Whiteline Handling Kit U13 FWD

[Ka-Bluey]

Have just recently bought the handling kit from whiteline ($425), came with rear sway bar, front D bushes, control arm caster adj bushes, 4 link SW/BAR bushes and camber bolts for the front. (ignore number 2, wrong bushes were sent, got correct ones now, no need for spacers)

Now i have installed the sway bar and the camber bolts no probs. But came to a stop with the front D bushes and the control arm bushes. Pic attached

1. Have found where the contol arm bushes go, removed the plate covering them and couldnt get the old bush off. Is there a special way of doing this?

2. Also found (i think) where the D bushes go on the sway bar but these seem alot higher then the old and look like they require spacers under the bracket (did not come in pack) not am i trying to fit them in the wrong place or is there really spacers that i need.

3. The 4 link bushes are pretty obvious.

The problem is that im not 100% familiar with which arm is what. Now my question is does anyone know which arm is what and which bush would go where?? And also what is the easiest way of putting them on.

[Leopard-Man]

Hey mate, good stuff.
to get the D bushes, in you have to take control arm out first, its a bit of a bitch but not too bad.  You shouldnt need any spacers for these either.  once you get the bush out the new one should fit right in.  if it doesnt (because i think this kit was first designed for jdm u13) maybe it is different in which case you may have to take it back to where you got it from for an exchange.

[Ka-Bluey]

Will have to attack the control arm this weekend. I'll try from under the car first and if no luck will remove.
About the D bushes that go in No.2 in the pic, Whiteline sent me the wrong sized ones (typical so i hear). But they sending the correct ones down free of charge and i get to keep the incorrect ones..heheh...sell them off.
The wrong ones were 28mm and the correct ones are 21mm

[RichTRX]

having replaced these bushes on my car I can safely say that you'll need to take out the control arm to get any of the bushes out.

You haven't been really clear on what bushes you actually have (the large D bushes you speak of go at the back of the control arm - they should not need any spacers) but the rear D bush can be taken straight off the control arm (with a bit of effort) after the control arm is removed from the vehicle.The front bushes will need to pressed out of the control arm - this means taking the control arm to a workshop.

To do this, you'll need to:

-undo the sway bar links on both sides or sufficiently undo them so that the control arm can move by itself
-undo the lower ball joint where it bolts on to the control arm ( 3 bolts in a triangle configuration)
-undo the control arm front nut (the large one)
-undo the shackle holding in the rear D bush
-NOW manaeouver the control arm forward off of the control arm bracket. This can take a bit of doing as there is usually some rust on the press tube of the front bush, making it cling to the control arm bracket. It's particularly difficult on the driver's side because the engine sump is in the way.
-once the control arm is out the rear bush can be taken off (usually needs a lot of force) but the front bush will need to be pressed out if you want to replace it (seeing as this controls most of the control arm's lateral and longitudinal movement, you'll want to replace it with a urethane unit), it will need to be pressed out. The new bushes can then be put in with regards to the manufacturer's guidelines.

Hope it all goes well and post up here if you have any probs

-Rich



Good luck and let us know if there are any problems.

[Ka-Bluey]

I have changed the first post slightly.

RichTRX i am little bit confused as to the rear D bush and the front D bush?
Ok the biggest D bushes are the ones with the offset hole, they go on No.1 in the pic, right?
The sway bar bushes go on No.2 in the pic, right?
And the 4 link SW/BAR pack goes on No.3 in the pic, right?

"The front bushes will need to pressed out of the control arm - this means taking the control arm to a workshop." which bushes are these. I am really confused as this is first time in doing such a thing, i dont really wanna make a mistake or spend money paying someone to remove bushes when i can do myself.

thanks

[Counterpunch]

You seem to have the right locations for each of the bushes.  I don't believe you need the rear control arm caster bushes done by a press.  Unless of course you're weak or are happy to pay someone.  I'm a small build person weighing only 60 kgs and I managed to do it.  Like I mentioned to you already it is a very lengthy process of twisting and sliding it off and then repeating the same with the new ones.  I spent hours under the car putting the suspension kit on my U13.  It was worth it in the end.

[ffourc]

What is your time worth " Unless of course you're weak ....I spent hours under the car " sometimes it IS worth $20 to get a mechanic to press it in.

[Ka-Bluey]

Well guys thanx for all the advise and help but i hacked it.

got the side of the car up, got under it and took the whole control arm out, took me a while on the first side as i couldnt figure out how to get the last bolt out (behind the wheel hub), but got it out in the end, as for the bush i just got a small concrete chisel that found in garage and started wacking it off, made lotsa noise but was easy and on damaged the old bush little bit (who cares really). Now on the other side took me like 30min-1hr to get it off and on.. So now im experienced at it  , if anyone needs a hand with a U13 kit, im willing to help.

Can already feel the difference in driving around corners, now just need the wheel alignment and im ready for the 400m run 

[Counterpunch]

So was it worth the time spent?  Don't you feel a sense of satisfaction after all that?

[Ka-Bluey]

Oh definately worth the time spent.
Saved me $20 to get it pressed, wehn all you needed was a vice, hammer and concrete chisel
But then agen some people may not feel confortable wacking something like crazy off a bit of their car, i had no prob doing it..hehe

[Counterpunch]

Yeah me neither!   

[RichTRX]

as long as you don't scratch the inside of the bore it's ok. If you do you need to smooth it out or you risk damaging the bushes when they go in. If you can do it yourself though it saves a lot of bother. Mine were rusted in but in hindsight I could've used a hacksaw to cut them out. Didn't want to risk damaging the control arm though.

2nd. You don't need to get the rear bush pressed out at all. I never said you did. It's easy to get off in most cases. The front bush, which is held onto the control arm bracket by a large I think 27mm nut, is the one you need to have pressed out. Unless you can manage to do it yourself. Believe me you get a lot more benefit from replacing this bush than from the other large bushes at the back of the control arm.

3rd. It's called a D bush because of it's shape. The front control arm bush is therefore not a D bush.

It definitely takes a bit of work but it's definitely worth it It makes turn in virtually instant, improves both steering, braking and even to a minute extent accelleration response (you'd never notice any difference though).

[Ka-Bluey]

Great thanks.
one other thing, the control arm bush (the rear one) has a ofset hole, now i put it in but didnt take much into consideration as to which side the hole needs to be. You know what i mean?
Which ofset bush needs to be where? im guessing they need to be on a specific side, no?

[RichTRX]

on the u12 the two bushes are identical and either can be fit to either side. There is a small hole at the back of each bush to allow air out of them when the control arm is pushed into them - is this the hole you're talking about?

[Ka-Bluey]

No not that hole, my bushes are ofset, meaning where the big hole is on the right (for example) there is more rubber and on the left there is less. So if i stick it on the right control arm (another example) it will push it out and if on the left will pull it in.
Does this make more sence? Im just not sure which one does on which side, there was no L or R on the bush that i know of.

[Counterpunch]

This will make a considerable difference if you put the wrong ones on the wrong side.  I had the same problem.  From memory these D bushes change the caster of the car.  Find out on the Whiteline list what the caster adjustment is supposed to be from these bushes.  This should be at the bottom of the page with the other wheel allignment specifications.  Then find out which way positive and negative caster is.  From that use logic to work it out which side the rubber needs to be on more.  That's the best I can help from memory.  Otherwise go to a suspension place and act like an idiot so they will explain it to you in detail hoping to get a sale.

[Ka-Bluey]

Ok just rang up Whiteline and they said that the ofset needs to be to the outside of the car. So it you looking at the bush with the big hole facing you, the smallest gap goes to the outside of the car for the correct caster.

[RichTRX]

It should be similar on the original bushes as well in that case.