Ok, so decided to give this a whirl today …. Working on the driver’s side, I have managed to remove the 3 screws hooray …. However, I cannot remove the clamp as the ACE pipes are in the way …. What have I done wrong / not done? Decided to hit the collective brains of this forum before forcing something off and then being unable to refit!!!

Last edited by 83series3 on Sat May 18 2024 6:14pm. Edited 1 time in total

Ooh, a thought … the car is not on axle stands …. Is there some science that creates clearance with the wheel off the ground???

Scrap that thought … axle stand has not resolved the clearance problem!

Had a quick Google - this may help https://www.rrsport.co.uk/forum/post506967.html

Cheers for that - I did take a look at that thread and a few others before posting .... I've not seen another thread that has the same issue whereby the bush 'cover' fouls the ARB hydraulic lines in such a way ... so either mine is unique (unlikely), or I've not done something I should have (likely!).

First job in the morning will be to remove drop links (didn't do that), and get both fronts up in the air .... after that, I'm out of ideas!

Hi all - wondered if anyone had any further views on this? I gave this another whirl on Monday, and still couldn't get any further. The only thing I haven't done is disconnect the drop link from the ARB, as, surprise surprise, the lower drop link nut wouldn't budge! Does it absolutely need to be separated? I couldn't see the science between removing the drop link and being able to move the ARB enough to be able to lift the bush cover up and over the bush!

Do you have both clamps removed(both sides) I think if you get the bolts out of them both you should be able to slide the ARB forward/back to get the clamp off, swap both the bushes, set the clamps back in place and slide the whole lot back into place.
It doesn't look like it needs to move far to get it off

I didn't have both removed, as was still deciding whether to unbolt the prop, or do the 'drop the subframe / undo diff mount/jack diff up' approach.

However, I had another run at the right hand clamp, and managed to twist the clamp out of the way by getting a bit medieval, twisting it round, then get the new mount on.

So, we're half way there ..... might attack the other side tomorrow and see how I get on.

As previous poster says, get the other bracket undone, remove both sway links (get the front end in the air for this) then essentially the sway bar will be free to move forward and back allowing you to hopefully clear the ACE pipes enough. As I write this I'm also thinking the pipes will just move with the sway bar because they're connected to the actuator on it.. Even so, might allow you enough manipulation to get the bracket free.

I certainly didn't have the ACE pipes in the way of mine when I did them.. good luck!

Edit: I went back to my thread on this topic and I rotated the bar upwards to get the pipes clear. 2007 L320 RRS TDV8

Right, finally got the left hand side done today ... used the 'remove prop bolts' approach, which allowed sufficient access with the prop 'up' to get the ARB plate off / new bush on.

Needless to say, not without its dramas - the middle of the 3 retaining bolts sheared, so that's toast. No means here to get the thread out, so will need to find someone / where willing to extract that.

A short test drive revealed a much quieter setup.

Just have one remaining question - the prop was a bit of a pig to separate - it did come off after a few minutes of persuasion - is there any special way it has to be reinstalled? There was a slight loss of fluid which I'll have another look at tomorrow after a run to see if it's not sealing properly ... I worked on the assumption that there was no 'trick' to replacing it .... remount the shaft at the front, and do up the 6 torx bolts with the 3 collars in place ....... am I missing anything here?

Thanks all for your help with this one!

No trick to get the propshaft back on, but for this job the workshop manual calls for you to raise the diff by removing the 3 bolts at the left hand side and jack it up, which gives you the extra inch or so clearance required to get tools in there and remove the bracket but sounds like you managed anyway so good job  2007 L320 RRS TDV8