Sod's law

[SprintMWU773V]

Can someone explain why the first 2 upper wishbone poly bushes go in perfectly fine, yet the other two don't want to know?

Stupid things keep distorting and not going in straight making them impossible to fit whether I press them or use the easier method of long bolt and washers. Considering using a jubilee clip to reduce distortion but can I find any in the garage?

Starting to wonder if I was just lucky on the first two.

[Tony Burd]

Have your wishbones been painted, I found if the paint was too thick they would not go in, removed the paint & they went in perfectly.

[SprintMWU773V]

Yes they have but wouldn't explain why the first two were fine!

[Tony Burd]

Unless the paint thickness is different.

I had the exact same thing on my trailing arms, one side both bushes popped straight in, the other side whatever I tried I could not get the bushes in, until I removed the paint. Saying that the people who painted my trailing arms weren't exactly precision painters, I am sure your wishbones are done to a higher standard.

Maybe just keep trying.

[Flyfisherman]

plenty of silicone grease in the hole and around the lip on the bush (supplied with the bushes) and they will go in - once the bush is half way into the hole it will start to straighten up.

paul

[SprintMWU773V]

Thanks for the advice and PM!

I'll give it another go tonight. The secret I think it is patience and lots of it. I may still try the jubilee clip idea if for no other reason than I should probably have a couple in stock for emergences. Still no idea where they all went. My other thought was to try the press again but to put the wishbone in a drill vice which would free up a hand to help guide the bush in and try and keep things straight. I had similar fun with the rear tie bars but in many ways they seemed slightly easier than the wishbones.

I think rubber bushes are perhaps easier to fit, certainly less likely to deform but even still makes me wonder how it was done at the factory. At my current rate I would have been frogmarched to the managers office and sacked for holding up the line.

[Toledo Man]

Mark, which bushes did you get? When I rebuilt my front suspension in 2009, I used brand new rubber bushes from ANG Triumph for the upper wishbones. Fast forward to 2015 and they were on they way out (not bad for modern rubber!) so I replaced them with Super Flex (I should've done this back then but I was trying to save a few quid). I had the garage fit them when the subframe was off for the subframe mount repairs. They never said anything about those bushes so I assume it must have been a problem free job.

[SprintMWU773V]

Mark, which bushes did you get?

These are Superflex ones Dave.

Didn't try again last night as I got distracted by something else but maybe again tonight.

[Toledo Man]

Have you removed the remants of the old bushes? I know it is an obvious question but even the tiniest bit of rubber can stop the new bushes from going in.