Front ARB bushes

[AndyPembs182]

My inner front ARB bushes are starting to perish - should I go for original Renault or aftermarket? Pros and cons welcomed in replies/comments....

 

[numbers_]

The powerflex ones, when crushed, don't exactly make a perfect circle.

See TomoTek's post here

 

[New2RS]

If you go down the powerflex route, go for the purple series as they are covered against failure.

 

[Martin_172]

The powerflex ones, when crushed, don't exactly make a perfect circle.

See TomoTek's post here

My mate had this issue on his twingo with the same ARB using the recommended part number. I ordered a different part number from him and they were perfect. They listed I think 3x part numbers for the 172/182 when they all use the same ARB! Unfortunately I don't remember what the part no was 😂

 

[AndyPembs182]

My mate had this issue on his twingo with the same ARB using the recommended part number. I ordered a different part number from him and they were perfect. They listed I think 3x part numbers for the 172/182 when they all use the same ARB! Unfortunately I don't remember what the part no was 😂

Any way you could find the part number?! So close to a perfect solution - think hard!

 

[hipwell]

I just used febi ones from autodoc.

Fit fit.

Absolute t**t of a job though..

 

[frayz]

Ive got this job and ive been putting it off lol. Got a whole new bar to fit too.

 

[hipwell]

Lol, I had the subframe half way down and the inners were still a pain in the arse.

I suppose going in a second time now I know where to position the clamps and mole grips etc it would be much easier.

 

[Don’t call me Dave]

Yeah I got to tackle this gem of a job shortly. Keep putting it off.

 

[Martin_172]

Big long thin but and bolt, ramp them up, hold closed with mole grips, remove nut and bolt, fit final nut and bolt.

That's how I done the last set when I had a subframe off, the vans were done in situ and I just used longer bolts, it was a shite job

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

I had a look, then paid a professional to fit the inners for me. Judging by the selection of tools he used it didn't look like a fun job.

 

[AndyPembs182]

Has anyone had a go at the outer bushes....?

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

Outers are fine. Just mind the bolt holding the bush clamp on doesn't snap.

 

[hipwell]

Outers are fine. Just mind the bolt holding the bush clamp on doesn't snap.

Done loads of outers, the bolt snapped every time lol. Other than that, piece of piss

 

[Green51]

What length (longer) bolts would you recommend? Going to do mine in a week's time 😬

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

M8 x about 25 mm? I'd use a nyloc nut.

 

[Green51]

M8 x about 25 mm? I'd use a nyloc nut.

Thank you for the advice. I'm going for OEM rubber so fingers crossed won't be as bad as a poly' change. Knowing the bolt could snap it seems prudent to just replace it while the chance is there

 

[AndyPembs182]

Done loads of outers, the bolt snapped every time lol. Other than that, piece of piss

Is it just one bolt per side?

 

[hipwell]

Is it just one bolt per side?

Yep

 

[AndyPembs182]

Yeah I got to tackle this gem of a job shortly. Keep putting it off.

I replaced both inner and outer bushes yesterday. Never again.

 

[Don’t call me Dave]

Oh don’t say that! Did you use OEM bushes? I was planning on swapping my crusty ones to new Renault units rather than polybush and hopes this would be easier. Getting it in a garage isn’t an option currently as this is one of the jobs I need to tackle pre MOT, which runs out Wednesday!

 

[AndyPembs182]

Oh don’t say that! Did you use OEM bushes? I was planning on swapping my crusty ones to new Renault units rather than polybush and hopes this would be easier. Getting it in a garage isn’t an option currently as this is one of the jobs I need to tackle pre MOT, which runs out Wednesday!

I used Powerflex. I expect genuine Renault wouldn’t be as difficult to compress

 

[frayz]

I used Powerflex. I expect genuine Renault wouldn’t be as difficult to compress

So then Andy... in a level of 1-10... just how much swearing went on?

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

Oh don’t say that! Did you use OEM bushes? I was planning on swapping my crusty ones to new Renault units rather than polybush and hopes this would be easier. Getting it in a garage isn’t an option currently as this is one of the jobs I need to tackle pre MOT, which runs out Wednesday!

Are there any rent a ramp outfits near you? It'd be a lot easier with the car in the air. Plus they generally have someone around to give you a hand.

 

[Don’t call me Dave]

Are there any rent a ramp outfits near you? It'd be a lot easier with the car in the air. Plus they generally have someone around to give you a hand.

Still can’t get the car there mate. It’s on axle stands at minute and the MoT is out on Wednesday. I could get it done before the MOT I guess as it will have to be driven to the station. So I could get my mate to do it. But as it’s not an impossible job to do I may just crack on and give it a go

 

[NBG182]

Did my inners recently with oem bushes. It wasn't exactly fun but didn't really take too long overall.

Make sure you've got the subframe support brackets removed. You can get the old bushes out without doing this, but you'll never get the new ones in.

Spray down the bushes with silicone spray, all over. This made a big difference.

Use a 4 inch g clamp to wind the bushing retaining clamp in to place. I didnt wind it completely home against the subframe, leaving a few mm gap seemed to make aligning the bolt easier.

You'll want the closed side of the "C" of the g clamp facing towards the sills, if that makes any sense. On the passenger side you'll have to disconnect an electrical connector, and on the driver's side you'll have to unclip some fuel hose, just to get em out the way.

That leaves room to get a medium mole grip in from the exhaust side (middle of the car) and hold everything together while you remove the g clamp. Make sure you don't accidentally grip them on to the g clamp!

With the g clamp out the way you can stick a screwdriver or pokey tool through the hole and align the two holes slightly better. Another option is to use a big bar, pushing on the top of the bushing clamp by levering against the bulkhead. Either of these might knock the mole grips off, so make sure they're fairly secure.

Once it's close enough you can kind of just screw the screw in at a funny angle, the OEM bolts are threaded down to a point so they'll kind of bite and work their way in.

I managed it on the drive on axle stands, could probably do it without too much faff a second time around to be honest. Mostly it was working out the best way to position clamps etc.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

 

[F12 Josh]

Extending the hole on the bracket made a lot of difference too, combined with a longer bolt.

 

[AndyPembs182]

Extending the hole on the bracket made a lot of difference too, combined with a longer bolt.

Yes, exactly what I did.

 

[Craigy69k]

FML. Just noticed this thread after refitting yesterday, powerflex black inners and oem outers.

Done this on my gravel driveway with the car on axle stands and in all honesty it was not easy as there is next to no working space to access the nuts and bolts whilst trying to maintain pressure on the brackets. Ended up getting assistance from someone to pry inners into place whilst I got bolts home through brackets. For the outers we used another jack to push the bracket in place, these were a lot easier as we were not directly under the car.

Long bolts were helpful, used m8,45mm length, would not have even got close with the standard ones.

Spent all morning by myself messing around with a four inch g clamp and mole grips to no avail as I found space very limited to work and have big mitts. Ended up going on okay with help from someone prying the bracket in place, all done in an hour. Thought about drilling a bigger hole in the brackets as a next step and could imagine this being very helpful.

I can imagine this being a lot easier with the car overhead rather than axle stands as the main issue was leverages for using tools and moving arms for fiddling with bolts etc.. would not have managed without another pair of hands tbh.

In conclusion if attempting on driveway I would advise obtaining longer bolts, a small pry bar that you can fit around you whilst lying on your back and an extra set of hands for an hour, another jack for the outers is helpful and most importantly a sense of humour and cold beer for finishing too

 

[Greeny.]

Did my inners recently with oem bushes. It wasn't exactly fun but didn't really take too long overall.

Make sure you've got the subframe support brackets removed. You can get the old bushes out without doing this, but you'll never get the new ones in.

Spray down the bushes with silicone spray, all over. This made a big difference.

Use a 4 inch g clamp to wind the bushing retaining clamp in to place. I didnt wind it completely home against the subframe, leaving a few mm gap seemed to make aligning the bolt easier.

You'll want the closed side of the "C" of the g clamp facing towards the sills, if that makes any sense. On the passenger side you'll have to disconnect an electrical connector, and on the driver's side you'll have to unclip some fuel hose, just to get em out the way.

That leaves room to get a medium mole grip in from the exhaust side (middle of the car) and hold everything together while you remove the g clamp. Make sure you don't accidentally grip them on to the g clamp!

With the g clamp out the way you can stick a screwdriver or pokey tool through the hole and align the two holes slightly better. Another option is to use a big bar, pushing on the top of the bushing clamp by levering against the bulkhead. Either of these might knock the mole grips off, so make sure they're fairly secure.

Once it's close enough you can kind of just screw the screw in at a funny angle, the OEM bolts are threaded down to a point so they'll kind of bite and work their way in.

I managed it on the drive on axle stands, could probably do it without too much faff a second time around to be honest. Mostly it was working out the best way to position clamps etc.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

This helped me a lot today, cheers.

Did mine today on the drive on axel stands, used the original bolts, I did elongate the bolt hole on the inner ARBs clamp slightly to be on the safe side but I only had to use a 4” G clamp and a mole grip, hated every minute of it.

 

[Jason473]

This helped me a lot today, cheers.

How bad was the job, been putting mine off!

 

[Greeny.]

How bad was the job, been putting mine off!

Just updated my original post, but yeh, s**t really, however as with most things I’ve not done before it would be better the second time!

 

[Jason473]

Ahh I don't feel any more enthusiastic about doing mine after reading that haha

 

[NBG182]

This helped me a lot today, cheers.

Did mine today on the drive on axel stands, used the original bolts, I did elongate the bolt hole on the inner ARBs clamp slightly to be on the safe side but I only had to use a 4” G clamp and a mole grip, hated every minute of it.

No worries mate, glad it helped.