Irishrover
Well-Known Member
Bit the bullet just over a week ago and replaced both rear shocks and Polybushed all the rear suspension links on my '02, TD4.
Luckily, I had access tho a four poster ramp (Thanks Gwylim !!) and without it, it would have been a damn sight more difficult with the car on floor ramps or axle stands and me lying on my back.
Here are a few tips on preparation including tools and parts required before the job is started and snags which to expect.
Tools:
Torque wrench, good, long breaker bar, metric socket set (1/2" and preferably 3/4" for the hub nut), Plus Gas, good blowtorch/blowlamp, brake bleeding kit and hose clamps, hacksaw, hammer and cold chisel,brake flaring kit & bender, flapwheel and electric drill, tea sugar & milk.
Parts used:
1 pr. Shocks (Delphi), Set Polybushes, 2-hub nuts, 2-long M12 bolts & nuts which secure both links to the hub, approx. 3ft-3/16" brake pipe, 4-M10X1.00mm pitch short male 3/16 brake nuts, silicon grease.
Firstly, slackened the rear hub nuts off, didn't bother with a breaker bar, used a 3/4 drive socket, T bar and a long length of tube-easy peasy!! with the car in the air but supported on the fixed rails allowing the wheels to be removed and the suspension unloaded, clamped the brake hoses and undid the solid brake pipes to the hoses and brake cylinders-the nuts were rusted onto the pipe and the pipe cut through at the nuts. Removed the ABS sensor cables at the connectors and all bolts & nuts securing the links to the chassis. Removed brake drums and brake shoes, released handbrake cables from backplates. Removed bolts securing hub to shock and slid L.H. hub off drive shaft complete with links attached. The R.H. hub was solid on the drive shaft and used a 3 leg puller to shift it.
Kept L.H. & R.H. assemblies separate.
With the hub in the vice, removed the four backplate to hub bolts (Tight) and the ABS sensor/cable. Moved the backplate as close to the wheel studs as possible. The next bit is the worst part of the job
removed the nut on the long bolt securing the two links to the hub and the bolt was seized solid in both bushes and the lugs on the hub. Set the rubber alight with an oxy acetylene torch and when melted removed the links. Had to heat up the steel bush inner(nut end) in order to remove, followed by the two lugs on the hub before the bolt could be driven out..it was the same for the other side. Sliding the backplate away gives more clearance to remove the trailing link nut to the hub.
Set the rest of the rubber bushes alight and knocked rubber cores out Sawed part through the steel sleeves and used chisel to drift them out. Cleaned up bores with flapwheel.
Ran 12mm reamer through lugs on hub-where long bolt passes through, to clean out rust..The bolt holes are NOT usual clearance, they are reamed and this is why they are a pain to remove when once a bit of rust has got to them !!
The rest of the job went straightforward, replaced the brake pipes and bled. Copper greased all bolts etc. before reassembly and tightened the link bots to final torque with weight of car on suspension.
The ride has been transformed even though none of the original bushes were split or damaged, it handles better and the ride is not "Hard". The job took 2 days including all oils changed and a UJ on the rear propshaft.
Any questions or comments...just shout up
Luckily, I had access tho a four poster ramp (Thanks Gwylim !!) and without it, it would have been a damn sight more difficult with the car on floor ramps or axle stands and me lying on my back.
Here are a few tips on preparation including tools and parts required before the job is started and snags which to expect.
Tools:
Torque wrench, good, long breaker bar, metric socket set (1/2" and preferably 3/4" for the hub nut), Plus Gas, good blowtorch/blowlamp, brake bleeding kit and hose clamps, hacksaw, hammer and cold chisel,brake flaring kit & bender, flapwheel and electric drill, tea sugar & milk.
Parts used:
1 pr. Shocks (Delphi), Set Polybushes, 2-hub nuts, 2-long M12 bolts & nuts which secure both links to the hub, approx. 3ft-3/16" brake pipe, 4-M10X1.00mm pitch short male 3/16 brake nuts, silicon grease.
Firstly, slackened the rear hub nuts off, didn't bother with a breaker bar, used a 3/4 drive socket, T bar and a long length of tube-easy peasy!! with the car in the air but supported on the fixed rails allowing the wheels to be removed and the suspension unloaded, clamped the brake hoses and undid the solid brake pipes to the hoses and brake cylinders-the nuts were rusted onto the pipe and the pipe cut through at the nuts. Removed the ABS sensor cables at the connectors and all bolts & nuts securing the links to the chassis. Removed brake drums and brake shoes, released handbrake cables from backplates. Removed bolts securing hub to shock and slid L.H. hub off drive shaft complete with links attached. The R.H. hub was solid on the drive shaft and used a 3 leg puller to shift it.
Kept L.H. & R.H. assemblies separate.
With the hub in the vice, removed the four backplate to hub bolts (Tight) and the ABS sensor/cable. Moved the backplate as close to the wheel studs as possible. The next bit is the worst part of the job
removed the nut on the long bolt securing the two links to the hub and the bolt was seized solid in both bushes and the lugs on the hub. Set the rubber alight with an oxy acetylene torch and when melted removed the links. Had to heat up the steel bush inner(nut end) in order to remove, followed by the two lugs on the hub before the bolt could be driven out..it was the same for the other side. Sliding the backplate away gives more clearance to remove the trailing link nut to the hub. Set the rest of the rubber bushes alight and knocked rubber cores out Sawed part through the steel sleeves and used chisel to drift them out. Cleaned up bores with flapwheel.
Ran 12mm reamer through lugs on hub-where long bolt passes through, to clean out rust..The bolt holes are NOT usual clearance, they are reamed and this is why they are a pain to remove when once a bit of rust has got to them !!
The rest of the job went straightforward, replaced the brake pipes and bled. Copper greased all bolts etc. before reassembly and tightened the link bots to final torque with weight of car on suspension.
The ride has been transformed even though none of the original bushes were split or damaged, it handles better and the ride is not "Hard". The job took 2 days including all oils changed and a UJ on the rear propshaft.
Any questions or comments...just shout up
