Another Sway Bar Bushing Replacement Thread

[1LoudLS]

yesterday I finally got to replacing the passenger side sway bar bushing. The front suspension is now silent!!!!

well it is reasonably logical that if one piece of rubber fails/wears out, that the same piece of rubber on the other side of the same part would also fail/wear out... part of the reason you should always replace both sides when replacing any worn out suspension parts.

 

[rgorke]

well it is reasonably logical that if one piece of rubber fails/wears out, that the same piece of rubber on the other side of the same part would also fail/wear out... part of the reason you should always replace both sides when replacing any worn out suspension parts.

Yeah, I absolutely knew that both sides needed changing. What was so eye opening is that the origin of the creak (passenger side sway bar bushing) was heard and even felt (I could feel the creaking vibration in the driver's side control arms) on the opposite side of the car.

The "life of the car" bushing "fused to the sway bar" had come completely "unfused" from the sway bar.

So very satisfying to actually "fix" something. Moreover, I am very happy that it wasn't any of the control arm bushings or ball joints going bad.

The most difficult aspect of getting the "life of the car" brackets off was getting the second cut to the bracket. The first was pretty simple and went relatively quickly with the Dremel. I could not get an angle for a the second cut. A "straight on" cutter would be ideal.

maybe something like this...but maybe smaller....

 

[heyjewel]

The DCCVs are all the same size. I replaced my bushings on my 04 V8 without removing the DCCV.

The pain was cutting the original bushings off with the bar in place. I went through a number of cut-off wheels.

 

[heyjewel]

Ditto for my V6. Though I did have to remove one DCCV hose. Be sure to put a pan under to catch coolant if u do that.

 

[rgorke]

Fortunately, I was able to get the front passenger side bolt off using a swivel and 24" extension. Getting those bolts back in is a pain as well. You have to have them perfectly lined up to start threading by hand....

 

[1LoudLS]

What was so eye opening is that the origin of the creak (passenger side sway bar bushing) was heard and even felt (I could feel the creaking vibration in the driver's side control arms) on the opposite side of the car.

it can be pretty deceiving what side has failed when the part in question is one long piece of metal with the two bushing being so close together. sound coming from either bushing would be transmitted through the long metal bar to either side