MGF Front Anti-roll bar bushes

Difficulty: 1 (even a monkey could do it)
Timescale: Assuming bolts are not seized, 30 minutes maximum

To be honest, I never really checked these on my previous F. They are kind of tucked away and you never really hear of people having to change them. I replaced with all new parts but of course you probably don't have to do this (bolts/brackets)

(I might point out that this was done in the rain, and after 5 pints of beer, but I don't condone ANY car work whilst under the influence of alcohol. this is dangerous!!!)

Anyway, I decided to change mine for polyurethane, as they don't cost that much (around 20 pounds for two bushes)

Its a VERY easy job if the bolts come away first time.

Tools/parts required

• 10 mm socket
• Torque wrench
• Car jack/axle stands or even better, car ramps
• bushes - Rubber OEM- part no. RGX000920 (£7.20 exc vat) , or patent part : RGX000920P (£1.25 ex VAT) or polyurethane part no. SGF400032 (Sussex car parts - £24 ex vat)

Usual stuff for removing road wheels (locking key, 19mm socket, wheel nut wrench or torque wrench)

not essential but may come in handy:

• impact wrench for initial cracking of bolt
• New brackets (x2) (part number:RBU100101 (Rimmers, £7.40 each exc VAT)
• New bolts (x4) (part number: KYP10002L £0.42 each ex VAT, Rimmers
• Swear box....(if bolts don't come out)

1) Raise front in the air on ramps, or jack up and SUPPORT ON AXLE STANDS (need to do both sides at same time)

If on ramps then both wheels are under load and this should take stress of the roll bar. If you are jacking car, then I am not sure what effect this will have on the ARB as the wheels will be "hanging down" more than if on ramps......

Soak the bolts in plus gas, (WD40 if you have to) or other releasing agents.....day before would be better and you can just manage to do this with car on the ground





2) You can then get under the front of car and see the anti-roll bar and the bushes/brackets








3) Using a 10mm socket, remove the two bolts securing each bush bracket. I used an impact wrench to give the first "crack" as I usually strip bolt when I use a normal socket set. the seemed to come off reasonable easily and I sprayed whit release agent a few times during removal just to help. they are only torqued to 22 Nm so should come off OK, but do get rusty under there





4) Once bolts are out, the bracket can be removed and the bush removed from the roll bar. There is a slit in the bush to allow it to slide off the bar. Or in my case, they just fell off :lol:

5) repeat for bush at other side of car

6) New bushes came with some coppergrease, but if you are fitting rubber, then just use some long lasting grease or coppergrease in the bush to help it go on and to prevent squeaking in future. Slip on new bush and then fit the bracket loosely by applying the bolts a few turns (you can tighten them once both bushes are in place as you need to lower the bar slightly to get the new bushes on)





7) Now tighten up bolts to 22 Nm. It doesn't feel like a lot at all, but that's what the manual says





Points of caution.

Obviously the hardest part is getting the bolts off in the first place.
The brackets on mine had been crushed (probably by someone using them as jacking points). This had also bent the part on the car that the bracket bolts onto, so the bolts couldn't go in straight, but they did go in with a bit of effort. I am hoping by using polys, I wont have to remove them ever again.....but I used new bolts and brackets so they might come off easily in future?

Great write up broon :thumbsup: Thanks for taking the time to photo your efforts.

Only one thing slightly disturbed me...




What was it you had to censor
please reassure us this had nothing to do with small furry rodents

In a caption comp I would have entered..

broon became very excited taking a photo of the mod he believed would win the T-Bar mug that month

PQD44 wrote: Great write up broon :thumbsup: Thanks for taking the time to photo your efforts.

Only one thing slightly disturbed me...

What was it you had to censor
please reassure us this had nothing to do with small furry rodents

In a caption comp I would have entered..

broon became very excited taking a photo of the mod he believed would win the T-Bar mug that month

I think it's something to do with continued application of 5-6 pints of swally.:shrug:

Broon, interesting that you needed to apply lubrication to yourself as well as the bolts!:rofl:

Yes the 5 pints of breakfast Guinness and lager in my stomach made a break for it from my trousers. A site I didn't want to tarnish the t-bar with :lol:

Just done mine. A bit longer than 30 mins but my polybushes were solid so the droplinks had to come off too. Then of course while the ARB was off it had to be wire brushed, and painted too. Never ending story....

Hi Guys been off for awhile mainly on other MGF /MG forums ...shock horror..... interestingly on this how to...i have been experiencing a grating noise from drivers side front wheel more pronounced on turning right/braking firdt thoughts...oh shit have let pads get too low and grinding my disc....however when time allowed looked though the wheel and could lower section of the ARB droplink fractured and scoring on the inner face of the wheel, sorry pic still on phone, got ok to use to use 'old retired garage' facilities by the owner, 86yrs old and couldn't help giving a hand, to get up on lift and remove the bottom bit of the droplink after much swearing as inner steel of bush rusted well on truely onto the bolt, now have new droplink/ bolts/ nuts from Rimmers and will continue as arranged for facilities use again tomorrow afternoon.