys.

As above really.
Got a 2003 1.9 SDi Polo.
Rear wishbone bush has gone.

Volkswagen told me they are common, and so i've bought the part.

I can get just to the stage of taking the arm out, however where the bush connects to the wishbone is a funny looking bolt type thing..

The 18mm is to small, and a 19 is to big to use a normal spanner.

Is there a specific tool i need to do this?

Any other ways around it?

Cheers

[martin1810]

Are you asking about the front wishbone. It is held one side by a big bolt and just pulls out the other side.

[Davidkent]

Yes, Front wishbone.

The rear bush.

The wishbone has like a pin that goes through the bush, and is held on by some funny looking bolt thing..

Is there a tool for this basically?
19 mm Spanner is too big and will round it, 18 is too small..

[martin1810]

I might be wrong but from what I remember you just take the front bolt out and then pull the wishbone out of the bush. I think VW recommend using a slide hammer to pull it. I don't remember undoing anything on the rear bush.

[Crasher]

You remove the front bush bolt and the three ball joint bolts. Often it is also necessary to remove the 36-mm CV joint centre nut, sometimes you can get the ball joint out without doing this. With the wishbone free, it pulls out of the rear bush quite easily. Replacing the rear bush mean replacing the complete consul (a very involved job that disturbs the subframe alignment) or by pushing the bush out and thee new one in with a special tool set. All bolts and nuts removed MUST be replaced, especially the CV centre nut. Make sure the new bush is aligned with the mark on the consul which is on the top on the left side, out of view, the alignment is critical. The rubber pip is visible ate 12'oclock on the bush and this matches a bump on the consul. I fit the Ibiza Cupra R bushes sometimes as they are stiffer.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd20/Crasher1964/9Nconsulbushtool.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd20/Crasher1964/9Nconsul.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd20/Crasher1964/9Nbushpressingout.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd20/Crasher1964/9Nemptyconsul.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd20/Crasher1964/9Nconsulbushpressingin.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd20/Crasher1964/9Nconsulbushin.jpg

[Davidkent]

Awesome, thanks mate.

I'm fitting the new one tomorrow now i've removed the old one!

Cheers

[Chris_16v]

Without the tool to put the new bush in whats another way of doing it?

[Crasher]

Replace the complete consul and then pay to have the subframe re-aligned or buy the alignment pins (about £30) and subframe alignment jig (about £350) and then align it yourself iof you have camber and tracking tools. Or you could try a big hammer. If you want to do the bushes yourself, you need to buy the tool or make one.

Laser make one

http://www.lasertools.co.uk/item.aspx?item=4208 (http://www.lasertools.co.uk/item.aspx?item=3905&cat=379)

[Chris_16v]

Cheers mate done it now made a tool wasnt to difficult to make, I knocked the old one out using a socket the same size as the bush housing. Then put the new one in using the compressor tool I fabricated. Jobs a good one.

One thing I did notice that annoyed me is a I had to unbolt the drivers side engine mount and jack the engine up to get the bolt out holding the swinging arm on. Not sure why and seems a silly design. I havnt touched my sub frame so I shouldnt need a realignment just a good track up hopefully!

Thanks for the reply.

[Crasher]

So you have a 3 cylinder model, yes it is an annoying feature of the 3 cylinder, something it shares with the Golf 3 VR6 and on the other side with the Golf 2/3 automatic.

[Clem]

Crasher,
I have just read your reply about alignment of the subframe.
I have had the Cupra bushes fitted to my car(2005 Sport) by a local garage and the did it by swapping the arms for a set they already had.
Since then the car does not seem to go as slowly in each gear without vibrating.
Could this be the subframe alignment?

[Chris_16v]

Not if they just changed the bushes, If they changed the whole console with the bushes in then yes. People must think its easier to replace the console rather than just the bushes which sounds madness. As aldready said, changing that is a big job so cant see the point. OK the tool to do the job is £180 without upsetting the sub frame but I made one in about 20 mins out out threaded rod, bolts, cut out some thick metal disks and found a few washers. Job was a good one.

[Crasher]

You say they changed the arms but the part from the Cupra that people use is the bush in the consul, even though the wishbone is different. Either way they should not move the subframe alignment unless they took the consuls out. Are you sure they changed the wishbone? The Cupra bushes do transmit quite a lot more vibration; one or two people have regretted doing the swap. I am tempted to try it on my wife’s 9N2 GTI but not yet, it is too new and low mileage, plus she will give me hell if it makes it rougher.

[Clem]

Crasher,

They put Cupra bushes in some arms from another Polo ang changed both arms.
Four wheel alignment was done and was O.K.

[Crasher]

Now I am even more confused. The rear bushes are in the consul not the wishbone, the wishbone is in the bush rather than the bush being in the wishbone and the front bushes are not replaceable if that is what you mean, they come only as a complete wishbone.

[Clem]

Crasher
Sorry for the confusion.
What I had fitted was console arms with Cupra rear bushes.
These consoles were taken from another Polo with the same problem which had new consoles fitted with standard bushes.

They fitted the Cupra bushes to the consoles removed from the other car used them on mine.

[Chris_16v]

Ok, as i stated on this thread I managed to get the new bushes in but there crap!, GSF give me some cheap bushes and I wasnt aware of it until now driving the car there is loads of play on the front end of the car.

Bushes you need are

MK4 Ibiza Cupra bushes - Part number is 6LL 407 183

And here is a guide with all the pics still working on how to do it without paying out for the tools.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/92625-fabia-wishbone-bush-replacement-diy-guide/

Truth been told. the VW and VW paptent parts especialy are crap.

Thanks

[Crasher]

A word of caution on the Cupra bushes, they are not to everyone’s taste as they can transmit a lot more road vibration, but they are reliable and the steering response much improved.