My car went in for a full service which includes a full health check, its a 2008 Focus Titanium 1.8 petrol.

During the checks they found that the front wishbone bushes were worn, one was slightly cracked. He showed me them when i picked the car up, they said that the bushes can't be replaced and you'd need to buy the whole wishbone, is that correct ?

 

It also needs the rear trailing arm bushes doing which is fine as you can buy the bushes for those.

The bushes can be replaced but if the bushes have gone your just as well IMO changing the whole arm. Naturally the garage 'make' more money by replacing the whole arm!

Could someone do me a favour, will these powerflex bushes fit the rear trailing arm of my car, according to the vehicle checker they seem to do so, i'm just after someone double checking it for me

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Powerflex-PFR19-812-Rear-Trailing-Arm-Blade-Performance-Bush-Ford-Volvo-Mazda-/331782443734?hash=item4d3fc652d6:g:QuEAAOSwA3dYgzNq

It is best to do the whole arm, but imho anything to do with brakes or suspension it's best to replace in pairs! It just means that in a few months time you won't have to go in and have the other side done as its gone aswell. It shouldn't be much more expensive on labor just the extra cost of the part. You can get pairs of arms on eBay and do it yourself it's an easy job to do.

Yes they will fit but you'll also have to buy the removal tool if doing it yourself. I think it cost about £80.

Hi,the picture you have uploaded is fitted in the control blade/hub carrier and sometimes called a butterfly bush and is located under the wheel arch.Are you sure this is the bush that is worn?If so all the suspension arms,hub carrier,spring,strut,roll bar is going to have to be removed.

Thanks Mac

Yeh i'll be getting them in pairs, anything like bushes or anything that's rubber they'll be the same age so the other one is likely to fail not long after so like you say it's best doing them both at the same time.

Do you trust those wishbones on ebay though, their are so many for sale so it's hard to know which ones to trust. All it would take is for them to be cheap metal or some bad welding and the thing could fail at any point, possibly at high speed on a motorway etc. I doubt the bushes would be upto much in a lot of them.

Hi William

On the invoice in the advisory notes it says the following:

O/S/R trailing arm bush split/perished and has excessive movement, needs replacing.

N/S/R trailing arm bush perished and worn, advise, replacing.

Sometimes the terminology is confusing,some use the word trailing arm for any rear suspension arm in my experience.I have fitted polyurethane bushes on all my rear end arms.It has completely transformed the car but I do warn you the ride can be harsh unless the tarmac is smooth,many don't like the ride but I love it,maybe I'm a ***** 💀I don't know.Just make sure you know which one it is before ordering a butterfly  bush.