The bushes in my hatch wishbones need replacing and I intend on putting poly bushes in. The question is how would you go about it? take them of the car? replace in situ? buy another set and then have them fitted?

 

You will have to cut out the steel outer shell of the old bushes so almost impossible to do with them in place.

 

Thanks for confirming Don, I wonder if blob wishbones are different as I can get some cheap so could get them fitted out off the car and then swapped out.

 

Hatch STi changed the suspension set-up completely compared to the more traditional earlier cars - shares more with a Gen4 Legacy

 

Totally different

Blob



Hatch 08-10 (rubber rear bush)



https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...y=&searchPart=
https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...y=&searchPart=

MY11 onwards (pillow ball rear bush)


below with protective boot removed

 

Can't they be drilled out?

 

drilled ? I suppose you could use a hole cutter to cut out the rubber but that leaves the steel outer sleeve in the hole.



Once the rubber removed cut the steel sleeve with a hacksaw in two diametrically opposed positions (carefully) and chisel/knock out the sleeve.

 

Hedge how are yours looking, mine are just starting to crack and I wonder whether that's causing the judder I get under braking (disks and pads replaced)

 

They are well known for wearing quickly, I think because they are vertically mounted rather than horizontal like the newage. Mine were heavily perished at 19000 miles when imported, but were 7 years old by then.
Worn ones definitely cause shudder and loose steering. Personally I would avoid Whiteline, having had their rack bushes fail this year, and their roll bars flake and links stiffen last year. Superpro or Powerflex myself.

 

Did you have them replaced then, if so which option did you go for and did you do it yourself?

 

I did all the wishbone bushes at once, at a local garage. They did what Don described. It was done when imported, and have lasted 32000 miles

 

Not really. There's a high risk of damaging the arm.
I replaced mine recently. It was an easy job but I do have a press to push them out and in. A large socket or correct size drift with some gentle heat on the arm should work better than cold or a drill.
pm sent.

 

Do the pillow bushes shown for a MY11 onwards fit a hatch? They look like a nice upgrade.

 

Not without changing the complete lower arm as the pillowball bush has a larger overall diameter.
Also the newer arms don't have the attachment point for the earlier model's front headlight levelling sensor as from MY11 onwards it only uses the rear one.

Never the less
https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...y=&searchPart=
https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...y=&searchPart=