wishbone bushes

tomwinton · Apr 29, 2006

Hi all!

Could do with a bit of advice on this one... I recently acquired a 993 Targa, and the garage has warned me that the wishbone bushes are needing replacement.

From a bit of websearching, it seems that there's two options:

1) replace the entire wishbone assembly.
2) just fit replacement bushes at considerably less part cost.

Would anyone care to explain the pros and cons of these options to a novice? I'm guessing that I could manage the replacement bushes, but changing wishbones leaves me rather more apprehensive... is there a reason I should look at option 1) as preferrable?

Ta

TOm

Pickled Piper · Apr 30, 2006

I've looked into this myself. It's down to the cost for labour at a garage.

If you want to replace just the bushes you will still need to remove wishbone and then take it somewhere for rebushing if you don't have a press.

Personally, I will be changing the whole wishbone. Remember you wil get a 10 to 15% discount on the price of the part from an OPC for being a PCGB member.

pp

tomwinton · Apr 30, 2006

Ah... thought I was going to be able to fit the new bush "in situ"..... optimism's a great thing!!

Thanks PP

TOm

Guest · May 2, 2006

I was also told by an indi that because the replacement bushes are a lot firmer (example here), you'd really have to do the whole car. Don't know how true this is though.

And don't forget, either way you'll need the alignment redoing, something you can't do yourself!

Cheers

Sundeep · May 4, 2006

ORIGINAL: MoC2S

Yes, Tom, most of the 'specialists' say that by the time you have fitted the new bushes, you will have run up sufficient labour charges to nullify any gain. So unless you have access to machine shops at preferential rates .... []

HTH, cheers, Maurice []

indeed, but it's worth going for RS wishbones which are only a few pounds more and are supposed to be 'sharper'

when I got my suspension changed last year I got new wishbones as well as mine were completely dead, pity the garage forget to fit RS wishbones as I had requested

tomwinton · May 4, 2006

Maurice,

You imply that the standard wishbones *do* come with the lower ball joints.... is this the case, or is it more that I should consider doing both together regardless of which type of wishbone I fit?

Ta

TOm

colt · May 4, 2006

If you decide to fit powerflex bushes then you should fit a complete axle set .I.E both bushes to both wishbones, there is no need to fit any other bushes as a matter of course. As regards renewing arms complete geometry included two are cheaper overall than one because of the geometry costs.rs wishbones? why bother when they will become unbonded eventually ,the powerflex bushes will give the same firmness and never come unstuck.

the ball joints never seem to wear out. and also half an rs suspension setup seems a bit pointless.either do it all and get thre rs results otherwise all you've got is some sort of halfway house

just my opinion
regards colt.

Sundeep · May 5, 2006

ORIGINAL: tomwinton

Maurice,

You imply that the standard wishbones *do* come with the lower ball joints.... is this the case, or is it more that I should consider doing both together regardless of which type of wishbone I fit?

Ta

TOm

no, the ball joints are seperate, so always worth changing if you're getting it all done, but add's to the £££.... assuming the parts are available