Fitting ARB bushes

[Jozi]

Is there a certain way to do this as pushing the bush in to the metal bracket by hand is impossible, standing on it didn't help much either Both the bracket and bush are brand new and the correct ones for the size of the touring arb.

[Duke137]

It's a bastard of a job! I used mold-grips to squeeze them down and then managed to bolt it all up. Got to do it again soon and not looking forward to it!

[MrBenn]

Yeah its a pig of a job, think I used a bottle jack under it and a slightly longer bolt.

[capri_rob]

It's a bastard of a job! I used mold-grips to squeeze them down and then managed to bolt it all up. Got to do it again soon and not looking forward to it!

Is the subframe on the car ?

If not fit it up even temporaily so you have something to push against.

I used the molegrips method - its bloody hard work though.

[Jozi]

It's all of the car at the min, couple mins to re-fit. Once it's on will it come of again as well? I need the bushes on to test fit something.

It's quite normal then that they put up a fight! Would some lube help and if so what kind of lube that doesn't do anything to the rubber?

[Duke137]

It's a bastard of a job! I used mold-grips to squeeze them down and then managed to bolt it all up. Got to do it again soon and not looking forward to it!

Is the subframe on the car ?

If not fit it up even temporaily so you have something to push against.

I used the molegrips method - its bloody hard work though.

Sorry should have said, no mine wasn't I did it on the bench and used a vice to steady it all too

[capri_rob]

Tyre soap apparently is the stuff to use although the peasants amongst us would just use fairy liquid.

Definately easier to do On the car as you can push upwards against the weight of the car without it moving.

You only need to bolt the subframe up ( probably the 2 front bolts will do to hold it in place )

You can then remove the subframe with the ARB attached once you've got the clamps bolted up.

[mcbonio]

Mine ARB bushes came with a sachet of lube, I just lubed the bush up, slipped it into the metal bracket and then held the bracket to the car with mould grips so I could get the bolt in.

Took all of 2 minutes, one of the easiest jobs i've ever done.

[Jozi]

I've got some red rubber grease, wonder would that be better than using normal grease? No sachet with my bushes unfortunately.

[Duke137]

You need to lube the bush really, no point pushing it in dry

[Grrrmachine]

Did this last month:

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... g_Rear_ARB

I used MOLE* grips, just like others. The bushes fit over the bar easily enough, then you offer it up, slip the tab of the shell into the mounting hole on the car, then use mole grips to pull the shell down over the bush while you bolt it all in place. Fiddly, but not that much of a challenge.



*mold? mould? have you guys got colds or something?

[mcbonio]

Grease that bad boy right up, slip it over the sway bar, get the metal bracket in position, slip the bush in with the bar and clamp it down with some mouldies. Bolt it, done.

You have got the droplink unbolted haven't you? This will make things much easier.

[Jozi]

Everything is of the car at the min, I was re-fitting because I'm making up a mount on the strut (like the M3) for the drop links but couldn't get the bushes in place. I'm just waiting on new adjustable links


Grrr, do you want me to take some pics for a write up? I have all parts here to show how the original bush and links go on the car for the front ARB.

[Aero1]

I had the same problem with mine mate, I got them into the bracket no problem but getting the clamp to close and bolt up proved to be near on impossible so I concluded that I must have bought the wrong bushes and ended up refitting the old ones until I sorted it out, but after having read all these posts I'll have to give them another try.

[e30topless]

WD40 the turd,

they really are a bad design sometimes they go straight up, and sometimes it's a fight.. esp with new brackets

[Jozi]

I think wd40 makes the rubber swell, might not be so noticable with the big chunks of rubber that they are but I noticed it with the boots that go over the slider pins on callipers after I cleaned them

[Grrrmachine]

Grrr, do you want me to take some pics for a write up? I have all parts here to show how the original bush and links go on the car for the front ARB.

Front ARB pics would be awesome

[capri_rob]

This one that came off my Touring

[Jozi]

Grrr, do you want me to take some pics for a write up? I have all parts here to show how the original bush and links go on the car for the front ARB.

Front ARB pics would be awesome

I'll get it sorted an email/pm you the pics