EDIT - Crossmember not rad support.
Anyone had any experience installing the oem style rubber ones? They seemed pretty flexible when I cut them out - are they easy to push in? Or is better to go poly here?
I have press and a vice.
Cheers
Matt
Absolute pain in the ass to get back in! Kept going off square and popping out.
I had to lube them up and use the press to get them back in.
I thought the same as you, the old ones were easy, but the new ones were a damn site stiffer.
As for poly vs rubber, I usually stick to rubber for them, as 9 times out of 10, I'll stick a solid front mount on.
If you leave the rear engine mounts stock along with the rubber crossmember bushes, that usually eliminates the vibration.
Cheers Monkey! Great I thought these might be a bugger :(
Got everything back from the powdercoaters now so I am on the rebuild phase.
Yeah, it's made even harder when you've got powder coat, as you're desperate not to chip/scratch it!
Plumbers silicone assembly grease sorted this one for me. That is after I warmed the bush in the oven and got to grips with a hot slippery bush.
Not an easy one.
Good tip with assembly grease. Did you still need to press in with a press? Assume we put bush in cross member first and then push in the bracket.
Good tip with assembly grease. Did you still need to press in with a press? Assume we put bush in cross member first and then push in the bracket.
I didn’t use the press, used the kitchen breakfast bar and lots of twisting, pushing and swearing.
ohh interesting I'd rather do that as worried about damaging the fresh powdercoating. I will give it a try with some assembly grease. This is when you'll tell me you've got thumbs like King Kong and I fail miserably.
...I'm wondering if Phil has a vice on his breakfast bar..... :D
Would a metal or woodwork vice do the biz?
I've not had the "pleasure" of this task.
...I'm wondering if Phil has a vice on his breakfast bar..... :D
Would a metal or woodwork vice do the biz?
I've not had the "pleasure" of this task.
No vice, pushed them in by hand. I think I tilted them and twisted them?
Did you insert squidgy end first? Hmm I am struggling with hand, vice and press! It is too springy for the press.
I have out the others in the freezer whilst I play with just 1 to see if that helps
Solved - will upload pics when I am next on a computer.
I used an oil filter housing socket over the top of the squidy bit and pressed in with the vice.
After over an hour experimenting each bush went in under 2 mins. 4 done 4 left to do after dinner (mk3 Cross member)
Just had a look on the t'Internet to see what these look like.
There s a thread on Club GTI but the pics have gone AWOL!
Looks like you need to use a threaded bolt, nut some large washes and a piece of wood about 20-30mm with a hole the size of the bush so it can be forced through the xmember.
Lube the bush, then make a "sandwich".
Bolt > big washer > xmember > 20/30mm wood with hole > big washer > nut.
Might have problems getting a big enough 2nd washer so you could use a another thick piece of wood. Then tighten the bolt up.
Edit....another thought
If you had a big enough socket (I've inherited a few!) you could use that in lieu of the "holey" wood.
Edit2....I see you sussed it a different way, good stuff.
This is what i used in the end. It took a hour or so messing with different methods but this ended up taking approx 2 mins per bush
(https://i.ibb.co/fFmjxxn/20220602-212018.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QQsyKKC)
(https://i.ibb.co/4FMpGns/20220602-175037.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CwvQZ3J)
(https://i.ibb.co/zVTW44r/20220602-174957.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tpTwJJ4)
......and I was thinking you had to push it in as far as that big groove...was I wrong?
......and I was thinking you had to push it in as far as that big groove...was I wrong?
They look right fitted but the ones I fitted by hand were different to yours. Mine were the genuine thing supplied by VAG. I'm sure the side that pushed in was smaller than the bushes you have fitted. But they went in to the groove just the same.
Edit, just checked my manual, I make notes for next time. Pushed in to groove, small hole at the bottom. The hole through the bush is stepped?
Yeah mine were Febi. I pushed them in as far as they would go - first pic is the finished article and the vice pic is pre-push in to show set up.