Labour to replace radius rod bushes - how much?

[mutley770]

Hey there, my radius rod bushes are rooted on the chassis and control arm ends. I've gone and bought nolathane ones, and a nice nolathane swaybar link kit while I was at it.

Removed the control arm and front end of the radius rod from the chassis but there was no way in hell I could get the bush out so I put it back together again figuring I'll have to leave it to the pros.

But the mechanic said $300 to fit - that seems a bit rich doesn't it? What's that, 6 hours labour? I could do it myself in 2 if I had access to a press. What are your thoughts and any recommendations on places to take the car in the inner west, and if you've had it done cheaper.

[dmitch]

u can buy a 500kg press for about 170.. saw it at supercheap once.. u could always go 2 a mech and get them 2 just put the bush in 4 ya.. then u can install it urself.. or u could use a vice with some wood and use that u press it in..

[mutley770]

thanks man - that press sounds good. For that job really I needed a hoist too - I found a good mechanic willing to do it fairly cheap. Apparently it was a total bitch to get the bushes out (they needed grinders and all manners of things to get em out at the chassis end - no wonder I couldn't do it)... but it only cost me $140 and they fitted my swaybar links as well. Well worth it, there's some things I just can't do in my crammed garage.

Drives heaps better. Nolathane rocks.

[slo_firo]

you an just use a bottle jack in your garage door frame to press them in/out, done this heaps with minis, holdens, cefiro, skyline works mint as, just dnt forget to smear them with a bit of lube/grease before you put the new ones in

[tug33r]

i have a vn and i cut my old radius rod bushes out and them the nolathane ones are 2 piece no pressing involed

[pandaman]

i have a vn and i cut my old radius rod bushes out and them the nolathane ones are 2 piece no pressing involed

I've heard mixed reports about the two piece ones. While they're very easy to install, apparently they can wear out quicker. I ended up paying to have mine done the old fashioned way, the trailing arm bushes needed doing as well so I decided that more than one set of bastard bushes could be someone elses problem. That was my birthday present to myself. End result: $500 lighter wallet, no more front or rear end knock, a very good wheel alignment and the knowledge that those bigarse rubber bushes aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Muttley, $300 sounds like it might be a little bit much just to fit radius rod bushes though, maybe just shop around a bit more see what you can find. If you got the two piece ones like tug33r, you can fit the new ones easily enough by yourself, it's just a matter of destroying the old ones to get em out.

[J_D]

You can actually get the radius rod and bolt it in facing the front of the car and use it as a slide hammer. I did this when I replaced mine with nolathanes.