Rear Link Arm bushes replacement 2005

[Andymharrison]

Originally Posted by Brutus1965

Job done !

UK passenger side was easier than the driver side for some reason.

Once the three bolts are out give them all a clean up and run them in and out of the threads a few times to clean away any dirt which will help when they go back in for the final time.
As Spiralarms suggested it takes some leverage to get the arm to twist so the bushing can slide off the end of the arm. I would suggest to whoever does it next is to have the new bushing within arms reach so while you have the arm levered away from the chassis and you slide the old one off you also slide the new one straight on.

Everything was via eBay; I got the bushings from Poland for £64 (pair) (although they are actually Swedish) and the drop links from a UK supplier for £15 (pair).

As part of my refitting I also replaced the drop links as they were looking a bit worse for wear.

I used some blue thread lock on my bolts.

A road test after the event resulting in no knocking noise has proved the bushings were the guilty part.

Also see

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showt...94#post2849994

I assume the ebay parts were aftermarket rather than OEM? Are they still OK?

Got this to do and being quoted £130 per side for Volvo part!

[Brutus1965]

I bought mine off eBay from the attached seller.

[Andymharrison]

Originally Posted by Brutus1965

I bought mine off eBay from the attached seller.

Ordered today, thanks.

[seandodwell]

Hi, Good thread - Thank you - may come in useful sometime, I have to replace one of the stay bars, item 7 in the diagram (rear suspension) Has anyone done this? One of mine got bent somehow!! VIDA method shows some special tool to re-tension the suspension, I'm thinking I can just jack up and support the hub and diff ends separatley and that the lot will stay put while I remove the bar, I have spare bushes (both ends) but will assess that once the bar is off. I'll report back when I get a chance to get under the beast!

[seandodwell]

See image


https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1685990649

[seandodwell]

Originally Posted by seandodwell

See image


https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1685990649

Update - did this at the weekend, just jacked up one side put it on a stand, then jacked up under the hub, and undid the two bolts inc. the camber one and the tie bar came off easily, The inner push was a doddle to pull/get out. I will have to revisit theh outer one as my bush puller set did'nt have a small enough end to fit on the inside of the bush arm, I'll make a makshift puller from M12 threaded rod and a nut and washer and my puller disc set(32mm dia) will post some photos later, off to redo the alignement at the weekend!

[Andymharrison]

Originally Posted by Brutus1965

Job done !

As Spiralarms suggested it takes some leverage to get the arm to twist so the bushing can slide off the end of the arm. I would suggest to whoever does it next is to have the new bushing within arms reach so while you have the arm levered away from the chassis and you slide the old one off you also slide the new one straight on.

Hi,

Can you recall how you got the 3rd bolt out?

My parts from Poland arrived so I'm trying to do this at the moment, I've taken the spring and shock out, which was an adventure in itself! Ended up drilling out the top of the shock to get the nut off but I'm replacing them so...

This lets me get in OK and have got the 2 bolts out of the bracket but can't figure out how to get access to the 3rd bolt to be able to remove the bracket from the arm.

I can get a ring spanner on it but nowhere near enough leverage to undo.

Prying with a bar moves the arm around a bit but its still far too close to the frame to get a socket on the bolt.

Wondering if you had any tips?

[spiralarms]

Originally Posted by Andymharrison

Hi,

Can you recall how you got the 3rd bolt out?

Hi, looking at my original thread on this, I did have issues with one side, and I posted

"It was a lot tougher to budge than the other side, and access is limited. A long spanner, or I tried a crowsfoot and breaker bar."

The crowsfoot and breaker bar was probably the magic. I also suspect that I still had the bushing/bracket still attached to resist the force of the spanner/breaker bar.

If you've got a decent enough ring spanner, and snug fit, then could you hit the other end with a rubber mallet or something to shock it free?

Neil

[Andymharrison]

Originally Posted by spiralarms

Hi, looking at my original thread on this, I did have issues with one side, and I posted

"It was a lot tougher to budge than the other side, and access is limited. A long spanner, or I tried a crowsfoot and breaker bar."

The crowsfoot and breaker bar was probably the magic. I also suspect that I still had the bushing/bracket still attached to resist the force of the spanner/breaker bar.

If you've got a decent enough ring spanner, and snug fit, then could you hit the other end with a rubber mallet or something to shock it free?

Neil

I got it in the end yesterday, in case it helps anyone else -

With the 2 bolts in the bracket there wasn't enough space to get a ring spanner on the 3rd bolt and the open ended spanner felt like it was slipping, I worried about rounding the head. I had underestimated how difficult it would be to get the link arm to move and was wrongly assuming loosening the 3rd bolt while the arm was fixed was the best option.

So I removed the 2 bracket bolts, which were seriously tight, they took some turning even with a 600mm breaker bar, the aluminium had really bound and they were tight almost all the way out. Then I could pry the link arm down enough to get a ring spanner on the 3rd bolt. It would not budge though, no amount of swinging on that spanner or hitting it helped.

I found this -
https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/hand.../p/KEN5821182K

A ring spanner end on a flexible socket, put an extension bar or 3 on it and that did the trick.

The next problem was getting the bracket off, I just couldn't get the arm to move enough to have space to slide it off. I already had the shock and spring out and the 2 lateral arms unbolted which meant there was only really the centre bush in the top link arm holding the hub in place, you'd think it would be quite unstable.

In the end I got it by jacking the hub as high as I could and pushed the arm down as far as I could with a pry bar and tapped a wedge in to hold it there, then put the pry bar behind the arm to pull it towards me, which with a suitable amount of cursing just gave enough space to slide the old out and new in.

I'm not particularly experienced at this kind of thing and it was by far the hardest job I've tried to date, mind you I'm thinking about attempting the wheel bearings next month...

Andy

[Brutus1965]

Well done.

I think my third bolt undone quite easy and as you also experienced the two bracket bolts were extremely tight because they were corroded into the thread by oxidation.
From experience when I do any job I always try to crack all bolts/nuts before removing them any further.
I didnt remove the rear spring or shock absorber so I could lever against the top of the spring with a long crowbar and even doing the job on a cool day I worked up a sweat. My biggest fear was bending something or trapping a finger and most definately needing A&E.