Simple jobs that are difficult
 

I decided to replace the tie rods and lower wishbone bushes one the Barchetta. Well, not exactly decided as the guy who was going to do the alignment showed me the tie rods were seized and the bushes were collapsed.

Ordered the bits and Googled How To

Tie rods were undo clips, slide back gators, free up nuts at each end, ease out the ball joint....

...it sounded like a challenge.

Bushing were just 2x17mm bolts, slid off the old bushing and slide on the new one...

...it sounded easy.

Tie Rods - it took longer to watch the How To video than to do the job. All nuts freed quite easily and the new part just bolted back in. Happy days.

Wishbone bushes? Don't talk to me about wishbone bushes. I have succeeded in getting one replaced before it went dark. I used three different hammers, two chisels, an axe almost resorted to the angle grinder before freeing the old bushing with a mixture of a jigsaw to cut through what was left of the rubber and a blow torch to cook the last metal sleeve. And tomorrow I have the passenger side to do.

I hate jobs like that

I have that job to do- the kit has been waiting for a while now- warm and snug in its box in the garage.

First rule of wishbone bushes club is: You don't talk about wishbone bushes club...

I will post some photos if I get the other side tomorrow. I reckon I have the technique niled now (he says confidently after 7 Duval)

I did the front bushes on my MX and invested in one of these - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/15227...0865095&crdt=0 - well worth the money and saves hours, days, weeks even.

I was trying to work out if there was a tool for the job but I don't see how what you have shown would have worked.

For the Z3 the bushing fits around the end of the wishbone like a ring around the finger. Although the bushing is a ring, there is no central hole because that is filled by the wishbone.

i did try some suspension spring compressors to grab the back of the bushing and pull it off but couldn't find anything suitable to hook the other end up to so they pulled it properly.

You need something with claws to grap the back edges of the bushing and a central bolt you tighten to pull it towards the end if the wishbone.

Photos might help as it is hard to explain, type and hold my beer steady

Ah yes, just had a look at the wishbone. Assumed they were "normal" bushes which could be pressed out.

you mean like a wife's hand around a husband's wallet?

Here are the photo instructions for the left side. The right side is much the same.

Identify the tie-bar. It is the whitish curvy bar going from the bottom of the wheel hub into a rubber gator.
https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5786/3...124f9f2f_c.jpg20161125_111912 by WCA!, on Flickr

Next remove the metal clips at each end of the rubber gator. On mine I could just pull the end up and it undid, a bit like opening a tin can with a pull ring.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5453/3...e17cbd2f_c.jpg20161125_111940 by WCA!, on Flickr

Pull tha gator carefully towards the wheen end to expose the tie bar. Note the hex nut effect on the back of the ball joint, just before the shiney silver shaft. Thsi is what you are going to undo.
https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5735/3...8196c566_c.jpg20161125_112248 by WCA!, on Flickr


On both sides of the car it took a bit of a heave with a set of grips to break the fix and then I could undo it by hand
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5613/3...cc1c4598_c.jpg20161125_112533 by WCA!, on Flickr

Now move the gator carefully back towards the engine end and try the rusty looking bolt.
https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5464/3...b2365488_c.jpg20161125_112554 by WCA!, on Flickr

A squirt of WD40 and a 16mm spanner and it comes free quite easily which was a real pleasant surprise
https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5552/3...a42d0d75_c.jpg20161125_112725 by WCA!, on Flickr

A quick tap on the head of the thread and it drops free. Line it up next to the old one to get it approximately the right length. You will need to get the alignment done immediately after this so don't worry too much.
https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5708/3...daace713_c.jpg20161125_113335 by WCA!, on Flickr

Slide the gator over the new tie rod having checked for splits and replaced if torn. Fit the engine end of the new rod and then carefully secure the gator over the specifically designed mounts with zip ties.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5608/3...cb1c4aab_c.jpg20161125_114114 by WCA!, on Flickr

At the wheel end it is worth rubbing it over with a wire brush to remove the old crud and generally clean up. The new tie rod for me came with a 17mm nut. You need to put some upward pressure on the joint to be able to tighten the new nut which I found easiest with a car jack.
https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5612/3...a4bba34b_c.jpg20161125_114331 by WCA!, on Flickr

All easy stuff. now onto the other wishbone bushing. Expect fire!

I normally put a mole grip on the straight bar just before it goes into the track rod end then just loosen the locking nut.
Then remove the ball joint, normally needs a fork to separate. Try and remove any rust on the thread with a wire brush but DO NOT use wd40 or similar. I have in the past found that this can loosen the ball joint taper so when you undo the nut the whole ball joint turns.If this happens it is a real bugger to remove.
When the ball joint has been knocked out you can just unwind the track rod arm, holding the bar again using the mole grips to stop it turning. Screw the new track rod end on up to the locking nut. This way you shouldn't alter the tracking and you don't have to muck around with the gaitor.

If I am understanding what you are describing you are talking about undoing the locking nut half way along in the picture below. If you can do that then I am sure what you describe is best.

On mine, worse on the otherside, these nuts seemed welded together and the guy who tried the original wheel alignment was worried about bending/snapping them if he applied and more force.

Also, if you look in the picture at the end by the gator, the new piece at the top of the picture has a relatively stiff ball joint while the old one just flops down and actually rattles a bit side to side so probably worth replacing both ends I thought.

https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5708/3...daace713_c.jpg20161125_113335 by WCA!, on Flickr

I had a far more successful time replacing the wishbone bushing having learned a few things from the other side. Here are the photos...

First locate the bushing. It is at the right end of the white bar.
https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5475/3...d813d513_c.jpg20161125_130603 by WCA!, on Flickr

Held in place with just two 17mm bolts. Remove those and slide the bushing off they said...
https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5574/3...d8f2000a_c.jpg20161125_130614 by WCA!, on Flickr

Then slide the new one on
https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5687/3...56c55266_c.jpg20161125_130631 by WCA!, on Flickr

Oh, you want to see what is involved in sliding the bushing off and sliding the new one on?

It was reasonably easy to release the two bolts. It did take a tap of the persuading stick to get the bushing mount to come free.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5519/3...85882597_c.jpg20161125_130913 by WCA!, on Flickr


Notice the flanges around the bolt hole. These allow the bushing mount to seat correctly. You would feel a right idiot and slide the new bushing on the wrong way round so make sure you check. I didn't make this mistake either time...small victories and all that.
https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5453/3...c40bd16e_c.jpg20161125_130940 by WCA!, on Flickr

If you bang the back of your head hard enough against the brake disc you will be able to see through the old bushing. Notice the rubber only connected at the top and the bottom.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5512/3...44363273_c.jpg20161125_131140 by WCA!, on Flickr

Cutting through the two rubber bits can be a right git as cutting thicker rubber is never easy. I resorted to an electric jigsaw with an old blade I was happy to throw away after
https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5544/3...c188c23c_c.jpg20161125_131508 by WCA!, on Flickr

And now the bushing mount and most the rubber is removed.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5685/3...56eda798_c.jpg20161125_131534 by WCA!, on Flickr

This leaves you with the remaining rubber around the outside of a metal sleeve. inside the metal sleeve is more rubber. You need to remove as much of that rubber as possible with a Stanley knife, hacksaw or what ever your tool of choice is.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5630/3...4df5bf77_c.jpg20161125_131554 by WCA!, on Flickr


My tool of choice is FIRE. By using a blow torch rather than trying to pull or cut the bushing off I had it removed in less than ten minutes.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5608/3...6c3091ee_c.jpg20161125_132416 by WCA!, on Flickr

Another advantage of fire is that it melts the rubber inside the metal sleeve some when it eventually does move it slides off quite cleanly
https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5499/3...1896d52c_c.jpg20161125_133058 by WCA!, on Flickr
https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5644/3...82c1fb55_c.jpg20161125_133108 by WCA!, on Flickr

I used some wet'n'dry lubricated with silicon lubricant to clean the end of the wishbone properly. I only used the silicon lubricant for this as it was next to me ready for the next step rather than for any magical properties but hey, it worked.
https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5782/3...1ea44ca9_c.jpg20161125_133529 by WCA!, on Flickr

The next inspired bit of today, after deciding to jump straight to fire, was to use a long furniture clamp to squeeze the new bushing on rather than relying on sheer hand power. I still used lots of silicon lube on both the wishbone and the bushing to help
https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5833/3...d9094cd4_c.jpg20161125_134345 by WCA!, on Flickr

I had to do the last little bit by hand but it was SO MUCH EASIER
https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5814/3...64040173_c.jpg20161125_134517 by WCA!, on Flickr

All back together and bolted in place.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5557/3...7ffcd23f_c.jpg20161125_135026 by WCA!, on Flickr

Now to book another slot with the Wheel Alignment man.

Well Nick, you're turning into the Ed China of Madabout.
Thing is, I've never seen Ed China use copper grease. Look at any of my cars and you can tell which bits I've worked on by the traces of copper grease to aid removal "next time" (except caliper bolts of course).

Ed uses washing up liquid though.