Front Trailing arm bush replacement

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Buz

Buz

Active Member
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766
I have a 1987 LR90, last December it had an advisory with 'Front Trailing arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)'
I've had a look on here and par for course (for me at least) i've failed to find a thread about replacing these!
Does anyone know if one exists?
Is this a job I can have a go at on my own using axle stands and a decent socket set or is it really beyond a novice with not a lot of knowledge?
What parts are best replaced when doing this?
Basically, any info you can give me the better.

The alternative is to pay a mate to do it but i'm thinking I should start doing stuff myself
 
I'm guessing front trailing arms are actually radius arms ... But Yeah, easy ish, but heavy and awkward job .. hardest is getting the new axle end bushes pressed in .. I've used a mate's press which makes it dead easy, but I've also used a vice and big hammers which is way, by a long way, harder to do! Using Polybushes is supposed to be very easy ... Don't just replace one, do them as a pair, but take one off at a time to make it a bit easier.

Jack up and position the front axle on jack stands, leaving room to undo all the bolts. Undo the two at the front first so the arm can relax down, then undo the rear nut so you can then pull the whole arm forward.

After getting the old bushes out and replacing the old front bushes, put on the washer and front side bush at the rear and slot it into the chassis mount, add the rear bush washer and nut and loosely tighten so it is easily moveable .. you need to jiggle the front about to line the holes up, but if you have a trolley jack you can use that to slowly lift the front up, whilst tapping the mounts with a hammer to coax them into place, bolt and nut through, tighten them all up to torque (can't remember what it is but it's in Haynes I guess), job's a good 'un Repeat the other side .. ;)

How I get the old bushes out .. ;)

 
Thanks Paul, i have a local garage who will knock the old bushes out for the cost of a couple of pints so may take both of them off and get them to do that.
As you say poly bushes are available that are an easier fit than pressing in the new rubber bushes, so may go for those as well.
 
Poly can be a a bit hard, genuine LR ones only cost £8 each and they last for quite a while and are at least supple.
 
The reason I say to do them singly is that the one left on holds the axle in the correct attitude for re-fitting. Take both off and the axle _will_ move a bit making it quite a lot more awkward, especially if you're working on your own, one hand to push it back into the chassis fitting, one hand to lift it into the axle fitting, one hand to twist the axle so it will fit and another hand to slot a bolt in ... ;)
 
Thanks guys, i may have to have a rethink then but it does sound do-able for me :)
 
Pay close attention to the bolt holes in the axle bracket, they can go slightly oval allowing the new bolts to move around giving worn bush type symptoms.
Try the new bolts in the bracket after you've removed the arm and you will spot if they are worn.
 
Good point Flossie .. ;)

If they are oval, so long as you have a welder, or a mate with one, you can weld a large washer of the correct inner diameter onto the outside of the bracket, each side, to take out the ovality ..
 
Paul D said:
Good point Flossie .. ;)

If they are oval, so long as you have a welder, or a mate with one, you can weld a large washer of the correct inner diameter onto the outside of the bracket, each side, to take out the ovality ..
Click to expand...
Hmmm... Maybe? I've done all of mine and if i did that the bolts would be too short with not enough thread showing. LR have a plate either side just tack welded on, a bit of grinding and a thin chisel soon has them off, then just weld new ones on.
 
Dunno, it was a tip someone gave me .. but mine were/are fine .. ;)
 
Hammer and chisel is the best way with most old seized nuts, nuts should be renewed anyway, nylocks.
And when you have reassembled the arm with the new bushes and nuts, let the vehicle down on the road before tightening the nuts finally!
 
Yes, one at a time is the way to go. Even so, I found I needed to waggle the axle around to get the holes to line up. But at least it is easier with one side attached so it can't migrate too far. You need to get the track rod and anti roll bar out of the way to get them out too. For me the toughest thing was the 20 mm nuts on the end that goes in the chassis. I was glad I had an impact wrench with 610 nm of torque. Even so I had to wind them back and forth with the impact wrench before they would unscrew completely.
 
I will add to my earlier post now I've remembered... When the axle bracket holes go oval the bolt shanks wear a groove in them which can make the bolts difficult to knock out.
Darn near impossible if the steel inner bush sleeve has rusted solid to the bolt!
When this happens you are trying to knock a 20mm bolt through a 18mm hole! It's no fun.
I had all this with my two front ones earlier this year.
I found a 9" grinder with a thin disc would just go between the bracket and bush and cut the bolt through.
The first bolt took around 3 hrs to get out and when I discovered the others were the same I came up with the grinder idea- 5 mins for each bolt after that but that's when I discovered all my holes were ovaled!
Use a 4 1/2" grinder to break though one of the tacks on the plates and knock them off the rest of the way with a cold chisel and lump hammer.
It's one of them jobs that can go really wrong if your unlucky like I was.
Getting the old bush out and the new one in was a breeze in comparison.
As said, do one side at a time or the axle flops around alot.
I seem to recall having to remove some of the steering arms as well, to make room to get the big grinder in.
A pita job that saw me off the road for 3 days but the handling was transformed so worth it.
 
As said by others, not a difficult job on the whole. Getting the old ones out/new ones in was the hardest part for me, so I bought a press :D
If you're anywhere near me I don't mind getting old out/pressing new in for you.
 
Don't fit polys, they don't have the same play as originals , Ive seen broken brackets due to polys being fitted.
 
i prefer fitting polys ,and ive fitted quite a few,no problems yet , a local farmers fleet ,all towing with a train weight of 6 tons have been running britpat yellow bushes for the last 4 years , but only ever by the 2 piece bush never he single cotton reel type poly
 
Had polybushes on two series, and my 90. Not had any problems with them at all.
My friends drove a polybushed series London to Cape Town, no problems with the suspension at all, though the drivetrain broke a few times on route!
 
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