Rear Suspension Arms / Spring Carriers / Trailing Arms / Control Arms (Bushes)

T

T8DPR

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Apologies for the title but I literally keep finding several different names and different part numbers for the above mentioned part

I fairly urgently need to replace the bushes on the two arms, the ones that the rear suspension springs are sat in
(picture added - its not my car but it doesn't matter for reference)
Zorst


Is it easier/cheaper to get the bushes changed (would need to be done by garage as I don't have the tools), or would it be easier to get the whole arms replaced (assuming that new arms come with bushes!)
Are "Febi Bilstein" bushes any good?

Also if anyone knows... which part number(s) would I need for my car? 2wd 2004 a3 2.0tdi "Sport" model

any help would be appreciated
 
Whilst Febi Bilstein is OK personally I prefer Lemforder as I know from 10 years of owning a B5 A4 that all the factory suspension arms & bushes were Lemforder.
Either way, I'd avoid like the plague any non-branded items.
Regarding replacement of bushes vs replacing whole arms it depends on the garage replacing the bushes and what they're going to charge tbh.
I did the N/S front suspension arm on my A3 last week (a bit of movement in both bushes was giving me a clonk) and acquired 2 Lemforder bushes to do the job.
I have a hydraulic press in my garage and the large aluminium bush drifted off the arm easily , the smaller bush pressed out again fairly easily.
Due to the shape of the (cast iron) arm getting the small one back in though was a different story , I battled for about 30 minutes as I just couldn't get the arm vertical to get the bush in!
Just when I was about to give up, the bush slid in, although it took a lot of force!
If I ever do the front arms again I'd seriously consider just getting a whole new arm and forget about trying to replace the bushes , although the saving was considerable (circa £40 for 2 Lemforder bushes vs £92 for whole new Lemforder arm).
Of course with the rear arms the bushes look like they will press out very easily, although IMHO you need to weigh up whether it'd just be cheaper to get the whole arm out and whack a new arm straight back in.......
 
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T8DPR said:
excellent, thanks... any particular brands I should avoid??
Click to expand...
Im about to have these bushes replaced,but at the first attempt i could not remove the eccentric bolt.So ive just ordered two new nuts and bolts (£21 not cheap) & i will cut the old ones out.(replacing mine with powerflex bushes).
 
ahtcap said:
Im about to have these bushes replaced,but at the first attempt i could not remove the eccentric bolt.So ive just ordered two new nuts and bolts (£21 not cheap) & i will cut the old ones out.(replacing mine with powerflex bushes).
Click to expand...
Don't mean to hi-jack the thread but that's exactly the case with my car currently, the offside inner bolt is seized and when I had my tracking checked last they couldn't adjust it on that side, as it is only 1mm out they advised me to leave well alone.
It's really bugging me though and I'd like to replace it, does it look like much of a job?
 
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Nessy said:
Don't mean to hi-jack the thread but that's exactly the case with my car currently, the offside inner bolt is seized and when I had my tracking checked last they couldn't adjust it on that side, as it is only 1mm out they advised me to leave well alone.
It's really bugging me though and I'd like to replace it, does it look like much of a job?
Click to expand...
I don't mind the hi-jack, I could well face the same problem yet!

Does anyone know Lemforder's specific part number for the bushes I need?

I have 1k0505171c as the reference part number, is it a different part to 1k0505171b?

have seen Lemforder ones really cheap with part number "2991701"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Right I've got my bushes coming this week, Lemforder, £20 for the pair but.... Does this labour time from my garage sound unreasonably high?? I've been quoted labour time of 2.1 hours PER SIDE to have the arms off and the bushes replaced.

I know bushes can be a pain, as can the bolts if they're ceased, but at over 4 hours in total I'm looking at £200+ in labour to replace £20 worth of parts!
 
Let's hope they can remove it easily. That outer metal casing of the bush is known to seize inside the arm.
 
it doesn't, realignment will be £36 on top

a little steep... or robbery steep?
 
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