Replacing the silent blocks of the rear suspension arms

With a certain amount of skill, silent blocks can be replaced directly on the car by unscrewing the bolts that secure the beam brackets to the body and then removing the mounting brackets from the beam, but it is more convenient to do this work on a removed rear suspension beam (see «Replacing the rear suspension beam»).

The most convenient way to replace silent blocks is with a special device (puller), but you can do the job with improvised means.

You will need a silent block puller or a mandrel.

1. Mark or remember the location of the silent block in the lever so that you can install the new silent block in the same position.



2. Place the beam in a vice and press out the silent block using a mandrel of a suitable diameter or a puller.

Helpful advice. If you can't press out the silent block, cut it with a hacksaw. The fit of the sawed silent block in the lever eye is significantly weakened.

3. Remove the silent block from the beam eye.



4. Clean the eye from rust and scale, press in a new silent block, orienting it in the same way as the old one was installed, and press it in using a mandrel.

5. Replace the second silent block in the same way.

6. Install the rear suspension beam on the vehicle. The bolts securing the beam to the brackets should be finally tightened with the vehicle standing on the ground.