Fitting Torque Rod Bushes?

[Pete940]

Quick question: Does anyone have any tips or suggestions as to how to remove and install the large rear torque rod bushes?

I struggled for more than a day with the little panhard rod bushes, so I seriously doubt my ability to remove and install the large torque rod bushes.

Thanks for any tips.

[ian2000t]

Are you refitting Poly, or rubber bushes?

Have you got a large vice? My mate did my poly bushes in the panhard rod and made it look really easy! Had to push the middle bit through and break the bush, then kind of cut through the metal outter and coax it out with a hammer and chisel. New ones went in a treat - poly tends to go in easier than rubber, especially if you use the proper assembly grease!

I replaced the rear front-most trailing arm bushes using a normal vice mounted on a wooden table, an assortment of different size sockets and a few bits of wood. Not the easiest, and definitely needed 2 pairs of hands, but we did it!

I'm planning to do the large torque rod bushes as well. Due to the amount of flex (and the width) they might be a bugger to press out using a vice, so I was thinking I might resort to burning the rubber bit out, and then deal with the metal after - but if you try that, be careful, and don't breathe it in!!

[Pete940]

It's poly that's going back in. I've got a decent size vice. Your method for the front trailing arm bushes sounds pretty much identical to mine when I was doing the panhard rod. However, I think I may have been a complete idiot (again) as I left the outer metal shells in the rod, which I'm guessing is not correct! That would explain why I had such a nightmare with those damn bushes.

When you say "deal with the metal after" for the torque rod bushes, do they also have an outer shell then?

Cheers.

[ian2000t]

Yeh, the metal should have come out of your panhard rod! I did the same thing when I fitted the saucer bushes on the front - one was so well rusted I couldn't even see it so I left the metal in - only realised when I did the other side!

Not sure about torque rod bushes - maybe they don't have a metal outer? Which Poly ones did you get?

[Pete940]

oops!
To the disappointment of my wallet, I got them from Superflex. I only got the larger rearwards bushes. I'm hoping that I can get away with not doing the small front bushes for the time being.

[petercz]

Any tips how to install the big torque rod bushes? I have poly from Strongflex, but I'm struggling with them whole afternoon without luck. They always flex, slip etc. and I can´t get them straight in, although I have small hydraulic press...

[Chooch84]

I had to do this job a few years ago and found that the hydraulic press was useless.

I ended up using an all-thread bar, 2 nuts that threaded onto the bar and 2 flat plates with holes in them to place either side of the torque rod, then lubed it all up with the supplied silicone grease and tightened it together.

[petercz]

Thx, do you remember how thick was the all-thread bar and what strength?

[Laird Scooby]

This might be worth a look as well :

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=298242

If it's just a couple of bushes and you already have them, chances are the cost will be lower than quoted for the whole lot in the thread.

[baggy798]

Used a piston ring compressor and a press, like this:



Changed out the poly and went back to rubber last year due to driveline vibrations, left the poly in the small ends though. Not a very good area for poly really due to axle articulation.