Replacing Front Lower Arms on Mk 7

[bar72]

Just put mk7 in for service. Has come out garage with an advisory on 2 x Front Lower Arms needing replaced? I assume he means the wishbones? Are these difficult to replace as I'm thinking of going to motor factors and doing them myself. Thanks

[Punto443]

Nope, pretty easy just done mine not that long ago,

Maybe an hour each side.

[bar72]

thanks for the heads up Punto

[andz327]

I just fit the rear bush £7 to the wishbone, front bush is usually fine saves buying a wishbone for the sake of the £7 bush

[bar72]

is it easy extracting then fitting the bush to wishbone? meant to ask about torque wrench settings also if anyone knows. thanks

[andz327]

Its easier to get bush out if you can split the rubber from the outer metal sleeve, put hacksaw blade into the hole and reattach to blade to saw and carefully saw a split in the outer matal part of Bush (2-3mm deep) but obviously not the wishbone, remove hacksaw, with a large shafted screwdriver and hammer, hammer screw driver between metal part of Bush and wishbone just at the split you've cut, the outer part of Bush will push out
To fit new bush, straight forward if you have a vice,
Just line the bush up with hole in wishbone and place in vice jaws and tighten a bit at a time working way round the bush edges making sure it going in straight, do this until bush is flush with the wishbone

[bar72]

thanks agin for the info andz

[MrFlibble]

The wishbone was an absolute arse to get out on my Mk6. The rear bolt had rusted into the bushing so bad that I had to use my huge 900mm breaker bar just to turn it, and even then I had to brace myself with my foot against the wheel arch because I was sliding along the ground rather than turning the bolt.

Eventually I ended up cutting up the wishbone into bits with an angle grinder, then using the same grinder to cut through the bolt and bush.

If you have the same problem as me, where the bolt is very stiff in the bushing, you need to be careful that as you unscrew it, you also pull the bolt down through the bushing. In my case, the bolt turned (with great difficulty) in the bushing, but didn't come out, and instead pushed the captive nut that is up in the chassis out of the lugs that are supposed to hold it captive. On the offside this is a bit of a PITA because you then have to get a socket and ratchet onto the nut to stop it turning. You can do this through a cut-out in the chassis, but it's a bit of a faff. On the nearside, the chassis cut-out is blocked by the fuel tank, so if the captive nut breaks free, you'll need to take the fuel tank off to undo the bolt (and to do up the new one).

If you're in the same situation, the way I'd do it is:

1. Undo the bolt a few turns
2. Use a crowbar between the wishbone and chassis subframe to push the bushing up the bolt
3. Repeat a few times until you have a good section of bolt shaft visible
4. Use an angle grinder to cut through the top and bottom of the bushing, plus bolt
5. Slide the remains of the wishbone + bushing out
6. Use mole grips to unscrew the remains of the bolt from the captive nut.

Unfortunately, new bolts are about £12 each

[andz327]

Douse the captive nuts with loose juice through the holes in chassis

[Cakebread1]

I had exactly the same problem on my MK6.
I cut a slot in the side (there is a small hole there already which i used as the top left corner of the slot). This allowed space to fit a spanner in there. This held the not so captive nut still.
But the bushing had seized to the bolt so I had to remove the rubber then grind through the remains of the bushing sleeve and bolt a few times before the wishbone could be jiggled free. Then the bolt could be turned freely with molgrips.

But what a pain of a job. Especially when others say "about an hour"!!! How frustrating.

Now I just need the torque settings for all the bolts and bushings on the lower arm if anyone knows them

edit
found these from AndyG

Re: wishbone torque settings
Lower arm to front axle crossmember rear bolt 184 lb-ft
Lower arm to front axle crossmember front bolt 129 lb-ft

Stabiliser bar connecting link to lower arm nut 18 lb-ft

Lower arm ball joint retaining nut 111 lb-ft

Hope this helps

by AndyG
Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:32 am

Forum: Technical Problems & Questions
Topic: wishbone torque settings
Replies: 4
Views: 474