B2 ARB Link bushes - Page 2

PoloGaz · 12-04-14, 03:49 PM

They are 3rd party rubber replacements I guess. I'm attemping to fit them without the metal insert. Maybe I will have more luck with it.

msh · 13-04-14, 07:29 AM

With it you most likely will have no chance at all.

Roger Galvin · 13-04-14, 07:56 AM

The new parts appear to be correct, the upper link bushes will look substantially different to the old perished and stretched items that you have taken off. A bit of grease, a blunt (big) screwdriver and vice and a lot of shoulder are required. It is almost impossible to do this with the ARB on the car so take it off. Lock it in a vice (or get somone else to hang on to it) while you push the bushes in. Locate the thin slot in the bush into the ring and then gradually force the rest of the bush into the circular hole. I tend to hang onto the bush with my left hand whilst shoving the blunt screwdriver located in the thin slot with my right. Considerable force is required.

Please be careful, stabbing your hand should the screwdriver slip is very painful.

PoloGaz · 13-04-14, 06:11 PM

thanks for your help. The arb's already in the vice.

hezza70 · 13-04-14, 06:25 PM

i've just fitted a pair of these very same links to my b2 and as everyone else is saying a blunt screwdriver and brute force is the way but when you've got them in the thread seems too short to get washer and nut on so i had to jack the suspension and bar the arb down lots more swearing!

PoloGaz · 13-04-14, 07:39 PM

Should the washers curve away from or into the bushes? Experience on polos says they should curve away, which may help with clearance too?

hezza70 · 14-04-14, 01:55 PM

the washers curve over the bush hope this helps still hard to get on

Roger Galvin · 15-04-14, 07:34 AM

The washers should curve away from the bush so that they compress the centre, as you initially thought. Hezz70 is wrong on this point.

PoloGaz · 25-05-14, 04:38 PM

Thanks everyone for your help. I finally managed to do these today! I haven't been trying for all that time (honest) I got distracted working on my B4 cabriolet. Anyway. I blunted an old screwdriver so the end was a dome shape, cable tied the bush to the arb loosely, then (with the help of some grease) I was able to push the bush into position by using the domed screwdriver on the grove in the bush. Worked a treat!

I had a slight problem after that getting the sleeves in, but was able to sort this by making a dome shaped thing again, this time using an M8 allen headed bolt with the bush on it.

So It's all assembled and ready to go back on the car...but I won't be fitting it for a while. Putting a 7A engine in first.

13-04-14, 07:56 AM	#13
Roger Galvin Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 239	The new parts appear to be correct, the upper link bushes will look substantially different to the old perished and stretched items that you have taken off. A bit of grease, a blunt (big) screwdriver and vice and a lot of shoulder are required. It is almost impossible to do this with the ARB on the car so take it off. Lock it in a vice (or get somone else to hang on to it) while you push the bushes in. Locate the thin slot in the bush into the ring and then gradually force the rest of the bush into the circular hole. I tend to hang onto the bush with my left hand whilst shoving the blunt screwdriver located in the thin slot with my right. Considerable force is required. Please be careful, stabbing your hand should the screwdriver slip is very painful. __________________ Roger Galvin Chairman & Technical Secretary, qOC quattro Workshop

15-04-14, 07:34 AM	#18
Roger Galvin Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 239	The washers should curve away from the bush so that they compress the centre, as you initially thought. Hezz70 is wrong on this point. __________________ Roger Galvin Chairman & Technical Secretary, qOC quattro Workshop

12-04-14, 03:49 PM	#11
PoloGaz Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Manchester Posts: 362	They are 3rd party rubber replacements I guess. I'm attemping to fit them without the metal insert. Maybe I will have more luck with it.

13-04-14, 07:29 AM	#12
msh 4 ring whore! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Rucava, Latvija Posts: 3,816	With it you most likely will have no chance at all.

13-04-14, 06:11 PM	#14
PoloGaz Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Manchester Posts: 362	thanks for your help. The arb's already in the vice.

13-04-14, 06:25 PM	#15
hezza70 Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 37	i've just fitted a pair of these very same links to my b2 and as everyone else is saying a blunt screwdriver and brute force is the way but when you've got them in the thread seems too short to get washer and nut on so i had to jack the suspension and bar the arb down lots more swearing!

13-04-14, 07:39 PM	#16
PoloGaz Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Manchester Posts: 362	Should the washers curve away from or into the bushes? Experience on polos says they should curve away, which may help with clearance too?

14-04-14, 01:55 PM	#17
hezza70 Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 37	the washers curve over the bush hope this helps still hard to get on

25-05-14, 04:38 PM	#19
PoloGaz Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Manchester Posts: 362	Thanks everyone for your help. I finally managed to do these today! I haven't been trying for all that time (honest) I got distracted working on my B4 cabriolet. Anyway. I blunted an old screwdriver so the end was a dome shape, cable tied the bush to the arb loosely, then (with the help of some grease) I was able to push the bush into position by using the domed screwdriver on the grove in the bush. Worked a treat! I had a slight problem after that getting the sleeves in, but was able to sort this by making a dome shaped thing again, this time using an M8 allen headed bolt with the bush on it. So It's all assembled and ready to go back on the car...but I won't be fitting it for a while. Putting a 7A engine in first.