Sway Bar Bushings replaced-A Pictorial

[petey40]

I replaced these bushings for the 3rd time in 3yrs. My van is a 2001 T&C LXI. This time I thought I would give back a little and maybe help someone who may want to tackle this job themselves. This forum has helped me is so many ways and saved me lots of time and money so here is my pictorial.

Step #1: Supporting the vehicle with jackstands. Although my method is not scientific, use it as a guide and at your own risk. If you're not comfortable and don't have the right equipment then by all means don't try this and get someone else to do it. I supported both sides with jackstands, blocked both back wheels (on both sides), and placed my 3 ton jack on the front motor mount with a slight lift for extra protection. You can never be too sure. Anyway, see the pictures and you'll see what I mean. Of course do this on a level surface!! Then push against the car to make sure everything is good and solid. There should be no movement.


[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3164/2916422732_a84e07fc5b.jpg?v=0

Step#3: Check the above one more time!!!

Step#3A:Wear some kind of safety glasses to protect your eyes from falling debris while under the car. I also use surgical gloves to keep my hands clean.

Step#4:With a philips screwdriver remove the three screws that hold the module right under the drivers side bushing. You can also remove the bracket if you want. Push it out of the way.


Step#4:Remove the bushing bolts with a deep 15mm socket and an 15mm closed end wrench. The bolt head toward the rear of the car gets the closed end and the nut towards the front gets the socket. You'll need to figure out how to fit both on while removing the bolts. You can do it. One side's bolt came off easy the other took a little more patience. Working under the car while laying on your back is not the easiest position to work in. but with a little patience you can do it.



Step#5:After removal of both sides put the brackets and bolts together so you can find them later. Take note of the bushing orientation before you remove them. Then remove the bushings. Pry them off using lots of patience.


Step#6:Pry open the bushing. It will hold its shape for a moment while you install it on the swaybar. Install the bushings on both sides. Then put the brackets on. Hopefully you remembered the placement.

Reinstall the bolts but leave them loose until both are on. Then tighten them up. When you're done they should look like this:


I purchased the Napa Blue bushings this time. They have two grades. Get the best and don't settle for other brands. My last set came from Autozone and they lasted 6 months.

Good Luck if you decide to do this yourself. Any other comments would be great. So post away!.

[petey40]

Here's a pic of the old bushings. You can see why the bar was moving around and causing the clunking.

[rabbler]

Nice write-up!
Were the new Napa bushings (Pretty) softer or firmer the the worn out ones?
I like to apply a silicone or lithium grease to the area of the bushing the contacts the bar. I find it helps the bushings last longer and cuts down on squeaks.

[petey40]

They felt the same. I'm sure they are made out of a different material. Most claim that they last longer than others. I'll wait and see.

[Jeepman]

A great 2 Posts regarding replacing the sway bar bushings Petey40 and was very "giving" of you to take your time to do that.
I have done the sway bar bushings a few times on my 2002 GC, with a couple of variations from yours.
- being from the old school, I didn't use surgical gloves and being stubborn, I didn't use safety glasses, just blinked a lot and said a few choice words.
- I didn't jack the vehicle up (Haynes Manual says you need to, but you don't), I just ran my vehicle up a couple of ramps, left it in Park with the emergency brake on, and blocked the rear wheels.
- I didn't remove anything on the Driver's side, just worked around it with a short wrench. It took a little patience and longer time than the Passenger's side.
- I used polyurethane bushings from the local Dealership. I noticed your bushings had a slit joint straight across, whereas the ones I used had the slit at an angle. The original bushings (rubber) had a toothed joint. I believe the rubber, being softer, could be pulled apart more and thus the reason for the slit joint versus toothed joint on the harder polyurethane bushings.

Recent sway bar bushing replacement history:
125,000 kms (77,673 miles) - Replaced both bushings
151,000 kms (93,830 miles) - Replaced Passenger's side bushing
Present mileage - 188,000 kms (116,820 miles)
No squeaks yet (precursor to clunk), no clunking noise whatsoever.

As to greasing the bushings, as mentioned in another Post, I don't believe I would unless I was going to do it on a regular basis, in which case I would drill and tap the bracket, as well as drill a hole through the bushing, and install a grease fitting.
My theory is that the bushing grips the bar, once that grip is broken, a distinct dry squeaking noise develops (which doesn't last long) because the bar is abrading the bushing, this being followed by wear, the wear eventually becomes sufficient that the bracket gets a little loose and clunks against the chassis.

Again, thanks Petey40 for the very useful and visual Post.

[Hokiefyd]

For comparison, the NAPA blues vs. the stock OE bushings on an '07:

[ESADORNED]

Fabulous pictorial, thanks very much for taking the time to do this. This is my Canadian Thanksgiving weekend project.

KC.

[petey40]

- I didn't jack the vehicle up (Haynes Manual says you need to, but you don't), I just ran my vehicle up a couple of ramps, left it in Park with the emergency brake on, and blocked the rear wheels.

Yes, that would of been much easier and safer. I should get myself a pair of those to use for other things as well.

[eddiedz]

i never thought to inspect my sway bar bushings.. i guess i should since this vehicle has like 103,000 miles.. i dont know if they where ever even replaced. ... those bolts look like they can be removed by hand tools. i should be able to do it myself then, then again i have bad luck it seems and i would probably bust a bolt or something, hahah

[Jeepman]

i never thought to inspect my sway bar bushings.. i guess i should since this vehicle has like 103,000 miles.. i dont know if they where ever even replaced. ... those bolts look like they can be removed by hand tools. i should be able to do it myself then, then again i have bad luck it seems and i would probably bust a bolt or something, hahah

They most likely have been replaced. If you hear a dry squeaking noise from the front end, that's the beginning of wear, that noise won't last long and eventually you will hear a metal to metal clunk, even over the smallest of bumps.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it until it becomes noisy. It's not a safety issue, just a noise issue. The Passenger's side is easiest to replace (nothing in the way) and is the most clunk prone side on my vehicle by about 2:1. There may be some stuff in the way for the Driver's side. There is on mine, but I work around it, rather than remove additional parts, using a few choice words.