W126 guide rod bushing... need advice.

[chetwesley]

I need new guide rod bushings.

I took my SD to a local indie who has done a bit of work on these old diesels.

The "retaining tab" or whatever you call it on the DS is broken off (see open rectangular hole in pic 1, and see pic 2 for example of the other side with retaining tab still in place). He says he is going to have to cut into the frame around that rectangular hole to be able to get a wrench in there in order to get the bolt out and the bracket off, and then weld the piece back in. Does that make sense? Is there any other way around this?

Thanks