they can be changed with a poly bushing (not sure about OEM)
it can be done with hand tools and jack stands, thats how i did it.
its probably on of the hardest bushings to swap. you have to remove the brake line and the ebrake cable to get the trailing arm completely free.
getiing the bushing out reuires a press and then a torch to burn the rest of the rubber out, and a wire wheel to clean it up. U have to reuse that metal cylinder and the centre pin.
if there is OEM replacemnt, you an probably omit that torch bit, and i imagine you wont need to reuse any metal bits.
Probably easiest to replace the entire arm with the bushing already pressed in. Poly bushings are not recommended for this arm due to reduction in flexibility of the control blades.
local ford parts counter doesn't stock the bushing anymore. They only stock the complete trailing arm with bushing pressed in.
according to the Ford parts guy.....Techs had a nightmare installing new bushing. Pressing out the old bushing would sometime damage the trailing arm or would require removing the complete trailing arm. It was faster and cheaper for them to install the new part. Also with the new bushing already at the proper angle, a wheel alignment wasn't necessary.
I would think a wheel alignment be necessary after changing the trailing arm. What do you all think?
I installed the Energy bushings in the trailing arms and have been very pleased with the handling. So far it has been four years with poly trailing arm bushings and not a single problem; other than having to be regreased them after 3yrs. (squeak, squeak, when going over bumps).
The bushings are around $20, but require at least a MAP torch to burn the old rubber out; you reuse the shell and pin.
I don't understand at what are you refering when you say it should be burned. I mean that the bushing has only the core made out of rubber and the exterior is made from some sort of metal .... just like the one in the third picture. So even if I will burn the rubber the ring that sits in the arm still needs tu be pressed out.
Why is it not a good ideea replacing with stock? I have found some powerflex bushes but they are more expensive and i will have to change bouth of them.
And as I understand you are only replacing the rubbery part of the bush when you put the poli bushes.
I have reread @thenorm post again and now I am sure that you are replacing only the rubbery part of the bushing ... I don't understand why when you can find the hole bushing, with the metal cylinder and the centre pin like the one in the third picture, witch is just like mine
I see your point, but I am from Romania and you should see our roads, so I don't want to do nothing that will harden the car's response at the roads hums and bumps. I thought that you adviced me not tu use stock bushings because they would be hard to fit or something like that.
The Focus was allways apreciated in Europe for his sweet handling and exceptional suspension(especialy the back independent suspension) so the stock bushing will be more then enogh for me.
If I would had your car's suspension I would probably have spine damage by now.
I see why you want the stock rubber piece.
I know many shops do not press the stock metal shielded bushings in correctly and it causes problems (see post #4 by focus_mtl). Ford only offers the whole control arm; at least here in the states.
I have changed the bush but the nut that passes thru the lower arm didnt got out so they had to cut it ... and with this ocasion i replaced the lower arm to!
i have had my poly bushings installed now for 60k and i have 0 complaints....I went outside and snapped a quick pic..whats a good greese too use on the bushings???
after seeing how dirty they were I wiped them off today for some better pics
^car feels so much tighter in the rear its insane! sometimes when im just daily driving it gets too be toomuch as they make the ride a little harsh but its not too bad...just bad over railroad tracks and massive bumps in the road....but coasting down the highway and driving on decently paved roads is a breeze...and you will get squeaks here and there but just greese em time to time and it should take care of any noises...i have a small squeak in the rear right now I need to check out.
Hi
I'm looking at these bushings for a completely different application.
Would anyone be so kind as to give me the measurements of
1) The diameter of the "hole" in the trailing arm
and
2) The distance between the 2 fixing holes in the "pin" that bolts to the floor of the car
Many thanks
John
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