Wishbone removal

[Jimmy_GTT]

I'm stuck.

I have a spare subframe with wishbones and I wanted to swap mine because of the wheel hop preoblem I have.
So 3 screws came out in 3 minutes, but the 4th one...
The nut came off easily but the bolt won't move.
I have spent 2-3 hours. Hammering a lot. Even tried to use a spring compressor to press it out. No luck.
I want to save both the frame and the wishbone. And originally wanted to save the bush as well.
So please, tell me how to go on?

[Ian S]

You could try putting the other bolt back into it's hole so as to keep the wishbone from twisting some load onto the stuck bolt.

Do they have PlusGas over where you are?
http://www.plusgas.co.uk/about-plusgas/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/English-Abr.../dp/B0001P02RA
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/lubricants/0691117/

[Alex]

Heat. And a bigger hammer

Ps I would replace the bushes as they're cheap and it's the perfect time to do it.

[Jimmy_GTT]

Heat. And a bigger hammer

Ps I would replace the bushes as they're cheap and it's the perfect time to do it.

Question is if I should go anb buy polies or try to search for oems.
Renault doesn't sell them anymore but I've seen them on ebay.
And what is strange that by dialogys 3 of the 4 are the same but one is different. The left rear. (At least for a left hand drive car.)

What is the procedure of replacing the bushes?

[Matt Cole]

Poly bushes make a big difference, certainly tighten the geometry.

To replace, burn the old bushes out with oxycetelyne or similar. Press the new in with a vice and socket.

[Jimmy_GTT]

Thanks!
Last question. Which one?
What about the superflex set offered by Mike?

[Matt Cole]

Powerflex appear to be the recommended choice. Never used superflex.

[Ian S]

To replace, burn the old bushes out

The front wishbone bushes are a metal outer tube, pressed into the wishbone. Metal inner tube around the bolt, and a middle metal tube. Rubber between outer / middle and middle / inner. They should be pushed out, probably need a press. I don't recall how mine were removed, maybe I took them to someone with a press who uses a very large socket and rods, etc..

I used poly bushes from Rally Design, who may now be defunct. PowerFlex were always a lot more expensive and I never found anyone who knew if they were any better. Except they claimed to use stainless metal tubes so they shouldn't rust on.

[Matt Cole]

In an ideal world, yes pressing them out would be best. What you will find is them pretty much rusted in. The outer tube is thin walled so getting suitable face to face contact is difficult.

[Ian S]

I just had a fragment of partial memory of me pushing mine out using my bench vice and winding each bush at a time into a large enough socket.

To push through the last few mm, probably used a suitable smaller socket that would fit through the wishbone hole.

[Jimmy_GTT]

The front wishbone bushes are a metal outer tube, pressed into the wishbone. Metal inner tube around the bolt, and a middle metal tube. Rubber between outer / middle and middle / inner. They should be pushed out, probably need a press. I don't recall how mine were removed, maybe I took them to someone with a press who uses a very large socket and rods, etc..

I used poly bushes from Rally Design, who may now be defunct. PowerFlex were always a lot more expensive and I never found anyone who knew if they were any better. Except they claimed to use stainless metal tubes so they shouldn't rust on.

In dialogys the left front and both right bushes are this style. 3 metal tubes with 2 rubbers in between. And only the left rear is 2 tubes 1 fat rubber.
In my car the left bushes are the 3-2 style bot rights are 2-1.

If I go for the polies (maybe superflex) shall I press out the complete bushes or do I have to leave the outer metal tubes in place?

[Ian S]

Press out the complete bushes.

I seem to recall that I pressed in the poly bushes with the bench vice. My nearly sold red coloured bushes from Rally Design didn't squash much but I expect the Superflex and Powerflex will be easy to fit.