Suspension bushes for Golf Bora 2WD

Front Wishbone

The front wishbone contains two bushes, the front one is not subject to much stress but the rear one is the one that is prone to failure.

This is due to the design of the bush being voided rubber, where there are gaps in the bush construction which weakens them but gives better ride comfort.

When changing the bushes there are four options:

1.       Use your original wishbones and put in standard bushes, these will need to be pressed in with either a hydraulic press or it can be done with a large bench vice.

2.       Buy OEM replacement wishbones that have the bushes already installed, these are around £25 per side. These can be swapped as a unit very easily and retain the standard ride comfort

• Golf Front Bush - 357 407 182 x 2
• Golf Rear Bush  - 1J0 407 181 x 2

3.       Install up rated bushes that are of solid rubber construction like the ones from the Audi TT which can be pressed into the original VW wishbones. Use only the rear wishbone bush as the TT front does not fit golf \ Bora wishbones

• Audi TT Rear bush - 8N0 407 181B x 2
• Golf Front Bush - 357 407 182 x 2

4.       Install a poly urethane bush kit such as Poweflex ™. These bushes are solid construction but not made from rubber which makes them stiffer than the rubber bushes and suitable for more modified cars.

The fitting procedure will be the same as fitting the standard bushes. Here are a couple of How To's on cahnging the bushes DIY style

Here are a couple of How To's on changing the bushes DIY style

http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/thread/783336.aspx

http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/thread/437738.aspx 

Rear Beam Bushes

There are two bushes that connect the beam to the mounting points and as with the front are susceptible to wear resulting in poor handling.

Again these bushes as standard are of the void bush type of construction.

There are three options when changing these bushes:

1.       Use standard VW or OEM replacement bushes

• Golf Rear Beam Bush - 1J0 541 501 C x 2

2.       Use up rated solid rubber bushes as found in the Seat Leon Cupra R 

• Leon Cupra R - 1ML 501 541 x 2

3.       Install a poly urethane bush kit such as Poweflex ™.

Rear bush replacement guide (Vortex)

If you have any updates or alterations then please contact me

Neil

Price update (as on 14/07/2008):-

Audi TT front wshbone - rear bush - 8N0 407 181B     £13.71 ea +vat

VW Golf front wishbone - front bush - 357 407 182      £5.36 ea +vat

Seat Leon Cupra R - rear axle bush - 1ML 501 541      £37.47 ea +vat

foggy3061:

Price update (as of 14/07/2008):-

Audi TT front wshbone - rear bush - 8N0 407 181B     £13.71 ea +vat

VW Golf front wishbone - front bush - 357 407 182      £5.36 ea +vat

Seat Leon Cupra R - rear axle bush - 1ML 501 541      £37.47 ea +vat

I'd like to do mine before i sort the suspension out, are these ok for the TDI?

Are these prices Dealer quotes?

Dubbz:

foggy3061:

Price update (as of 14/07/2008):-

Audi TT front wshbone - rear bush - 8N0 407 181B     £13.71 ea +vat

VW Golf front wishbone - front bush - 357 407 182      £5.36 ea +vat

Seat Leon Cupra R - rear axle bush - 1ML 501 541      £37.47 ea +vat

 

I'd like to do mine before i sort the suspension out, are these ok for the TDI?

Are these prices Dealer quotes?

 

 

Yeah, they are dealer quotes, VW / Audi parts from the same dealer tho' the seat parts had to come from a seat dealer (the VW / Audi dealer couldn't get them).

Yes these bushes will do the tdi models too.

how much would someone charge to change the wishbones?

ive been quoted 400 before to chang the bushes which is why mine havent ben done.

hotboy836:

how much would someone charge to change the wishbones?

 

 

ive been quoted 400 before to chang the bushes which is why mine havent ben done.

The rear bushes are a bitch to do from what i've read 

 If you are swapping for aftermarket wishbones with the bushes already fitted then it is an easy job (5 Bolts) but if you are replacing the bushes then it can be a bit more fiddly.

The rears are a lot more tricky though, easiest if the subframe is dropped TBH.

Neil

for the rear, it takes me about a day to do, but then normaly its me getting bored and going in and watching telly.

best way to do it is, is to remove the beam which is a bit of a pain in the ass job to do as you have to block the brake pipes other wise it empties out the system and its not the lightest ting in the world, but it is a diy job with a few basic tools

the way i manage the front ones is using tt bushes. i baught a second pair of arms from a scrappy for 30quid. i get a garage to press the bushes into the spare arms, and then swap the arms around, this way it keeps the car on the road and swapping a wishbone is an easy job

old_n07:

 2.       Use up rated solid rubber bushes as found in the Seat Leon Cupra R 

• Leon Cupra R - 1ML 501 451 x 2

 

Managed to succesfully confuse the parts guy at TPS liverpool.

Latest price from them was £34.30 + vat. Each.

Jon.

HA HA  i did that too at the dealer LOL

but he managed to work it out in the end

keeps them on there toes ehhh

Andy

awesome guide. think i may give it a go myself when i need to change the bushes.

 Will these be ok to change on the a Bora tdi sport 130, with 18inch wheels and coilovers.

Will it make the ride a bit more comfy..

Suny

 I have just bought a powerflex kit for the front of my car which is wishones front an rear, dogbone mount and the steering rack mount and will be hoping to do these over the bank hol weekend, what are these uprated wishones people are mentioning any links to them

thanks

jeff

harveysduvet:

old_n07:

 2.       Use up rated solid rubber bushes as found in the Seat Leon Cupra R 

• Leon Cupra R - 1ML 501 451 x 2

 

Neil just a heads up about a typo in your post - part no for the LCR rear beam bush is 1ML 501 541

Managed to succesfully confuse the parts guy at TPS liverpool.

Latest price from them was £34.30 + vat. Each.

Jon.

I've updated the first post, cheers Jon

Right, just picked up my Cupra R rear bushes from Liverpool TPS so thought I'd post a couple of pics so people can see the difference.

They do look quite different from the standard bushes but I've checked and double checked and all the other rear beam parts are the same.  Hopefully they should be going on in Sept sometime - once they're in I'll put up a thread about them and put a link here.

Jon.

 The difference looks like the big washer on the front face and the green collar round the end Jon, I think it looks like it should fith though.

Is the green part removable?

Neil

old_n07:

 The difference looks like the big washer on the front face and the green collar round the end Jon, I think it looks like it should fith though.

Is the green part removable?

Neil

Jon.

Piccies of the LCR rear beam bush next to an OEM one for comparison (LCR Bush is on the left)

Jon.