Trailing arm bush replacement (s3)

s3dave

s3dave

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My car was getting very nervous on the road and started skipping over rough patches /grates ive had this on my old BMW so i knew what it was, the ****** trailing arm bushes....
So i replaced mine today, not a job for the faint hearted as your stress levels go through the roof, especially when the last guy that 4 wheel aligned my car rounded one of the bolts, the hardest one to get to as well right up in the chassis...:no: i ended up chiselling it off
20,000 swear words later i was left with this....



To the untrained eye it does not look to bad....but i put a screwdriver in the middle and it could be turned at least 45 degrees and was as soft as jardos A3...:)

So the drilling and cutting began, fairly easy to be honest and then it knocks out at the rear...
photo4th.jpg


Then the New bush is easily installed after been lubed up...

photokag.jpg


Put back together very easy and the difference on the road is like night and day...much more planted

if you are doing this pull the brake pipe from its holders around the petrol tank before you attempt to move the arm or you will snap the brake pipe, when it is loose there is plenty of play in the brake pipe when dropping the arm








now got to pay another arm and a leg to get it 4WA again...ah well the joys of motoring eh....:icon_thumright:
 
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I really must do mine to be fair, mine is starting get a get nervous as time goes on. The winter not helping matters but I suspect that this will be the lead cause...
 
Well with seize/rounded bolt about 5 fkn hours... I would get yours done Karl, the rubber looked ok but had totally gone soft, not a nice job but the end results def outweigh....
 
Last edited:
Deffo worth doing then.
I need to do mine to as it wanders around especially on motorway ruts etc.

It's much easier to fit the powerflex over the OEM for sure

"As soft as........... .." LMAO
 
Can't say how much the rears helped directly on mine as done the whole car and arbs at the same time but it certinally tightened things up a lot :)
 
Trying not to sound too daft but how can you tell if this needs replacing?
 
Do you think most +90k s3s would need this doing ?

Also, are any of you able to comment on the control arm bushes - are these fairly hard wearing on an s3 or also likely to need doing at the same sort of time on a high mileage car? Suppose its a hard question as depends how its been driven..
 
brasiliangringo said:
Do you think most +90k s3s would need this doing ?

Also, are any of you able to comment on the control arm bushes - are these fairly hard wearing on an s3 or also likely to need doing at the same sort of time on a high mileage car? Suppose its a hard question as depends how its been driven..
Click to expand...
How does your car feel on the road? if it seems ok you should be ok but at 90+k they have had a good innings anyway, not the most pleasureable job, but once there done they should see the twilight years out nicely...
 
Thanks, i havent got one yet!! Just doing my homework.. Already lining myself up for a golden oldy..
 
this along with my top mounts and anti roll bar bushes is next on my list. all powerflex.
 
Just try'd to do mine there, when undoing the trailing arm bolt instead of the bolt coming out its just pulled the metal collar right through the Center of the old bush, think the bolt has corroded with the metal collar, any tips? Lol
 
I've got one near enough, but its getting the old one out....it's stuck solid to the metal insert inside the trailing arm bracket.
 
I don't mate ATM the picture s3dave has at the top of the page gives you an idea, it's the metal sleeve in the Center that's turning when you try to loosen the bolt that attaches it to the trailing arm bracket. I've try'd a punch from the nut side to try an push it through the sleeve but its not budging.
 
Photowell finally managaed to get my drivers side bush done this is what was causing the issue, the bolt is completly solid inside the bush sleeve, had to drill and cut about 10mm of the bush and also cut the head off the bolt in order to get it free from the trailing arm bracket. for reference the bolt is an M12x1.5x80mm just going to order some instead of going through the dealer.
 
Screws like that are often pretty cheap from the dealer or tps (a pound or two) and the nuts are cheaper, probably cheaper than ordering from a engineers suppliers or hardware place as a lot don't carry that pitch in M12. You know you're getting the right grade and the plating is normally more durable too.
 
Anyone know what the equivalent oem part number is by any chance?
 
audi upgrades
sandwich1987 said:
View attachment 9907well finally managaed to get my drivers side
bush done this is what was causing the issue, the bolt is completly solid inside the bush sleeve....
Click to expand...

Well what a fag of a job this is! I'm working through installing my new suspension bits and I'm having this exact problem, bush collar sized directly to the bolt.

Sandwich - what did you cut it out with in the end?
 
[Dave B];1859809 said:
Well what a fag of a job this is! I'm working through installing my new suspension bits and I'm having this exact problem, bush collar sized directly to the bolt.

Sandwich - what did you cut it out with in the end?
Click to expand...

In the picture the threads at the top were covered by the rest of the Bush, I just drilled about 6 holes all around the outside and chiseled off the rest. After cutting the head of the bolt off this gave me enough room to drop it out off the bracket, was a complete bar steward!!!
 
see im half heartedly deciding whether to attempt this tonight after ive done my coilovers :/ the job looks straight forward, but I guess its really not haha.
 
It's straightforward IF the bush collar isn't seized to the bolt. If it is seized to the bolt then I'd advise taking it to a garage and paying someone else to get ****** off with it!
 
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