How do I install poly bushings into my rear stab bar ??

[lone73]

On my '96 vette I am trying to install just the end link bushings now. One on the right wore out completely (which is totally weird to me but whatever...).

I CANNOT get the *&^%$!!! things into the holes at all. They are PST polygraphite and just will not compress enough to slip in. I tried greasing the leading edge and a C-clamp to press it into the stabilizer bar but it just bulges - will not slip into the hole. Is there some special tool used ?

Anybody got any tricks to get these in there ???????????

Thanks
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[So Bay Vetter]

I replaced all my rear sway bar bushings on my 96 with the OEM's from Corvette Central and had very little trouble. I'm not clear, do the poly bushings not come installed in the metal sleeve that is then installed into the sway bar / end links?

 

[lone73]

Yeah, they're on the sleeve but how do you push the poly into the holes in the end of the sway bar ? Same problem with the bracket that attaches to the bar, on the bracket's opposite end. The sleeves slip in and out of the bushing easily.

I tried compressing the rubber (with the sleeve out & in) with a hose clamp and then pressing in with a C-clamp but that didn't work.

I'm just successfully buggering up my new bushing is all thats happening...

thanks

 

[lone73]

Is there supposed to be a sleeve on the *outside* of the bushing that attaches to the sway bar end ???

 

[froggy47]

The rubber or poly bushing should have a metal sleeve around it. This metal sleeve is in contact with the metal of the sway bar. It should be a pretty tight fit (metal to metal) needing a press/vice/or at least a c clamp and sockets to press it in.

If you have bushings that are not in metal sleeves, they need the sleeves.

The rubber or poly material should not protrude very much from the metal & should not "get in the way" of inserting the bushing.

I have heard of some poly bushings that do not fit very well. You may have a set of these?

 

[lone73]

My sleeves appear to be fused or beaten/flanged into the holes on the ends of the sway bar. Same at the bracket hole that attaches to the rear knuckle. I thought this was done at the factory. Apparently this is a result of driving a while with a worn out bushing.

I'd had this rattle back there for the last 20 or 30K miles getting progressively worse. I'd had the rear up in the air many times trying to find it. Never would have guessed it was a sway bar bushing. I didn't find it until the other day - the bushing was so bad the rubber was finally gone. You can't see it with the bracket in place. The left side is ok, just the right side end link went bad.

Guess I'll have to try and locate some outer sleeves.

thanks

 

[froggy47]

My sleeves appear to be fused or beaten/flanged into the holes on the ends of the sway bar. Same at the bracket hole that attaches to the rear knuckle. I thought this was done at the factory. Apparently this is a result of driving a while with a worn out bushing.

I'd had this rattle back there for the last 20 or 30K miles getting progressively worse. I'd had the rear up in the air many times trying to find it. Never would have guessed it was a sway bar bushing. I didn't find it until the other day - the bushing was so bad the rubber was finally gone. You can't see it with the bracket in place. The left side is ok, just the right side end link went bad.

Guess I'll have to try and locate some outer sleeves.

thanks

One edge/end of the metal sleeve has a lip/flange the other end does not. I used new oem rubber bushing & got a good result & not too hard to install. Of course you take the bar off the car to swap the bushings.

 

[lone73]

Froggy47,

Where'd you buy your bushings?

thanks

 

[96vetteLT4]

[The easiest way I found to put the bushings in is to use a 17mm socket and a strong hammer. The 17mm seems to be the right size as I just did mine about 2 weeks ago. Find a flat surface place the socket squarely over the bushing and the opening on the sway bar and come down with a mighty hammer. You have to catch it just right or it will bounce off. Took me about 10 minutes to get them in. Patience as results come with practice. Also make sure the metal sleeve has been removed from the previous bushings. If you see a little tab or notch that piece has to come out, they will not go in otherwise. Good luck

 

[Hrtbeat1]

[The easiest way I found to put the bushings in is to use a 17mm socket and a strong hammer. The 17mm seems to be the right size as I just did mine about 2 weeks ago. Find a flat surface place the socket squarely over the bushing and the opening on the sway bar and come down with a mighty hammer. You have to catch it just right or it will bounce off. Took me about 10 minutes to get them in. Patience as results come with practice. Also make sure the metal sleeve has been removed from the previous bushings. If you see a little tab or notch that piece has to come out, they will not go in otherwise. Good luck

I recently replaced all the rear bushings with poly ones ... except the swaybar and end links. If these are like the ones for the batwing upper frame mounts you have to cut out the original pressed in sleeve. I cut a slice of pie out of the outer metal sleeve (careful not to score the actual machined surface) and compressed it ... slid right out. The poly bushings don't use the sleeve. They were two piece and you inserted one side installed the pin/inner sleeve then the other side. They were a very tight fit, plenty of force and liberal amounts of white lithium grease did the trick. I found it easier to put both halves in then insert the pin. Lithium grease :bang I still had to compress the bushing to get it to fit back into its mount. C-clamp and a couple of pieces of alum stock I had laying around.

 

[froggy47]

Froggy47,

Where'd you buy your bushings?

thanks

Superior Chevrolet 1-800-728-8267

Ask for Chris & mention Online forum discount - I think it's CF rather than CAC, join CF if you are not there already

 

[96vetteLT4]

17 mm socket and a big hammer....place the sway bar on a flat surface ,place bushing in center of hole and place socket on top of bushing, give a mighty blow from a big hammer and they should go in, you have to make center contact with the hammer , you dont dont hit the center it will bounce off but continue this method until they go in which they will....goood luck