Hello

Am doing a refresh on the rear entirely. all the bushings.

unfortunately i am in no position to drop the subframe.

is it possible to remove all the control arms/knuckles etc etc without removing exhaust or dropping the subframe?

cheers
Martin Its actually a sport

Not anymore, 4.4 TDV8 now

Yes Martin it is. I did all mine this year without moving the subframe or exhaust. You do have to lower the subframe a bit if you are doing the main subframe bushes to body though.

ah awesome thanks

I need to do subframe bushing as well but i can sort the control arms/knuckle and then do them after Its actually a sport

Not anymore, 4.4 TDV8 now

Good to hear as this is my next modification/upgrade. I’ve no idea how bad the bushings are on the rear upper and lower arms at the moment, but they’re not yet an MOT advisory so can’t be awful. Either way, I’m planning to refresh every suspension bush on the car and have so far done front but not yet attempted rear.

I’m planning to drive to the Alps first weekend of Feb so hoping for a decent weather weekend in Jan to attempt this.

If anyone has any pics or additional advice I’m all ears! Also, do the suspension airbags need to be deflated or removed?

The job looks simple enough, just need to take my time and be methodical whilst doing it! 🤞 Andy

2010 4.4TDV8 Vogue SE in Santorini Black with Ivory interior
2017 Audi SQ5 3.0 V6T Quattro in Volcano Red
2001 Audi Allroad 2.5 TDI manual with low-range in Highland Green. Currently SORN whilst undergoing some serious restoration!

I would leave the subframe to body bushes alone unless they get flagged on the MOT because although mine were MOT adviseries for the last two years they only had small signs of deteriation and when I had got them out they were OK to be fair.

mine is on 170k and i can hear that sweet sweet knocking from the rear under braking so mine really need it. Its actually a sport

Not anymore, 4.4 TDV8 now

I was planning on the suspension arms and hub bushings, not the subframe to body ones. I do have a set of OEM Febest bushes for the subframe (not BMW ones) on the shelf but that’s a job for further down the road as other things to do first. I suspect one for later in the summer when I might try some rust treatment and sealant for the underbody.

I just want to get the arms and hub bushes done before the big road trip. 👍 Andy

2010 4.4TDV8 Vogue SE in Santorini Black with Ivory interior
2017 Audi SQ5 3.0 V6T Quattro in Volcano Red
2001 Audi Allroad 2.5 TDI manual with low-range in Highland Green. Currently SORN whilst undergoing some serious restoration!

I dropped the entire frame on my old car last year, the subframe bushes didn’t look bad from the bottom but did still look worse from the top. It hadn’t received one advisory for them on the MOT’s either.

Changing all of the bushes on the back of mine for brand new genuine Land Rover bushes really transformed how the car drove. My latest 2012 doesn’t feel as tight as my old one did at the back so next summer I’m planning on doing an entire rear end refresh on it. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

kevinp wrote:

Yes Martin it is. I did all mine this year without moving the subframe or exhaust. You do have to lower the subframe a bit if you are doing the main subframe bushes to body though.

just a follow up, did you have to cut the control arm bolts?

was there any particular set of tools you used to press the old bushings out or just a standard press? Its actually a sport

Not anymore, 4.4 TDV8 now

I didn't have to cut any bolts but did have to use a length of scaffold pole to get the buggars off.

ah ive got similar kit.

am hoping to use that for the control arm bushings as well. i didn't go for a full arm replacement but just the bushings.

we'll see how long that goes. but my rear discs are toast so perfect time go for the whole shebang

silly question, did you do the final torque on the ground to avoid premature wear on the bushings? i see this a lot for other cars, wasn't sure if same applied here Its actually a sport

Not anymore, 4.4 TDV8 now

Absolutly mate. Full weight on the ground. I drove mine forward and backwards a few times to settle the suspension before tightening.
If I remember right I just jacked the rear hubs to 485mm from the wheel arch to hub centre while the car was still on axle stand to get more room to swing the spanner.

Last edited by kevinp on 2nd Feb 2024 11:25am. Edited 1 time in total

fair enough then, this'll be an interesting one.

biggest worry for me is releasing the half shaft out the hub since i need to do wheel bearings. but maybe i just yolo it and get it on a press.

this cars seen a lot of salt as well so am not expecting it to be easy. Its actually a sport

Not anymore, 4.4 TDV8 now