Hi , my 2008 tdv8 with active roll bar needs new bushes , my question is would it be possible for a novice with correct tools ie offset spanner’s etc be able to comfortably do the job on the driveway? I only ask because my local LR DEALERSHIP wants £800 to replace front and rear bushes with new droplinks . Wow that seems incredibly expensive! Quote on labour alone is £600 🥴 many thanks for all replies in advance

I had the front ARB bushes done on my MY10 with ARC bar this year. Someone on here reported it's a b*&ch of job and in fact the indi I use showed me a LR tool he had for the job. I had a quick look and decided to leave it to him. I cant tell you exactly how much he charged a I had a couple of other jobs done, and it didn't cost anywhere near £600. DON'T GO TO A MAIN DEALER!

Your title is “front anti roll bar bushing change” and you question is about front and rear bushes and drop links.
Bit of a disconnect there.
I had front and rear done but in two jobs. I wouldn’t use a MD but it ain’t cheap and it’s not a job I would do on the drive.

I did mine this year. The rears are a very straightforward job and even though access is a little tight, it didn't take too long.

See a vid here for the rears -

The fronts however were a different kettle of fish altogether. Access to the bushing bracket bolts is a real pain on each side (e.g. front prop needs to be removed to get to the passenger side bracket) and I ended up trying all sorts of spanners etc to get to the bolts. Took me a while longer than I thought it would because of this. If I did it again I would try and get hold of the special LR tools designed for this job or take it to a good LR independent workshop.

The drop links are a doddle though!

New bushes front and rear have transformed the car though.

Good luck! 2010 TDV8 - current - my first RRS, loving it so far......
2005 Cayenne S - handling defied physics and what a sound, so sod the mpg!
1995 Disco TDI- surprisingly reliable, shame about the peeling dash & other trim
Lots of other non 4X4's in between times.........

One of the reasons I bought mine was how well it drove, it had had a load of money just spent on the suspension, wishbones,bushes, drop links then the dealer put a new pump, rear junction block and a suspension unit to cure a fault light.
Had the wheel alignment checked the other week and it just needed the rear toe adjusting slightly. Steve

2005 2.7 TDV6 HSE, ongoing project.
1998 Volvo V70 R auto FWD, mothballed future project.
1999 BMW Z3 (owned from new) garage queen.

I had a serious attempt at changing mine.
I could get a spanner on the front one of three bolts (each side) but the rest....no chance

In the end I bit the bullet and took it to my local indie garage who had a right fight with it.

Four bolts seized and two broke. (car is 8 yrs old with 40k and hasn't been off-road (yet) so not covered in mud etc.
They ended up having to drop the front subframe to sort it out properly and I did warn the mechanic to cooper slip everything cos he would be doing again next time!!!

Sat on the four poster ramp for over 8 hours, but I was glad I quit while I was still ahead, cos once you start hacking and breaking things trying to drive it down the road to get it fixed properly is an even bigger challenge!!

But if you do attempt it, please photograph it so I can see how you did it and, next time I might be brave enough to have another go  RRS 2012 HSE Lux Alive stage 1 remap. timed heater, General Grabbers.
D3 with BAS & general grabbers (gone)
Defender with 3 winches and other subtle mods (gone)

You can buy the special tools here, scroll down to items 5 & 6 not sure if you really need both or could get away with one as don't really look to much different just the depth of the throat. Might be the sort of thing to buy then sell on when job done to recoup some of cost, sure plenty of members on forum would be interested in buying and passing on each time.


https://www.dingocroft.co.uk/acatalog/Tools2002.html

Cheers
Col

Last edited by Col on Sun Nov 15 2020 10:28am. Edited 1 time in total

I replaced the front and rear sway bar bushes on my 2008 tdv8 with active roll bar. I didnt have any special tools but I do have a two post hoist. It was tight and slow ie a twelfth of a turn, remove spanner, turn over, another twelfth a turn etc. No undue force required. So it is possible but I could have been lucky and just had a spanner that fitted. Pete
2008 L320 TDV8
2022 Hilux Rugged-X

Pete

I suspect that it wasn't just luck that didn't require you to use undue force. I imagine that down under you don't have to experience the pleasure of the authorities dumping tons of salt on your roads in winter which of course only serves to enhance our enjoyment of LR product maintenance here in the UK

This was the state of one of my ARB bracket bolts and a new replacement...they were b*****ds to shift!


 2010 TDV8 - current - my first RRS, loving it so far......
2005 Cayenne S - handling defied physics and what a sound, so sod the mpg!
1995 Disco TDI- surprisingly reliable, shame about the peeling dash & other trim
Lots of other non 4X4's in between times.........

As a general rule on anything mechanical outdoors, I use copperslip grease on all nuts and bolts, Even those that I'm unlikely to dismantle again, but you never know! RRS HSE Dynamic SDV6 2014

Nemo mortalium omnibus horus sapit

Alfie wrote:

Hi , my 2008 tdv8 with active roll bar needs new bushes , my question is would it be possible for a novice with correct tools ie offset spanner’s etc be able to comfortably do the job on the driveway? I only ask because my local LR DEALERSHIP wants £800 to replace front and rear bushes with new droplinks . Wow that seems incredibly expensive! Quote on labour alone is £600 🥴 many thanks for all replies in advance

It’s going to an Indy 😉😁 thanks for all advice 🙏🙏

[quote="Col"]You can buy the special tools here, scroll down to items 5 & 6 not sure if you really need both or could get away with one as don't really look to much different just the depth of the throat. Might be the sort of thing to buy then sell on when job done to recoup some of cost, sure plenty of members on forum would be interested in buying and passing on each time.


https://www.dingocroft.co.uk/acatalog/Tools2002.html
Tempted to purchase these and like you say would I need to buy both tools ? If anyone has bought these maybe they could tell us why you need both tools for the job thanks

You do need both.

The short tool is too short to do the middle bolts, and the long tool is too long to do the short bolts

While these tools do make things much easier, its still a faff about, especially if bolts are seized

Guess that answers that question then.

Cheers
Col