Track control arm replacement

[Modmytop]

Hi all. Hope you all had a good Xmas. My bingo has a worn bush in one of the lower suspension (wishbone) arms. It had a knocking noise for a while. I bought some anti roll bar drop links off fleabay, but have since discovered lots of play in rear rubber (P) bush of control arm. The drop links look OK. Wear in arm bush can be best seen by getting someone to attempt to roll road wheel forwards and backwards. On good side the wheel hardly moves. On the worn side, it moves about an inch! The rear bush was allowing far too much movement in the arm.

The thing is, there is a loud noise like a wheel bearing noise. Increases with speed. There is no play in wheel bearing.

1) Is this noise expected with a worn arm?
2) I intend to change said arm myself, any issues I should look out for?

Oops. Put post in wrong place. Andre, can you move it to the Mk2 area pls?

While waiting for it to stop raining, have been looking at what I have to undo. OK with rear (P) bush bolts and ball joint, but how do you get to the nut for the front (inner?) bush nut? Seems to be hidden. Head of bolt easy to get at, but nut seems to be behind part of sub frame ????. See pic.

   

[geoff]

If there is no access hole then the nut is " captive " and welded to the subframe.

The noise won't be arm related, bearings will make a noise without displaying any wear.

I'd be doing the drop links while you are " in there ".
Check the TRE and do both sides if any wear or doubt is present as you'll end up paying for the tracking twice.

Check disc and pad condition whilst access is good.

If you don't intend keeping the vehicle then just do the arm.

[Modmytop]

If there is no access hole then the nut is " captive " and welded to the subframe.

The noise won't be arm related, bearings will make a noise without displaying any wear.

I'd be doing the drop links while you are " in there ".
Check the TRE and do both sides if any wear or doubt is present as you'll end up paying for the tracking twice.

Check disc and pad condition whilst access is good.

If you don't intend keeping the vehicle then just do the arm.

Cheers Geoff.
I managed the arm, but as suspected "bearing" noise remained. Car in to garage today for N/S wheel bearing replacement. As you say no play in bearing that I could see anyway.

As for the arm, the nut for the inner bush is held in approximately the right place by something. Not sure what you would call it, but metal clip. Looks removable. Though not sure how you'd get the nut out if needed. I had to file the inner tube of the inner bush to fit in the chassis socket (?).

Also had the misfortune to pull driveshaft from gearbox, with loss of oil over drive. Hate the smell of gearbox oil! Also when refitting the rear P bush and the anti roll bar bush, I noted you have to make sure the rear of the ARB bush clamp engages in its slot in the chassis. It then hinges forward and is secured by the long bolt and nut. Also found I had to jack up the arm to get the ARB in correct position to close the P bush clamp.

[geoff]

Well you have made good progress and saved some hard earned money along the way so that is a result !

Thanks for the update, by the way for future reference how much is the garage charging for the wheel bearing ?

[Modmytop]

Well you have made good progress and saved some hard earned money along the way so that is a result !

Thanks for the update, by the way for future reference how much is the garage charging for the wheel bearing ?

Don't know yet! They hadn't started it when missus called them at 5pm, so will find out tomorrow.

[addo]

On earlier Berlingos, that front eye bush captive nut is held in by a spring clip. It's quite easy to prise out; my worry was dropping the square nut into the subframe's hollow section!

[Modmytop]

On earlier Berlingos, that front eye bush captive nut is held in by a spring clip. It's quite easy to prise out; my worry was dropping the square nut into the subframe's hollow section!

Yes, that's a better description of it, a spring clip. Thanks Addo. BTW when this bolt/nut is done up, should it still allow the inner metal tube of the bush rotate freely? I guess it should. Its just I had to file this tube to fit in the "socket". Its was only after that I wondered quite how it all went together. I know the Haynes says only tighten the ball joint nut when weight of car on it, but I tightened both bushes while I could still get to them.

---

Well you have made good progress and saved some hard earned money along the way so that is a result !

Thanks for the update, by the way for future reference how much is the garage charging for the wheel bearing ?

Got Bingo back from garage, nice and quiet again.
£120 labour and £26 for bearing kit + VAT.
The shock absorber pinch bolt was seized, and I think the labour was more than they would have charged normally because of it.

But after reading some posts on this forum of needing 16 ton presses to press the new bush, I'm happy to pay it. The old girl (the bingo, not the missus) hasn't cost me much over the years, so I think it was worth spending a bit on her. Though it has been over 500 squid in last 4 weeks with springs, wishbone and now bearing.

[geoff]

£500 in the last few weeks should set you up for a good few years more of trouble free motoring, thanks for the update, glad you have it sorted out.

[addo]

You tighten the front eye bush bolt with vehicle weight on it, the bush's centre crush tube is intended to be gripped by this process.

[Modmytop]

You tighten the front eye bush bolt with vehicle weight on it, the bush's centre crush tube is intended to be gripped by this process.

You're right Addo. The Book of Haynes says finger tight for front bush until weight on it. I will slacken off and retighten.

When I took the strut out early last year to fix a broken spring, the pinch bolt was siezed. I levered the arm down using a long bar to free the damper from its socket in the hub. I didn't undo any of the bolts for the control arm. Could this have caused damage to the rubber in the arm bushes?