Front Wishbones--- Don't do them!

suddy · Post by **suddy** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:03 pm

Its just taken me from 9 o'clock to do my front wishbones.

Is there a 'correct' way to line them up to the subframe? Took me hours!

How much did they cost each, I hear you ask? More than the cars worth (almost).

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:54 pm

Yes, You should have undone the top mounts of strut (under bonnet) and lower bolts to take ALL stress off the suspension.

that's how I do it.

pol · Post by **pol** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:57 pm

What were you doing man? You didn't leave them attached to the hub and strut did you? If so, i'm not surprised! As mr Holmes says... Tis a piece of pee with the rest removed... Unless you were actuall fitting an exhaust pipe where the wishbone should be?

pol

JohnTurbo · Post by **JohnTurbo** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:54 pm

Lol. I did mine in an hour a side, and that included the time taken to prize out/squeeze in new bushes.

I fastened in the bones, and prised them down with the jack handle. Held them down with one knee, then slotted the bottom ball joint into the slot with my hands.

Richmann1 · Post by **Richmann1** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 9:09 pm

I agree should be able to do them an hour aside even with rusted bolts. You just need to use abit more muscle suddy and by some manly tools ie hammer and crowbar

,

Rich

Big Brother · Post by **Big Brother** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 9:12 pm

I'm sure this is making suddy feel so much better

stu chacks · Post by **stu chacks** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:21 pm

I did the bushes on the ES a cple of years back and took me more than an hour (but less than a day!) if that makes you feel any better Suddy. Biggest job was getting the old bushes out, bench vice and hacksaw came in handy!

When refitting, I got Sue to line up the holes using a spade under the wishbone for a lever, while I popped the bolts in, worked a treat. Think the bushes were Ã‚Â£11each from Volvo.

Stu.

Van · Post by **Van** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 9:32 am

The rubber bushes of my front wishbones are worn out and need to be replaced. One Volvo specialist suggested replacing the entire wishbones as taking out and replacing the bushes would be very labour intensive.

How did you guys do it? Can someone post a step by step guide please? How to squeeze in the new rubber?

JohnTurbo · Post by **JohnTurbo** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 3:37 pm

Van...

I replaced my bushes and found it very easy.

Once wishbones are off:-

1) I hammered a big screwdriver between the bush and the wishbone, and prized it out in one easy satisfying movement...this totally knackered the bush, but who cares?

2) I chamfered the lugs of the new bushes, as per vadis instruction, and lined them up.

3) Got the bust started pushing it in with my palms, then finished the job with a vice, alternating from one side to the other (the bush has a slpit plastic ring round the outside in two halves.

Its really not that bad.

Van · Post by **Van** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 9:15 pm

Thanks John.
Are there any issues with removing the wishbones?

JohnTurbo · Post by **JohnTurbo** » Sun Oct 14, 2007 10:12 pm

Rust can make the inboard bolts very tricky.

Make sure you have a good quality 1/2" drive breaker bar and 6 point sockets. Easing and releasing oil helps too!!

Van · Post by **Van** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:22 pm

What do you mean with "vadis instruction"?

JohnTurbo · Post by **JohnTurbo** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:15 pm

VADIS is Volvo's own workshop manual (on computer).

Read this thread:-

http://volvo480.dragons.org.uk/forum/vi ... 76&start=0

pol · Post by **pol** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:45 pm

I did my own bushes but it wasn't easy. No where near as easy as tickle them with a screwdriver then start them off by hand!

I resorted to a blowtorch to get them out and bought a huge vice to press them in. Even then its difficult getting them lined up... All went fine, but if i'd know how cheap replacement wishbones with bushes included were, i'd probably have bought them.

pol

JohnTurbo · Post by **JohnTurbo** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 5:11 pm

yeah, ok i made it sound easier than it was possibly. But i was expecting it to be worse than it was anyway. The choice is upto you.

A big vice attached to a steady bench is a minumum.

The more buggered your old bushes are, the easier they are to remove too.

Van · Post by **Van** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 7:42 am

If I start a job, I need to know I will be able to finish it. From where I live it's not easy to get parts without a car, and I need it for work.

pol, someone had suggested to me replacing the wishbones complete with new. I wouldn't say they are cheap at Ã¢â€šÂ¬ 75,- each + tax. The 4 bushes would cost like Ã¢â€šÂ¬50,- + tax so the difference is 2.5 hours of labour.

pol · Post by **pol** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 10:57 am

That sounds about the same as UK prices... It's very do-able so long as you have a hefty vice and a good selection of washers and pipes / sockets to drive the old ones in / out..

Good luck!

pol

Van · Post by **Van** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:14 pm

I feared not being up to the job and had the rubbers replaced by the workshop. Together with a service and yearly safety check -equivalent to the mot- this set me back quite a lot of money. But I'm street legal for another year.

Next on schedule is the time belt, it's 6 years old in 2008.