compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

I'm putting a 36mm front sway bar on my car (paint is curing right now) so I need some bushings for it. The only place I can polyurethane bushings is TDS and Spohn and since they need to be greased so they don't squeak I'll need the greasable mounting hardware so it'll cost me $40 + shipping. Now I found some new rubber 36mm bushings at Napa that I can get for $15. I know swapping worn out rubber bushings for polyurethane make a difference but will there still be a difference if the rubber bushings are brand new? Also, do rubber bushings need to be greased too (I'm guessing so but I want to be sure)?

espirocz

iTrader: (2)

When I polyed my whole car the bushings cam with a grease to lube at install. Since then I have no squeek problem. The grease that came with the kit (P-S-T suspensions) was a very heavy thick like synthetic peanut butter but clear, and probably silicon based.

Worst case you would have to remove and grease the bushings at a later date. I would rather have the advantage of poly.

Another aspect is, if the rest of the bushings are worn and letting the control arms move around, poly on your sway bar wont matter. Your control arms will probably deflect and change your alignment during suspension travel and corner load.

You might ponder rebuilding your whole front end if money is not an object. If moneys a problem the $15.00 napa bushings would be o.k. and if they are like a factory bushing they have a cording or fabric cast into the rubber to allow the bar to move without making noise.

My .02, Tim.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

I have some poly bushings for my control arms that I was going to put in when I did the springs but I only took the pivot bolts out of the control arms when I did the springs so I couldn't get the stockers out and it was getting dark so I had to get started convincing the bolt holes to line up.

espirocz

iTrader: (2)

I gave the arms bushings a try. After an hour I took them to my alignment wizard. He took care of removing them and reinstalling them. From the look of the old bushings when I picked up the arms, an air chisel is the way to go.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

I guess what I'll do is buy some control arms off eBay or off here and replace the bushings and ball joints while I'm at it and paint them too. That way I can do it all right since I still have to drive my car. Now if I do that will that **** with my alignment in any way? I don't think it will since as far as I know nothing on the control arms is adjustable but I just paid to have an alignment done and I'm not paying for it again just to replace the bushings so I want to be sure. How hard is it to replace the ball joints?

espirocz

iTrader: (2)

Ball joints pop out easy if you have an impact gun. You can rent the tool from Autozone.

If you replace the control arm bushings I would recomend an alignment, if you dont get one and the steering wheel is straight and the car tracks straight on a flat road, just watch your tires for some funny wear patterns.

Hope this helps.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

Well I just paid $650 for new tires and $60 for an alignment so I guess this can wait until its time for new tires again. Will that fabric you say is in the rubber bushings, will that mess up the paint I just put on the sway bar?

BADMAN

iTrader: (13)

If you install poly bushings you can drill and tap your original sway bar center bar brackets for the cost of a package of zerks and a tap. Look on the grease zerk package for the size drill bit and tap needed. Then you can do the rear also. Cost me about ten bucks for the needed parts and tap. Badman

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

I just found that Hawk's sells the 36mm bushings with greasable hardware for $20 + shipping so unless shipping is unreasonable I'm going to go ahead and buy those.

espirocz

iTrader: (2)

Rock out then! The only paint it will screw up is the paint you wont see under the bushing. Getting the bar in without messing up paint will be more of a challange!

tonys91rs

iTrader: (17)

i replaced my front control arm bushing with poly, and so far have not needed to get the front end aligned. i also bought a set of control arms, and did all the work to them. then i switched them out. i have a set of front control arms from my 91 in great shape if you want them. lets say $40.00 which includes shipping.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

Thanks for the offer but I'm going to wait on that because if I do need an alignment I don't want to mess up my new tires. I really don't have any money to be buying more things right now anyway.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

Take a close look at the enlarged image of the greasable front sway bar bushing kit Hawks is selling. That kit is made by Energy Suspension and is a "Universal-Fit" kit (hence the long slots instead of holes). Look at the slots in the brackets, they are in-line. That bolting pattern won't work on a 1983-92 F-Body without modification. These cars have an offset mounting pattern to the bolts that mount it. Also the ID of the bushings isn't 36mm, but is 35mm. From what I've been told, Spohn uses that same kit and hones the ID to 36mm and cuts off one of the ears of the brackets and welds on a new one with the hole in the correct location. Some early 1982 F-bodies have that straight mounting bolt pattern and for them this universal-fit kit will work. I'm just trying to save you some frustration.

Lon Salgren
Top-Down Solutions

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

So the Spohn bushings are just cut up to be 36mm? I know your's aren't from Energy Suspension so are your's the best ones?

1986 305 RS

Im grateful for this site.....im going rubber all around again.....it lasted 27 years and no having to tear the car apart to grease and no squeek and its cheaper.....but to each their own