Front sway bar bushes

RobTwin · Post by **RobTwin** » Sun Oct 31, 10 1:57 am

Hi all

Anyone found an easy way of changing front sway bar bushes?

We can hack the old ones off but as the sway bar has a wider, flattened end, it's not readily obvious (to us, at least

) how to get the new ones on, which come in the same triangular shaped bracket.

First thought is something like washing-up liquid but dunno if that would be sufficient with the metal bracket retaining the bush

Stu asked Jim, with the Viper-blue 68 Charger, and he cut & rewelded his.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Oct 31, 10 8:51 am

i was thinkin the same thing yesterday when i was looking at mine but im quite good at getting big bits of rubber into tight spaces so im told

so im gonna give it a go later

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Sun Oct 31, 10 9:06 am

the factory type , is a night mare , at worst you will end up in A&E , best you will get it almost in & it will slip off , vice grips , G clamps will go flying !! every time !! use some form of lubricant on the bush , just makes it worse !
what i done , was to cut the bracket also , prise it open , fit bush , close it up in a vice , & carefully mig it back up , one tack at time , & let it cool ,
15 minute job this way

the other way all weekend , muscle strain RSI in hands , possible A&E adventure other wise , & then order up an aftermarket swaybar

John · Post by **John** » Sun Oct 31, 10 9:12 am

Ive just ordered some poly ones, are they the same?

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Sun Oct 31, 10 9:15 am

yeah

polly ones are worse !! as they wont compress at all to go in !! they are the ones i almost went to the A&E trying to fit

went all through this & still went with aftermarket bars front & rear , but thought i would use the OEM bar to get the car back togeather !!

John · Post by **John** » Sun Oct 31, 10 9:27 am

steveo wrote:yeah polly ones are worse !! as they wont compress at all to in !! they are the ones i almost went to the A&E trying to fit

A saw and welder it is for me then

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Sun Oct 31, 10 9:30 am

JohnS wrote:
steveo wrote:yeah polly ones are worse !! as they wont compress at all to in !! they are the ones i almost went to the A&E trying to fit
A saw and welder it is for me then

John · Post by **John** » Sun Oct 31, 10 9:41 am

Cheers Steve

And Rob for the thread

John · Post by **John** » Sun Oct 31, 10 9:42 am

JohnS wrote:Cheers Steve

And Rob for the thread, sorry for the hijack chap

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Sun Oct 31, 10 10:40 am

Brute force and a lot of Bananarama!.

latil · Post by **latil** » Sun Oct 31, 10 12:39 pm

I carefully ground off the factory weld,fitted polybush and rewelded. No other sensible way to do the job.

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Sun Oct 31, 10 12:45 pm

latil wrote:I carefully ground off the factory weld,fitted polybush and rewelded. No other sensible way to do the job.

yeah rings a bell !! think i did grind the weld away now rather that cut !!!
done mine a bout 10 years ago , so my brain could be remembering anything , will check later

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Sun Oct 31, 10 1:07 pm

steveo wrote:
latil wrote:I carefully ground off the factory weld,fitted polybush and rewelded. No other sensible way to do the job.
yeah rings a bell !! think i did grind the weld away now rather that cut !!!
done mine a bout 10 years ago , so my brain could be remembering anything , will check later

just had a look , yep no cut , grind factory weld

RobTwin · Post by **RobTwin** » Mon Nov 01, 10 1:35 am

Great, thanks for the advice all

Looks like it's a grinder & maybe a trip to Jim's to beg a favour with his welder

Anyways, need to avoid the A&E route since they shut down our local one

ANTON · Post by **ANTON** » Mon Nov 01, 10 7:37 am

I drill one side of mine for a bolt and then grounf the weld off the same side and then opened up the bracket and fitted the new bush and that use a nut and bolt to hold it all together.

Drill the hole before you grind the weld off, to keep it all aligned. I put the bolt at the back so it can't be seen.