Astra H VXR Sprint

The car has covered about 85,000 miles, and since it is being used on track an upgrade to the factory rubber bushes is in order. Whiteline Polyurethane Front Wishbone Bushes are being used, and at the same time due to the age and mileage of the original ball joints and drop links they are also having a refresh at the same time whilst everything is apart.

So here are the Whiteline front wishbone front poly bushes, new genuine original equipment (OE) drop links (anti roll bar links) and new genuine OE replacement bottom ball joints:

Poly Bushes, New Drop Links and Bottom Ball Joints

Poly Bushes come as a replacement bush in two halves for easier fitting with a heavy duty central metal sleeve. The Whiteline poly bushes below are the front wishbone rear bushes which give a small caster change, to improve positive caster for better turn in.

Whiteline Black Poly Bushes

Whiteline poly bushes have a shore hardness of around 85-90, and so are much stiffer than factory rubber bushes.

New wishbone to engine bed/subframe nuts and bolts:

Wishbone Retaining Bolts

Front Wishbone removed from the car, the bushes will be knocked out along with the removal of the ball joints:

Front Wishbone

From the factory the original bottom ball joints are riveted onto the wishbone, so to remove them the rivets on the OE ball joints are drilled out using suitable sized drills first (wear protective goggles!):

Removing OE Bottom Ball Joint

Then supported on a suitable old socket or similar the rivets can be tapped out allowing the ball joint to be removed from the wishbone:

OE Rivets Removed

Poly bushes have been fitted into the wishbone and the new genuine bottom ball joint has been fitted and secured with the supplied bolts and stover type lock nuts and is a perfect fit:

Bushes and Ball Joint Fitted

Front Wishbone from another angle showing the caster change bush fitted:

Camber Adjust Rear Poly Bush

Eibach camber adjustment bolts to allow some additional negative front camber to be added:

Eibach Camber Bolts