Help wanted for replacing parts

[Andrew1974]

Hi hopefully someone can help me. I'm after a nearside and off side suspension arm rubber bush. Firstly could someone point in the right direction for which parts I need and where to get them from. Secondly could someone tell me how to replace the bushes? ( Can you just replace the bushes or do you have to replace the whole suspension arm?) My van is mk6 yh52 afo 350 lwb 2.4 l

Thirdly i want to replace the rear shocks. Could someone advise me on which are the shocks I need and where to get them from. Finally could someone please tell me how to replace the rear shocks. Thanks for answering all of my questions, Andrew. You can see my mot advisories on a previous post.

[Thequeenscheese]

eBay and the Haynes manual (from eBay) is your friend..

[v8dave]

There are two bushes in the front arms, which one is the problem.
You can replace just the bushes if your mechanically competent.
If your not then replacing the arm is not something to attempt.

You'll need the correct rear shockers for the model of van you have otherwise they could be the wrong rating and length.
I would by genuine ford parts as they used to be no more expensive than any other quality brand.
Replacement is just two bolts on each shocker, very obvious if you look underneath the van.

[scas]

its easier and pretty much the same cost to just change the whole arms as they come with bushes in them. rear shocks are a bolt at the top and a bolt at the bottom. i think the shocks are all the same, just the leaf springs are different-but someone may correct me on that . no need to buy genuine
the only problem ive ever had with doing the suspension arms is the rear bolt that goes through the chassis has a captive nut on it, this sometimes comes loose. not a problem on the offside as theres a cut out on the chassis that you can get a spanner into to hold it but while there is the same cutout on the nearside the fuel tanks in the way -so that has to be dropped to hold the nut-and its always the nearside one that comes loose

[Andrew1974]

Thanks for the replays, the offside bush has perished. Is it worth replacing the pair? Im looking at Monroe shocks.ill probaly change the shocks myself and get a garage to do the bushes.

[v8dave]

I'd expect a garage to change the arm as it's quicker when you have the right tools.

[knobby1]

As the others have mentioned....It's often easier and cheaper to replace the whole lower arm as it takes more than twice as long to change out the bushes, twice the labour to change the bushes than it is to change the whole arm...

Not sure if the new arm comes with a new lower ball joint though..

Lord Knobrot