Mk4 Rear Axle Beam Bushing Replacement Procedure

tongsli · Jun 20, 2015

Lug_Nut said:
Lito,
What did you use for an extractor / tool of destruction to remove the old bushing?
Were the urethane replacements in segments and any easier to install?

Well, if I had a reciprocating saw, it would have gone much, much faster. I used(please don't laugh) a drywall saw which I put into the split rubber. I tried a drill (without much luck) then managed to put a three jaw puller on the center piece and pushed the rubber 99% out.

One wack with my chisel and it popped out. Then I struggled with the metal insert with a dull hack saw blade and used my sledge with a chisel and wacked on it some more.

Finally got the metal insert out. I now have a loaner 18V dewalt saw which should make it much, much faster to destroy the other side.

Here is the new bushing which I used a bearing press to install the center piece and then just put the ends on by hand. Took 15 minutes.
http://www.ecstuning.com/ES261061/

Energy suspension bushings;
http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/15.3118

These look the same;
http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Suspen...1434855346&sr=8-3&keywords=rear+axle+bushings

As are these, energy suspension bushing;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Axle-B...-31-/360991819218?hash=item540cca05d2&vxp=mtr

With just one side installed, it feels like I have 1/2 a sway bar in the back of the car. Very happy with it. No more bone jarring bumps/crashes on that side. Just need to get the other side installed.

I'm confident I can get it done faster now.

UhOh · Jun 20, 2015

I believe that most are talking original bushings, in which case, unless you have special VAG tools (I think someone posted a video showing them being used and it's really cheating!) you have little recourse other than to cut and pound them out. I know that some talk about using a press, but I'm not certain that they're talking about pressing the old ones out or the new ones in: too lazy to go digging back through this thread.

The Cupra Rs went in really easy, once I modified the install tool that I had (cup was too shallow). Takes but a couple of minutes per bushing to put in.

Tongsli, that's what I did, I removed the axle bushing brackets. Thought I was clear about that. What I understand is that only one side (right side) you need to remove, as you cannot get enough slack on the brake line to drop the axle down: on the left side you can get enough movement on the axle once the the brake line clip is removed. A caution about removing the brackets is that you can alter your wheel alignment if you don't get the brackets repositioned to where they were (assumes you had good alignment before): may only be noticeable over time, watching tire wear.

UhOh · Jun 21, 2015

I have an 20v DeWalt sawzall and there wasn't enough room to maneuver it with the axle on the car. I could get the blade in but couldn't obtain the required force and angle on the blade (evenly so as to not dip into the axle housing itself). Big disappointment as I was kind of counting on that (Plan A).

I'd still do it this way, and probably will when the time comes to replacing the bushings on my wife's car (they seem to be just fine after 155k miles, and the driving and road conditions we deal with are pretty easy on our cars- expect replacement won't be for quite some time).

tongsli · Jun 21, 2015

UhOh said:
I have an 20v DeWalt sawzall and there wasn't enough room to maneuver it with the axle on the car. I could get the blade in but couldn't obtain the required force and angle on the blade (evenly so as to not dip into the axle housing itself). Big disappointment as I was kind of counting on that (Plan A).

I'd still do it this way, and probably will when the time comes to replacing the bushings on my wife's car (they seem to be just fine after 155k miles, and the driving and road conditions we deal with are pretty easy on our cars- expect replacement won't be for quite some time).

Well, you are right about the reciprocating saw. Tough to use. Finished the driver's side in 3 hours.

Here are some pictures.

1. Cut the slot(had to cut the side because of tight quarters) but I agree with you that we don't really need these brackets.

2. lowered beam and used three jaw puller to push out rubber, chisel and Mjölnir (my newly named sledge hammer) to remove the metal retaining ring and finally an air chisel to get the last sleeve out

There is no way to push the beam down with the brake line attached, IMO. it's just too far and not enough slack on the brake line

3. installed bushing (center third with bearing press) and after lowering passenger's side to the ground, jacked up driver's side then used Mjölnir to persuade the bolt in one side and then the other.

I told my wife when her car needs this she can pay someone else to change it!

UhOh · Jun 21, 2015

tongsli said:
I told my wife when her car needs this she can pay someone else to change it!

I can't say that as I talked my wife into getting these cars

Regarding the "brackets," I was talking about the BIG ones that the bushing and bolts connect to and which attach to the body of the car.

Anyway, go drive it! Once you do you'll feel all better

I was stunned at how nice my car was with the bushings replaced.

tongsli · Jun 21, 2015

UhOh said:
I can't say that as I talked my wife into getting these cars

Regarding the "brackets," I was talking about the BIG ones that the bushing and bolts connect to and which attach to the body of the car.

Anyway, go drive it! Once you do you'll feel all better I was stunned at how nice my car was with the bushings replaced.

Oh ok on the "bracket". Yes, drove it and it's like a NEW car again. I'm so happy with the results.

poormanq45 · Jun 22, 2015

I have to do this job on mine, she's a bit wobbly.

May I ask why you guys don't just disconnect the brake lines? In preparation to do the job I just bought two of the little hoses and plan on replacing them when putting everything back together.

A Motive Power Bleeder greatly reduces my hesitancy to open up the brake system.

tongsli · Jun 22, 2015

poormanq45 said:
I have to do this job on mine, she's a bit wobbly.

May I ask why you guys don't just disconnect the brake lines? In preparation to do the job I just bought two of the little hoses and plan on replacing them when putting everything back together.

A Motive Power Bleeder greatly reduces my hesitancy to open up the brake system.

Well, I have a power bleeder too and brake fluid but I have another set of calipers that I want to install so I was hoping to do my brake work(bleeding) once.

And, it's hot I don't have a garage and work in the street in front of the house and didn't want to do more than I needed at this time.

But now, I can drop the rear beam(should I need) without having to disconnect the lines. I'm not sure that bracket really does that much; it's a flex point so I guess holding both sides is necessary.

Lug_Nut · Jun 23, 2015

I have the same bushings for the rear axle (still in the spare tire well).
Just doing up the front made a huge difference, mainly because the original rear LCA centers were nearly torn free from the outer ring. It's enough improvement that I am not in a rush to tackle the rears, particularly hearing your travails.

tongsli · Jun 23, 2015

Lug_Nut said:
I have the same bushings for the rear axle (still in the spare tire well).
Just doing up the front made a huge difference, mainly because the original rear LCA centers were nearly torn free from the outer ring. It's enough improvement that I am not in a rush to tackle the rears, particularly hearing your travails.

make sure when you do tackle it that you follow the procedure for putting the opposite wheel on the ground to get the beam to align

Lug_Nut · Jun 25, 2015

tongsli said:
make sure when you do tackle it that you follow the procedure for putting the opposite wheel on the ground to get the beam to align

So, finger tight+, set both wheels on the ground (more likely to back it up on a pair of ramps), bounce the car a couple of times, then tighten+torque the bushing bolts isn't suggested?

On re-read: I understand that it is likely to require matching the plane of the axle to the plane of the car to permit the bushing to enter the bracket, and to that effect I was intending on using two jacks, one under each perch, to permit this aligning for insertion into the bracket.

tongsli · Jun 25, 2015

Lug_Nut said:
So, finger tight+, set both wheels on the ground (more likely to back it up on a pair of ramps), bounce the car a couple of times, then tighten+torque the bushing bolts isn't suggested?

On re-read: I understand that it is likely to require matching the plane of the axle to the plane of the car to permit the bushing to enter the bracket, and to that effect I was intending on using two jacks, one under each perch, to permit this aligning for insertion into the bracket.

I had my car just like that with two jacks. It didn't work until i lowered the opposite side to the ground

Try it your way and if it works, great. If not try it with the opposite side on the groung

turbovan+tdi · Jul 9, 2015

Again, what are the Cupra R bushigns?

poormanq45 · Jul 9, 2015

turbovan+tdi said:
Again, what are the Cupra R bushigns?

A few options compared
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthre...ushing-upgrade-(Seat-Leon-Cupra-R-rear-bushes)

I purchased mine here:
http://www.idparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=36_66&products_id=4826

turbovan+tdi · Jul 9, 2015

Thank you.

turbovan+tdi · Jul 9, 2015

Part number on the Vortex site comes up as an OE number I just bought but look different to Bora parts unit. Oh well, just going to put those in.

tongsli · Jul 9, 2015

turbovan+tdi said:
Part number on the Vortex site comes up as an OE number I just bought but look different to Bora parts unit. Oh well, just going to put those in.

how will you press it in?

turbovan+tdi · Jul 9, 2015

tongsli said:
how will you press it in?

I bought the installer kit off Ebay, I have 3 cars to do plus a couple customers need theirs doing. Having a hoist, air tools, air chisels etc, shouldn't take me too long, in fact, I might tackly my green one's tonight.

tongsli · Jul 9, 2015

turbovan+tdi said:
I bought the installer kit off Ebay, I have 3 cars to do plus a couple customers need theirs doing. Having a hoist, air tools, air chisels etc, shouldn't take me too long, in fact, I might tackly my green one's tonight.

I think someone said the eBay press tool is for the OEM bushing

UhOh · Jul 9, 2015

Yeah, I'd bought an installation tool off of ebay and found that it really wasn't for the Cupra Rs: bought the tool before the bushings- I was trying to be prepared. Of course, I learned it all the hard way, cracking one of the new bushings (and having to order new ones- thanks to Bora Parts for getting another new set off to me pronto!).

That said, I WAS able to use the tool anyway, well, parts of it. I ended up taking a front wheel bearing outer race/cup and using it on the back side of the installer tool, as this gave enough depth for the bushing to run in to: I had nothing else and was just hoping that it would work, and it did (needless to say I'm hanging on to that bearing race!). I suppose that at this point the installation tool was really little more than a disk and threaded rod; one could have resorted to using a threaded rod (and something on the push side) along with this bearing race.

turbovan+tdi · Jul 9, 2015

I have stock bushings so the tool should work just fine, if not, I'll modify it as needed.

tongsli · Jul 10, 2015

UhOh said:
Yeah, I'd bought an installation tool off of ebay and found that it really wasn't for the Cupra Rs: bought the tool before the bushings- I was trying to be prepared. Of course, I learned it all the hard way, cracking one of the new bushings (and having to order new ones- thanks to Bora Parts for getting another new set off to me pronto!).

That said, I WAS able to use the tool anyway, well, parts of it. I ended up taking a front wheel bearing outer race/cup and using it on the back side of the installer tool, as this gave enough depth for the bushing to run in to: I had nothing else and was just hoping that it would work, and it did (needless to say I'm hanging on to that bearing race!). I suppose that at this point the installation tool was really little more than a disk and threaded rod; one could have resorted to using a threaded rod (and something on the push side) along with this bearing race.

oh yeah, it was you. What part cracked? The Cupra R bushing is metal and plastic? (on the push side) and a solid piece of plastic on the other.

I'm thinking Cupra R bushings for my wife's car when it needs it.

TDI_G · Jul 10, 2015

UhOh said:
That said, I WAS able to use the tool anyway, well, parts of it. I ended up taking a front wheel bearing outer race/cup and using it on the back side of the installer tool, as this gave enough depth for the bushing to run in to: I had nothing else and was just hoping that it would work, and it did (needless to say I'm hanging on to that bearing race!). I suppose that at this point the installation tool was really little more than a disk and threaded rod; one could have resorted to using a threaded rod (and something on the push side) along with this bearing race.

I did almost the exact same thing when I installed my bushings. I used an adapter from a ball joint press I rented from Autozone that fit perfectly and accomplished the same thing as using the bearing race.

UhOh · Jul 10, 2015

tongsli said:
oh yeah, it was you. What part cracked? The Cupra R bushing is metal and plastic? (on the push side) and a solid piece of plastic on the other.

I cracked the outer shell, which I figured compromised the bushing's integrity. I also cracked the end plastic (full-face side) around the outer ring, but this one I left in place, feeling that it didn't really compromise things.

Lug_Nut · Jul 11, 2015

Mine's done. Energy Suspensions urethane.
I started at 6 last night after work. There wasn't enough access to the bushing for my liking with the axle still in the car so I proceeded to remove the whole axle. The calipers and rigid lines on the trailing arms were left in the car. I disconnected the trailing arm line at the beam pivot hoses to remove the pivot hoses from the beam, then re-connected once the hose was free to minimize fluid loss. This avoided the pivot hose bracket slicing that Lito performed.

The left bushing through bolt had enough space to be removed and the bushing bracket on that side was left in the car. The right side didn't have clearance for the bushing through bolt removal as the bolts were installed from the center of the car and the fuel tank didn't allow bolt removal. On the right side I removed the bushing bracket with the axle. By 8 the axle was rolled out from under the car.

I had purchased a 2 inch, 3/4 drive socket specifically for the bushing removal as the socket's outer diameter was just a shade under the 68.6 mm of the bushing OD. The socket depth allowed clearance for the aluminum extrusion so just the shell was being pressed. A dozen or so persuasive smacks with a 5 lb dead-blow hammer on the socket and the old bushings were out.

The E.S. bushings came with packets of silicone grease. I lubed the center bushing and needed a press to get it to fit into the trailing arm shell. I used a wheel bearing press set and found that I didn't have a press plate sized small enough to fit into the trailing arm shell to push the center bushing in. I used a larger diameter press plate on the outer bushing and the outer bushing to press the center into the shell.
The outer and inner bushings (different lip thicknesses) have a smightly smaller diameter and these could be pressed by hand once adequately greased.
The bushing pin through the center of these urethane sections was also greased up and fit into the outer section easily, but the compression of the center closed up the center's ID enough that the dead-blow was needed again to get the bushing pin through that. By 9:30 both new bushings were in the axle.

At 6 this morning I started the re-assembly. All straight forward. Lito's advise to put "the opposite wheel on the ground to get the beam to align" turned out to not be an issue because the axle was free with no springs or shocks to limit the swing in either up or down direction. It was a simple enough matter of starting the 4 bolts through the bracket on the right, lifting the left bushing into the loosened bracket on the left and then pushing and pulling to get that left through bolt to line up.

By 8:30 I was out for a test ride.

It's a HUGE improvement.

tongsli · Jul 11, 2015

Lug_Nut said:
Mine's done. Energy Suspensions urethane.
I started at 6 last night after work. There wasn't enough access to the bushing for my liking with the axle still in the car so I proceeded to remove the whole axle. The calipers and rigid lines on the trailing arms were left in the car. I disconnected the trailing arm line at the beam pivot hoses to remove the pivot hoses from the beam, then re-connected once the hose was free to minimize fluid loss. This avoided the pivot hose bracket slicing that Lito performed.

The left bushing through bolt had enough space to be removed and the bushing bracket on that side was left in the car. The right side didn't have clearance for the bushing through bolt removal as the bolts were installed from the center of the car and the fuel tank didn't allow bolt removal. On the right side I removed the bushing bracket with the axle. By 8 the axle was rolled out from under the car.

I had purchased a 2 inch, 3/4 drive socket specifically for the bushing removal as the socket's outer diameter was just a shade under the 68.6 mm of the bushing OD. The socket depth allowed clearance for the aluminum extrusion so just the shell was being pressed. A dozen or so persuasive smacks with a 5 lb dead-blow hammer on the socket and the old bushings were out.

The E.S. bushings came with packets of silicone grease. I lubed the center bushing and needed a press to get it to fit into the trailing arm shell. I used a wheel bearing press set and found that I didn't have a press plate sized small enough to fit into the trailing arm shell to push the center bushing in. I used a larger diameter press plate on the outer bushing and the outer bushing to press the center into the shell.
The outer and inner bushings (different lip thicknesses) have a smightly smaller diameter and these could be pressed by hand once adequately greased.
The bushing pin through the center of these urethane sections was also greased up and fit into the outer section easily, but the compression of the center closed up the center's ID enough that the dead-blow was needed again to get the bushing pin through that. By 9:30 both new bushings were in the axle.

At 6 this morning I started the re-assembly. All straight forward. Lito's advise to put "the opposite wheel on the ground to get the beam to align" turned out to not be an issue because the axle was free with no springs or shocks to limit the swing in either up or down direction. It was a simple enough matter of starting the 4 bolts through the bracket on the right, lifting the left bushing into the loosened bracket on the left and then pushing and pulling to get that left through bolt to line up.

By 8:30 I was out for a test ride.

It's a HUGE improvement.

wow. congrats!

Lug_Nut · Jul 12, 2015

Thanks, I'm extremely pleased with the outcome.
The total time involved still worked out to about 6 hours, but there was no swearing and no sweating. It went well enough that I consider doing the work on her Golf even though the rubber bushings in that one aren't anywhere nearly as bad.
I think that, for me anyway, the extra few minutes to prepare the beam for complete removal were offset by the ease of bushing removal and re-alignment of the axle to the car body when re-installing. Being able to swing a big hammer downward while standing upright has to be less strenuous than laying on my side and trying to get the same impulse on a 10+ year's worth of rust around an old shell.

turbovan+tdi · Aug 19, 2015

I just replaced the stock bushings, using the Ebay installer and an air chisel, it honstly took me 30 mins, probably less. I have a hoist so that helps.

Maybe later I'll do the Cupra R bushings.

79TA7.6 · Aug 20, 2015

turbovan+tdi said:
I just replaced the stock bushings, using the Ebay installer and an air chisel, it honstly took me 30 mins, probably less. I have a hoist so that helps. Maybe later I'll do the Cupra R bushings.

Mind sharing info on the tool you used?

tongsli · Aug 20, 2015

Probably this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-MKIV-Gol...hash=item19d1c27630&item=110893364784&vxp=mtr

Mk4 Rear Axle Beam Bushing Replacement Procedure

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