Over the past couple of days I have installed new bushes to my D2 Watts linkage. A dirty messy job but someone has to do it. In truth what I actually did was buy a used Watts linkage on Ebay, replaced the bushes with new ones I had for a couple of years and swapped out the newly repainted Watts with the existing one on the truck which I'll refurb: and put on the shelf as a spare part. Now for the interesting bit, getting the rusted bolts undone was a real PITA even having soaked them in penetrating oil/fluid twice well in advance. So much so they were such a PITA I abandoned one lateral link as I couldn't release one bolt, worse still it was one bolt and nut requiring the lowest torque setting. So if replacing your Watts linkage bushes, be prepared for a fight with the various nuts and bolts securing it to the truck. The dopey part is that the Ebay Watts went like a dream using a hydraulic press I have on the bushes but removing the old Watts and fitting the replacement parts was a nightmare.

 

I didn't really have any difficulty getting the old Watts off. My issue is that the central hole in the new OEM "snowman" I got is bigger than the hole in the original so it clunks around a lot.

 

Those watts bushings are quite expensive. The appeal of going to a panhard rod is very strong...