Finally got it all back together, after waiting nearly two weeks for the parts!

The first "new" replacement bush/sleeve was badly pitted, in worse condition than the 25K mile one I took out! So I had to return it and wait nearly the best part of a week for another one to arrive because they're not carried in stock.

The new bush is the same length as the old one, so resorted to packing out either end with the 0.20mm shims and the whole thing nipped up nice and tight with the recommended torque setting - no slop whatsoever, unlike before. Took some measurements to quantify the play in the linkage cause by the ill-fitting front/frame pivot:

The new bolt diameter is 11.44mm, the hole in the new bush/sleeve is 13.23mm, so the total play at pivot is 1.79mm without the shims, which doesn't sound a lot but multiplied by the linkage ratio gives a noticeable 5.96mm of play at the axle. This is the difference between getting an advisory at MOT time and not. It also means that the linkage doing what it should and pivoting solely on the needle rollers and not a combination of them and the bolt.

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