Rear trailing arm bushes

[Mcdubber]

Hi,

I’m new to this forum and new to mk5 ownership.

Yesterday I took my car to have the alignment done but sadly was told they couldn’t do it. The rear trailing arm bushes are perished and the top bolt? is seized. I’ve had a search on here and YouTube to see if there’s any guides for replacing the bushes but never found one. Are they an easy enough diy job or do they require to be pressed out? Also any ideas which bolt it is that’s siezed,is there a common bolt that sieze’s up, he just said top bolt? I should have really got confirmation of which bolt but I suppose I could ring them back up and ask.

Any help appreciated

Cheers

[OEM+ DUB]

Most likely one of the two inner bolts where the trailing arms (that the springs sit in) join the subframe under the centre - as you look at it from underneath the car.

I had the same issue with mine. I had to cut off the bolt with a disc cutter so I just replaced both the arms rather than faff around changing bushes.  When fitting the new adjusting bolts I liberally applied copper slip where they fit through the metal centre of the bushes to prevent them seizing in the future.

Hope this helps.

[Mcdubber]

Thanks for the reply.

I have looked at the complete arms and wondered if it might be easier just replacing the whole arm.

Do you know if the bushes need to be pressed in?

I’m not sure I can actually be bothered tackling it myself, I don’t really have the time and the shorter daylight hours doesn’t help either.

[r5gtt]

Cheaper to buy new arms than buying bushes and having them pressed in!!
Also new bolts

[OEM+ DUB]

Replacement bushes can be pressed in but only cost effective if you can DIY or if upgrading to powerflex, etc. (although standard bushes are fine due to limited plane of movement).

As above, definitely replace all bolts too, remembering that the inner ones are an eccentric design to give the adjustment so require the special washers too.

Hope this helps.

[Mcdubber]

I bought the complete arms with the bushes in which also come with new nuts and bolts.

I’m just about to get stuck in replacing them but noticed the the bush on the hub end of the arm bolted to the subframe looks a bit worse for wear and it’s got me wondering if it that Bush they’re referring to, is there definitely adjustment for n the trailing arm?

I think the seized bolt they mentioned is the inner nut/bolts on this arm. I think it’s the camber arm?

[r5gtt]

I bought the complete arms with the bushes in which also come with new nuts and bolts.

I’m just about to get stuck in replacing them but noticed the the bush on the hub end of the arm bolted to the subframe looks a bit worse for wear and it’s got me wondering if it that Bush they’re referring to, is there definitely adjustment for n the trailing arm?

I think the seized bolt they mentioned is the inner nut/bolts on this arm. I think it’s the camber arm?

Im thinking that would be the rose bush 

[Mcdubber]

Ah ok, they don’t look in the best nick but I’m not worrying about those just now.

I started on the trailing arms yesterday afternoon, it went pretty well and was easy enough to do but ran out of time. The drop link on the passenger side is very tight on the arb end and the allen hole has ended up rounding so looks like I’ll have to cut it off and replace it with a new one, I can’t get the drop link out the trailing arm without slackening the other end off unfortunately. I’ll get back in about it tomorrow.