UKSaabs

johno,you couldnt do me a favor and let me know the length and diameter of the tool you used,and also the length of screwed rod you used,think ill have to do mine soon,and may be able to make one up in my work

Good write up Johno , call them bushes and a puller though, titchy compared to the E39's d

redrocket wrote: broke my bush tool as well

I hope you had a plaster big enough matey!

Right, update time again.

Good old uncle Nev sent me these.
Cheers matey, youve been a massive help & I hope you got the cheque ok.





So time to set about removing the failed one on the N/S/ rear traling arm.



I was not looking forward to doing this job at all, but the old bush was so worn it just fell out so no need to use a bush puller tool on this side.
First job was to remove the three 18mm bolts that hold the mounting plate to the floor of the car. They needed cracking with Mr Big breaker bar first but came out ok.
Then remove the rear shock bottom bolt, the handbrake cable & the rubber cable hanger thing.










& then undo the 10mm nut that holds the brake pipe & handbrake cable bracket to the trailing arm.



I did read somewhere that the rear ARB mounting/link arm needs to come off but I managed ok with it left in place.

Once thats done the arm can be pulled down & the bush nut & bolt can be undone.





Heres the hole in the floor where it all bolts up to.



& the bush that just fell out!



This just left me with the metal sleeve in the trailing arm.



Which I cut with a saw with the blade fitted upside down.







Quick wiggle & it also fell out.





Quick splash of paint & some copper slip.



& the new Powerflex bush was fitted.





Then the mounting plate was refitted, I havent painted the outside of this yet as I needed to see the marks left by the bolts to get it mounted in the right place.



Bit more paint to posh things up & the jobs done...Well on the one side anyhow!



Now I dont think the O/S bush is going to be so easy, so I'll post some more pics tomorrow with the bush puller tool being used.

[quick edit due to photobucket not resizing my pics, bit smaller now but still chubby massive!]

If ever your in need of workshop facilities in the future johno drop me a line...

I know its a bit of a trek as a round trip but on Saturday mornings it's possible for me to stay over at work as the weekend shift are in and I can use a corner of the workshop to do stuff on my car..

And we have a press

And air tools

And a nice flat floor


Worth a thought for the future perhaps....

Cheers Steve, you are a star mate.
A decent garage would be a massive help & air tools......Sex on a shelf that!
Have to be honest, even with the fantastic weather yesterday crawling around on my back on a stone drive wasnt much fun.
Need to get some cash sorted to get my drive done, the whole front of the house needs a make over as you know, I keep finding stones in my pants!

Right, Im off outside to sort the other bush, I need to get the rear end off the ground to keep the suspension level (ish) so I can get all six 18mm bolts back in the correct place, the three on the N/S were only done up finger tight last night so the mounting plate needs moving to the correct position, thought I would do the two at the same time today.....Just making work for myself really!

Wow Johno, nice job there.

Csaab, could you tell me where I might buy the toolset myself (and am I right in thinking that this tool is also suitable for Vauxhall Vectras as it was the only one I could find.

Vauxhal Vectra kit is what you want matey.

Heres the Sealey one. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEALEY-VS721-VAUXHALL-VECTRA-BUSH-REMOVAL-INSTALL-TOOL-/260574707736?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cab768018

& the Laser one. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LASER-3800-REAR-SUSP-BUSH-REMOVAL-TOOL-VAUXHALL-VECTRA-/200402128910?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item2ea8e5d00e

All around the fifty quid mark on Ebay, but when I asked about them at our local tool shop theirs was just shy of £200!

Much to my supprise I didnt need the puller tool on the drivers side arm, this bush just fell out too.
Weird as there wasnt any play in the trailing arm what so ever.
So 12 quid spent on this was a waste of money!



Well, I did find a use for it, but only as monkey boy has lost all my G clamps & I was having a bit of trouble getting the bush nut undone.



So it did come in handy to clamp the mounting plate to the arm making it eaiser to undo the nut.
& in true Johno style I broke something!





Easy enough to put that right, once I had found my drill!

So heres another very loose bush!





Same as the other side, cut the sleeve with the upside down saw, paint & lube the arm & fit the new bush.





All done & the broken stud issue was sorted by drilling the old one out & fitting a 10mm nut & bolt to hold the brake pipe bracket in place.

So there you have it, all the rear bushes changed by a numptie!
Many thanks to Carl (csaab) for the loan of his tool, Nev for the new powerflex bushes & Si for the Koni springs & shocks.
Lovely jubbly!



Now then, what can I play with next?

johno wrote:Vauxhal Vectra kit is what you want matey.

Heres the Sealey one. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEALEY-VS721-VAUXHALL-VECTRA-BUSH-REMOVAL-INSTALL-TOOL-/260574707736?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cab768018

& the Laser one. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LASER-3800-REAR-SUSP-BUSH-REMOVAL-TOOL-VAUXHALL-VECTRA-/200402128910?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item2ea8e5d00e

All around the fifty quid mark on Ebay, but when I asked about them at our local tool shop theirs was just shy of £200!

Thanks Johno, just bought the Sealey one, I should be well fixed when I come to change my back end

Nice one Mr Mason Sir.
I think the one I borrowed from Carl was the Sealey kit, the Sealey threaded bar has a much finer thread than the Laser one.
It means many more turns with the spanners but thats a good thing really when pulling bushes I rekon.

Good job johno and thanks for the instructions. Another printout for my maintenance file I think.

This is a really helpful thread , thanks to all . I've just had an MOT fail because of these bushes , and I'm going to try my local GM mechanics for the bush extractor/fitter . I'll let you know how I get on . If anyone thinks I'm barking up the wrong tree PLEASE let me know. The pattern parts are common with Vectra however.

johnbutler wrote:If anyone thinks I'm barking up the wrong tree PLEASE let me know. The pattern parts are common with Vectra however.

You are barking up the right tree John, Vectra rear arms & bushes are the same.
Any decent GM/Vauxhal mechanic should have a set of push pullers in his toolbox.
All the best & good luck with this job matey.

Job done ! I bought the Sealey Tool ( VS 720 or 721 ; 720 is a bit cheaper & is OK ). The secret is to use lots of oil ( 3in1 or similar ) on the the threaded bar , nut and washer. My car is a '98 and so the old bushes were well set. I used a breaker bar and deep socket for more "feel" and control , and slacked back occasionally to be sure everything was pulling straight . A couple of sharp raps with a hammer on the arm itself seemed to get the job moving. Hope this helps someone .

good write up there fella...guess i know whats next for mine!!

Got these to do on my car............ ''Censored'' my old tyre up on the passenger side and i hope it doesnt do the same with the new wheel's i've got on........... managed to get my bushes through work (Lemforder Bush which is oe quality, quite possibly oe on them) and i think cost price to me is £5 each + vat.......... thought sod that and booked them as test parts for the technical department now to get them fitted.............

where can i buy decent rose bushes to? i have trolled ebay but i only get the cheap ones

solheim wrote:where can i buy decent rose bushes to? i have trolled ebay but i only get the cheap ones

Got mine from PFS but I think Eurocarparts or GSF can supply - have a look at Karl's recent post.
I broke my tool last weekend and that was on the first one - bought myself a couple of large 12mm mild steel bolts from B&Q as a replacement.

Saab/vaux dealers will do genuine oem.
Euro car parts do lemforder ones I think, which although I've heard no reviews specifically of their rose bushes, they look decent and as a brand are generally good.

I'll probably be putting the lemforders on mine next month - I'm getting an odd knock at the rear, I'm guessing it's these (big trailing arm ones already been poly'd) and I'm guessing it'll fail it's mot on them

Mike9000Aero wrote:I broke my tool last weekend and that was on the first one - bought myself a couple of large 12mm mild steel bolts from B&Q as a replacement.

Useful info mike, I'm thinking of just buying bolts/washers/metal tube to improvise a tool rather than fork out for the real thing