Rear suspension bushes

[robgm]

I see a lot of info (here and youtube) about front suspension bushes replacement, like lower control arms and radius rod, but not much about the rear. I'm going to do my front bushes. I would think the rears probably also need doing (2005 VZ 220,000km), which ones need to be done on the rear, how to do them?

 

[_R_J_K_]

There's not many bushes to do in the rear, but they're generally quite difficult to do compared to the front. The stock subframe bushes will need to be pressed or cut out unless they're so cactus that you can just break the centres out, and the aftermarket ones look like they can be greased up and put in by hand or with a mallet. The swing arm bushes are usually replaced with camber kit bushes, you should be able to find some video results for Commodore camber kit installs as they're fairly common.

You'll need an alignment after you replace any bushes, particularly if you get an increased castor radius rod kit. If you drop the subframe, make sure whichever wheel aligner you take it to has the ability to align the subframe.

 

[robgm]

I think doing the front can have a big difference - is it worth doing the rear? Would failed rear bushings lead to uneven tyre wear?

 

[Fu Manchu]

I think doing the front can have a big difference - is it worth doing the rear? Would failed rear bushings lead to uneven tyre wear?

Fk yeah.

 

[_R_J_K_]

Would failed rear bushings lead to uneven tyre wear?

Yes, but it also depends on the type of tyre wear. The type of IRS used on these Commodores is super basic and has a few design flaws which increase camber wear - wear on the inside edge of the tyre. It happens at stock height, but it's worse if the car is lower. You can get rid of some of it with the aforementioned camber bushes, but because it's a design flaw it's harder to eliminate it completely.

Typical rear bush wear would be if you can hear stuff clunking around in the back or the rear end feels super sloppy, or if you had uneven tyre wear side to side. You might like to see if the ball joints in the toe adjusters are stuffed and if that's causing some issues.