Lower wishbone Removal - HELP Please.....

DaveyC · 28th August 2014, 15:14

I have been trying to remove my lower front wishbone to replace the rear bush and cannot get the middle bolt to separate from the front sub frame (pic below). I have done the supposedly awkward rear bush bolts and also the lower ball joint on the front strut. However, i cannot for the life of me get the damn middle one out...... Even tried jacking the car up in the bolt head and it just sat there, did not even separate!

Any help / suggestion / tips / prayers would be greatly appreciated.......

Thanks

Dave

trikey · 28th August 2014, 15:18

Jack car up as high as you can, remove the nylock nut, then swing a proper hammer at it!

Heat and penetrating oil will not help, brute force is the only way!

spyder · 28th August 2014, 15:20

You need to jack the car up, put a block of wood on the ground about 100mm away from (underneath) the nut and drop the car onto the wooden block-quickly. Let the weight of the car do the work.

Just make sure you and your fingers are out of the way at the time.

KWIL · 28th August 2014, 15:21

If you have done the supposedly awkward rear bush bolts, you can surely change the bush OR are you going to change the lower arm as well which you did not explain?

RN3212 · 28th August 2014, 15:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by trikey

Jack car up as high as you can, remove the nylock nut, then swing a proper hammer at it!

Heat and penetrating oil will not help, brute force is the only way!

Agree totally.I changed both mine and after trying several different approaches I got a 14LB sledgehammer and that shifted it.Biggest problem is getting the car high enough to get a proper swing.

DaveyC · 28th August 2014, 15:54

OK. So I am screwed. No 14lb lump hammer and no way of getting the car high enough off the floor. Feel like setting fire to the damn thing

Only wanted the change a simple bush and what looked like a simple lower wishbone. Makes me want my overly complicated Alfa back........

Looks like time to call it a day with this job and just bolt it back up and sell it as an MOT failure...........

RN3212 · 28th August 2014, 16:18

Jack it up in stages putting progressively higher props underneath. If you can get it high enough a lump hammer should shift it.Do'nt give up yet!!!!!!

jamesh7216 · 28th August 2014, 16:21

'You don't need to remove the lower wishbone to replace the rear bush. I've watched Rover 75 guru Terry from TS Autos replace the rear bush on my car without removing the wishbone.

Give him a call, he's only in Stourbridge, i have no hesitation in recommending him

MGMalc · 28th August 2014, 16:52

This How To shows you how to remove the bushes without taking the wishbone off.

Did it myself on my drive, you need a pry bar or long screwdriver to lever it off.

DaveyC · 28th August 2014, 17:15

The wishbone is knackered and has to be changed, so it has to come off......

Have dropped the car on to a block of metal several times from about a foot, its done nothing to shift it.

I have been hitting it with big lump hammer for about 2 hours and now have fore arms like Popeye and nothing.
Think its gonna be a case of bolt back up and drive around with the annoying clacking and crashing.

I generally enjoy a challenge and love working on cars (have done for years) but this has beaten me. May just have to bit the bullet and take it to a garage....

Either way I am selling when its fixed, as I am loosing my job in the new year and need to raise and save some cash. This is our 2nd car and its going to need to be gone.

28th August 2014, 15:14	#1
DaveyC I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T Diesel Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Costa-Del-Dudley Posts: 2,432 Thanks: 213 Thanked 259 Times in 204 Posts	Lower wishbone Removal - HELP Please..... I have been trying to remove my lower front wishbone to replace the rear bush and cannot get the middle bolt to separate from the front sub frame (pic below). I have done the supposedly awkward rear bush bolts and also the lower ball joint on the front strut. However, i cannot for the life of me get the damn middle one out...... Even tried jacking the car up in the bolt head and it just sat there, did not even separate! Any help / suggestion / tips / prayers would be greatly appreciated....... Thanks Dave __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

28th August 2014, 15:18	#2
trikey Premium Trader Rover 75 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 33,773 Thanks: 8,837 Thanked 14,831 Times in 8,030 Posts	Jack car up as high as you can, remove the nylock nut, then swing a proper hammer at it! Heat and penetrating oil will not help, brute force is the only way! __________________ Lest we forget..

28th August 2014, 15:20	#3
spyder This is my second home 75 CDT Auto Tourer , Rover 45 , Astra, Zaffira, Chev Captiva Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Wilts Posts: 3,342 Thanks: 203 Thanked 436 Times in 360 Posts	You need to jack the car up, put a block of wood on the ground about 100mm away from (underneath) the nut and drop the car onto the wooden block-quickly. Let the weight of the car do the work. Just make sure you and your fingers are out of the way at the time. __________________ Chrome skull caps, EGR cleaned (original housing), Mondeo lower mounting, 12V outlets in the armrest and tourer boot, cat fixed, working FBH, Lidl plenum covers, DD with reverse camera.New speakesr/Tweeters with MDF rings. wood dash, Memory leather seats, wooden finished steering and handbrake, Xenon headlights.

28th August 2014, 15:54	#6
DaveyC I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T Diesel Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Costa-Del-Dudley Posts: 2,432 Thanks: 213 Thanked 259 Times in 204 Posts	OK. So I am screwed. No 14lb lump hammer and no way of getting the car high enough off the floor. Feel like setting fire to the damn thing Only wanted the change a simple bush and what looked like a simple lower wishbone. Makes me want my overly complicated Alfa back........ Looks like time to call it a day with this job and just bolt it back up and sell it as an MOT failure........... __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

28th August 2014, 16:18	#7
RN3212 Gets stuck in Rover 75 Classic SE 2.0V6 Auto Moonstone Green Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Roscommon Posts: 839 Thanks: 315 Thanked 46 Times in 34 Posts	Jack it up in stages putting progressively higher props underneath. If you can get it high enough a lump hammer should shift it.Do'nt give up yet!!!!!! __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

28th August 2014, 15:21	#4
KWIL Precise Rover 75 Tourer 2.5KV6 Connoisseur SE Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Fleet Posts: 2,954 Thanks: 630 Thanked 617 Times in 480 Posts	If you have done the supposedly awkward rear bush bolts, you can surely change the bush OR are you going to change the lower arm as well which you did not explain?

28th August 2014, 16:21	#8
jamesh7216 Avid contributor Rover 75 Connoisseur SE 2003 2.5V6 Alfa GTV V6, Alfa 159 Sportwagon, Jeep Grand Cherokee Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: nr Bridgnorth Shropshire Posts: 155 Thanks: 3 Thanked 23 Times in 19 Posts	'You don't need to remove the lower wishbone to replace the rear bush. I've watched Rover 75 guru Terry from TS Autos replace the rear bush on my car without removing the wishbone. Give him a call, he's only in Stourbridge, i have no hesitation in recommending him

28th August 2014, 16:52	#9
MGMalc Avid contributor MG ZT190+, MG ZT160(V6)Retired Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Surrey Posts: 162 Thanks: 5 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	This How To shows you how to remove the bushes without taking the wishbone off. Did it myself on my drive, you need a pry bar or long screwdriver to lever it off.

28th August 2014, 17:15	#10
DaveyC I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T Diesel Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Costa-Del-Dudley Posts: 2,432 Thanks: 213 Thanked 259 Times in 204 Posts	The wishbone is knackered and has to be changed, so it has to come off...... Have dropped the car on to a block of metal several times from about a foot, its done nothing to shift it. I have been hitting it with big lump hammer for about 2 hours and now have fore arms like Popeye and nothing. Think its gonna be a case of bolt back up and drive around with the annoying clacking and crashing. I generally enjoy a challenge and love working on cars (have done for years) but this has beaten me. May just have to bit the bullet and take it to a garage.... Either way I am selling when its fixed, as I am loosing my job in the new year and need to raise and save some cash. This is our 2nd car and its going to need to be gone. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]