Fitting Wishbones/Rear Beam + Stripping/Painting + Bushes.

Ok in a few weeks i'll have a new rear beam and 2 front wishbones arriving, they are all used parts that i plan to strip, repaint and fit to my G…

First to start with stripping and paint..

I plan on making these look as good as i can, from what i gather the items are rusty just like normal but in good shape. How do i strip all the old cr P off? Would giving them a good going over with a wire brush do the trick? What type of paint should i use? Im just after a matt finish on them, should i use primer first i take it? :dontknow:

Secondly after i've re-finished them i'd like to add new rubber ball joints and bushes where do i get these from? how much are they? also should i consider getting new bearings?

And thirdly fitting, now after i've got the items looking tip top i'd like to tackle this myself. Just bought myself a haynes manual but i'd like some tips too, from people who have done this thing before. To me this is a big thing and i'd like to take my time and do it right so i'll probly be posting about it when i get stuck…Up to now the biggest thing i've done to it is change the breaks!!

Any info and tips would be Greatly appreciated :wink:

low'

You could have the bits shot blasted, but that will cost money and new wishbones aren't that expensive.

If the bits are oily & greasy clean/degrease with degreaser such as 'Gunk', available from Halfords. Then wire brush back the bits to remove all loose rust etc, then finish off with coarse wet an dry (120 grit). Brushable (not the spray struff) Hammerite gives good tough protection and has inbuilt primer and rust inhibter. You could also buy specialist anyti rust rpoimers and tp caost from your local motor factors or somewhere like Frost . Can recommend David's Zinc 182 as good anti-rust primer.

Regards bearings and bushes, should be able to get these either from GSF or ECP or VW may still some bits. New bearings shouldn't be that expensive so if in doubt worth doing while you got it all apart.

Putting together is all a bit big boys mechano. You may find this book useful, lots of pictures of taking apart, restoring then putting back together. Assume you got to take all the old bits off your car first? If so one whing to watch for is the rear axle studs/bolts which go straight ointo th chassis. Bolts could well be rusted on and you don't want to shear them off 8O . Wire brush them, then lots of penetrating fluid and gradually wind nuts back and forward to lossen them off.

Let us know how you get on, and ask any questions as/before you undertake each specific job, plently of people on teh forum able to give advice on all areas, good luck :wink: .

Cheers

Some good advice there. Just to add you are going to need access to a press to replace the bushes.

I would also recommend getting a wire brush and sanding discs for your drill as this will save a bit of time cleaning them up.

Cheers
Rajan

Dam i dont have acces to a press!! is this needed in order to fit them to the body or to the rear beam? The car they are coming off has only done 50k miles so they arnt gonna be in bad condition, just i'd like to renew them if i could.

Is a press also needed to refit the two front wishbones aswel? as again these wont be in that bad of condition.

Cheers fo the info too, its been a great help and i'm looking forward to actualy gettin stuck into it, even if i dont have much knowledge…

cheers, low'

You will only need a press to fit the new wheel bearings into the hubs…

The wishbones and rear beam are simple bolt-on-bolt-off jobs.
You should be able to do the wishbones without even lifting the car (just use a jack/axle stand) though the rear beam might be a bit more tricky unless you have access to a pit/lift.

if it is a press required for bushes in to the wishbones then will the old nut, bolt and washers trick do?? I think this is in the Haynes manual.

From memory its a case of stud through the wishbone (where the rubber bush goes) and through the rubber bush itself which will be next to the hole it needs to go through.

Large diameter washers either end and nuts and you then wind the nuts to compress the washers/rubber bush into the wishbone.

I hope that makes sense and is possible - never tried it myself! ops:

New wishbones arent that expensive - like ?30 for the pair…

but nout wrong with refurbing - blasting is best cost me about ?25 not dear at all for the beam and bracketry to mount the roll bar/beam and wishbones - but if your wirebrushing you'll need a power tool - like a hand grinder with a wire brush attachment - your hands/arms/sanity won't stick it otherwise and you'll be left with rust which will come back.

I got my rear beam blasted and it came back like new steel! I then zinc'd it gave it a coat of hammerite and then just gloss black paint in a spray can to give it a more uniform finish! I got my rear hub back plates blasted too and then got new cylinders/brake shoes/cables/ etc - basically renewd the beam.

The beam bushes will come out without a press just put them in a vice and force them out - lube them then hammer and bit of tubing - mine came out real easy. Then buy something like Superflex replacements. VW sell new bolts and dished washers for putting the bush brackets back on the beam - not dear.



Its a real easy and rewarding job just think logically before doing each bit that way you don't ruin anything  haynes will tell you all you need to know


Its bit like the joiners rule - measure twice cut once!