Track Control Arm Bushes

Firstly you will need to buy both sets of polyurethane bushes.

Remove the bolts from the X frame on either side and remove it from the car. (top 65Nm, bottom 100Nm)

Remove the 2 central inner bolts hidden underneath the heat shield in the middle of the frame.

You should have 2 track control arms as shown. You will need a gas gun, gloves, safety goggles, a well ventilated area and a prodder like a screwdriver. I had the gas gun and 1 glove. Do as I say, not as I do. Do not press these out with a hydraulic press as you need to retain the metal inserts.

Light the gas gun and heat up each end. When it gets hot…

…push the old bush out with a prodding implement.

Repeat this intoxicating and smokey process for all 4 ends. Clean up the inside bores (they will stay hot for a while) with a knife, file or sandpaper.

You can’t put the wrong one in the wrong hole, the holes are different so will only match 1 type of bushing. Push the yellow bush in from the front, they should slide in easily.

Then slide the insert all the way in. Wear a glove and push it in with your palm.

The washer goes onto the wider end of the bushing. Place the bolt through.

Turn it over and place the metal O ring into place as shown around the outside of the poly bush.

Here is the outside end of he track control arm with the poly bush kit correctly applied.

Repeat on the other ends with the purple bushings. Slide the bush in, then the insert.

With both arms re-bushed both sides, the X-frame can be reassembled… (centre bolts 65Nm).

and refitted to the car.

Make sure you put the flat washer between the bush and the bolt.

You do not need to pre-load these before torquing the bolts to the correct tightness. So you can tighten them properly before putting the car down on its wheels.

What If I Have Problems Sliding The Bushings In?

You get a sachet of copper grease in each box, use it if required. A rubber hammer makes light work of pushing the poly bushings in place. Failing that, a vice will draw the bush into place. Just don’t damage them. Mine slide in OK by hand. The ends with the yellow poly bushes can be pulled in using the original bolt, as you tighten the bolt the washer distributes the force and pulls it in.