Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2871
Front ARB bushes - top nut
Hi
This weekend i spent a rather frustrated Saturday afternoon trying to change the Passenger side ARB bush - dead simple to do the Drivers side following Mikeys instruction about removing the fuel cooler, but the other side was just a complete mare! Couldn't get onto the top nut as the diff mount was in the way, with hardly any clearance, even after removing the crossmember, and trying it from every angle! Many a bad word was uttered whilst under the car
I had seen that some one had changed theirs on ramps, and thought possibly it was the unsprung suspension causing everything to shift downwards a little so lowered the car off the axle stands and put it onto a pair of ramps (having made a quick trip in SWMBOs car to Halfords for some - made no difference!) I was already using the shallowest set of sockets Halfords sold and it still wouldn't get onto the nut as the diff mount was in the way, so eventually took a cutting disc on an angle grinder to the top face of the socket (fortunately Halfords sell them individually) and cut it at a slight angle so it could insert easily - this ensured the initial couple of turns could be done with a breaker bar before switching to an open ended spanner - such a happy day after that!
Click image to enlarge
Must stop buying shiny toys....
4th Apr 2017 1:05 am
ClassikFan
Member Since: 02 Nov 2016
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1046
Exactly what I did!
Found a 3/8 socket to be better as the extension bar is slimmer and easier get in place. So a quick trip to Toolstation got me these at 7.30 on a saturday morning!
Click image to enlarge
4th Apr 2017 6:31 am
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20807
It takes 15 seconds to unbolt the diff mount, and wedge out the way, allowing you on with a normal socket My D3 Build Thread
Member Since: 02 Nov 2016
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1046
I put a spanner on that diff mount bolt and couldn't shift it. Coupled to the fact wedging the diff out the way seemed a bit out of my comfort zone!
4th Apr 2017 8:44 am
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2871
Did look at the diff mount but even with a breaker bar couldn't get any movement - guess that is the advantage of having a two post ramp, you have the room to get a decent breaker bar on things like the diff mount and hang off it to get the torque needed! Unfortunately with the car on axle stands or on ramps in the drive there just wasnt the room to get on them as the suspension was in the way to have an extension!Must stop buying shiny toys....
4th Apr 2017 9:12 am
Jarvis
Member Since: 16 Dec 2009
Location: West Berkshire
Posts: 280
Bought a 24mm socket and moved the diff mount whilst on axel stands. It was tight
4th Apr 2017 11:09 am
Irwin
Member Since: 04 Aug 2015
Location: Internet
Posts: 270
Changed mine on sunday and used a 3/8 ratchet and knuckle extension to loosen it with the cross member removed. I used a ratchet spanner with another spanner on the end to tighten it up. I could have used the spanners to loosen it too in hindsight. If I had known I would have just moved the diff mount with an impact gun :roll Thought it might be under load.
What about the rears, are they easier? Anything need moving out the way?
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