Suspension Overhaul - Bushes etc.

[RaKeR]

Hey guys,

I'm hopefully going to overhaul the front and rear suspension on my Jetta with some GMax shocks and -40mm springs - I noticed on an advisory from the last MOT and service [previous owner] that the wishbone bushes will need replacing - is it worth me getting the entire new unit or just the bushes and sleeves?  How difficult a job is it to just change the bushes?

Also, I've been advised to get the G60 topmounts to swap out with the originals and new nuts etc - is there anything else you can recommned that I change whilst everything is off the car?

Cheers!

Si.

[rubjonny]

if you're going to do the wishbone bushes, fit poly ones.   for all the effort it takes to fit you may as well go for something better than OEM!
If you don't want to go poly then looking at the OEM bush design I don't think you could fit them yourself, so I'd go for new wishbones in that case.

2 tips for you when fitting the poly bushes, make sure the metal slieves fit in the gap once the old wishbone is off, and use plenty of copper grease when you assemble them or they can creak.  I had to grind the front sleives down a bit before they would go on!

[RaKeR]

Heya matey!   

Poly bushes hard or would just the wishbone bushes be okay on their own? 

Hmmm?

[Veedubgt18v]

it is possible to put wish bone bushes in but ideally u need a press cos if u distort then they will just fail. i have done it but its a right mission tbh. get poly bushes cos they arent much harder to put in and are a lot better.

[AudiA8Quattro]

Its nearly impossible to do o.e wishbone bushes without a press because they have a lip on both ends. If you have done the job you'll know what i mean 

[Veedubgt18v]

yep it is mega hard i made up a sort of press thiing out of some steel plate and threaded rod that squeezed em in but its still well difficult, i used washing up liquid n everything. urethane ones seemed to go in ok, maybe cos they are harder and dont bloody squish so much grrr.......

[RaKeR]

are polys expensive then at all?   

was gonna try and fit the suspension myself see?

[Devon Joe]

I used a big bench vise for mine

To be fair, the inner wishbone bushes (big round ones) werent as hard as i feared- drill lots of smallish holes through the old rubber and pull the centres out, then using a junior hacksaw carefully cut through the bush sleeve and then lever it out of the wishbone. The front ones come out with some 'persuasion'!
Then file down any dings/hacksaw marks and polish the wishbone sockets up, slap a bit of wd40 or persil on the new bushes and fit them using the vice.

If this sounds cowboy, it works 

That said, the OEM bushes are quite soft- wish id gone for polybushes instead..

[RaKeR]

Sorry dudes,

Turns out it's a rear axle bush and not the wishbone bush?  Any easier or will it be part of the new shock that's going on?!

Hmmmm?   

[rubjonny]

The rear bushes are a bit of a mission to do, and fitting OEM ones requires a press really.  But poly ones will just slide in easily, job done.  getting the old ones out is tricky, but its similar to wishbone bushes, drill the rubber, prise out the centre, hacksaw the metal lip then hammer/lever them out.