ThaboTheWuff

So using a regular spring compressor that I can rent from Auto Zone and the like will not work. I really need to get a Bentley don't I!

silverd2

I found nothing that even came close at AutoZone. To be any real help, you need a clam-shell compressor that slides over coils from the outside, with the compressing shaft to one side, like the VAG 1752 ($2400...see drawing)....or similar design...they can be had cheaper, but not "cheap".

...and yes, any home mechanic needs the best manual available. For our cars, Bentley is it. I never take on ANY repair without it...even ones I have to invent or decide to alter.

Here's the cheapest I've ever seen it (and good people to deal with) >>>

http://www.partsgeek.com/1tzwlhs-aud...ir-manual.html

ThaboTheWuff

Ok found this thread and think of fixing just the offending busing (2.5 years later)

So .... would it be possible to just undo the outer nut and bolt, on the busing that is worn, somehow raise it up and press out the busing without taking it out completely assuming one could squeeze in a press somehow and push the shock up ?

I know I'm looking for a shortcut but as I said before I really want to spend the min of her as she's pretty much worth $1-2k tops (but she still runs great with oil leaks and suspension woes) and taking her to a mechanic and paying $500 for the job is not worth it from a money point of view, to me anyway

Perhaps there are more drastic, creative ideas such as filling the offending gap with sometime of quick drying rubber, goo?

BrianC72gt

First, pry open your wallet and buy the new bushing. Then, figure out which end is tapered ever so slightly smaller than the other. A cheapo harbor freight digital caliper should do the job. You'll want to get a short piece of pipe or tubing that will slip over the outside of the bushing.

Assuming you can lower that one arm to gain access to the bushing, slide through a foot long bolt or threaded rod. On the skinny side of the bushing you're going to place a socket or heavy washer which is exactly the size of the bushing or ever so slightly smaller. On top of that you're going to put a big fender washer and a nut or two. That's the end you're going to pull through the arm and out the other side.

On the fat side of the bushing, you've got your piece of pipe about 4 inches long which slides over the fat end of the bushing. On this end, top the threaded rod off with a couple of heavy fender washers larger than the pipe diameter, and a long nut, sometimes called a standoff. crank it out from this side. The long nut spreads the pulling force over two inches of the threaded rod rather than the height of a standard nut creating less chance of stripping the bolt.

If the skinny end is a bolt head rather than a threaded rod, you can rap it every turn our so to help push the bushing out while the nut pulls it out- light taps- you dont want to tweak the arm. Reverse the process for installation. skinny side goes in and gets pulled through the hole.

If you can pull the arm completely, a machine shop should be able to press out/in the old and new in less time than it takes to read this.