DIY: Sway Bar Bracket & Bushing Replacement
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75shot55fueljets=GOBABYGO
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DIY: Sway Bar Bracket & Bushing Replacement
http://www.energysuspensionparts.com...sp?prod=9.5166
Best way to see you bracket place you head on the ground directly next to your front wheel so you can look through the spokes, youll see you bar then the bracket, if it looks like my silver one its time for a change.
this one is for 32mm front aka aftermarket like progresstech or rb and such. you can find any size that you require, because its still the same 14mm nut that takes 3 mins to undo![Smilie](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Tools Required
14mm Open wrench (for if you broke you bracket like me and its bent so you can not get a socket around one side.)
14mm socket
1"-3" extension
torque wrench or a socket wrench (torque wrench is really just leverage and the fact you can preset it to the torque, but you always end up doing it tighter..)
lithium grease
flashlight (if you install at night like i did.)
Step1 locate your broken bracket
Step2 spray a shot of liquid wrench on the 2 nuts
Step3 remove the 2 nuts
Step4 remove old polyurathane bushing
Step5 grease bar, new bushing, and new bracket,
Step6 install make sure to tighten them down pretty tight.
Step7 take for a test drive. jerk the car left and right a few time and take around a few corners.
Step8 re check the nuts to ensure proper tighten after test drive.
Step9 every oil change spray some lithium grease on the bushings.
Its really easy to change out, no need to jack up the car i'm 6-3" 160lbs and can reach both the front and rear no problem. hope this helps any questions that arise during install.
Pics are what i was going through.... the zerk fitting is that little thing on the gold bracket that has a whole so you can grease gun them, o also the bushing has a whole so the grease penetrates to the bar rather than the bushing
Best way to see you bracket place you head on the ground directly next to your front wheel so you can look through the spokes, youll see you bar then the bracket, if it looks like my silver one its time for a change.
this one is for 32mm front aka aftermarket like progresstech or rb and such. you can find any size that you require, because its still the same 14mm nut that takes 3 mins to undo
![Smilie](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Tools Required
14mm Open wrench (for if you broke you bracket like me and its bent so you can not get a socket around one side.)
14mm socket
1"-3" extension
torque wrench or a socket wrench (torque wrench is really just leverage and the fact you can preset it to the torque, but you always end up doing it tighter..)
lithium grease
flashlight (if you install at night like i did.)
Step1 locate your broken bracket
Step2 spray a shot of liquid wrench on the 2 nuts
Step3 remove the 2 nuts
Step4 remove old polyurathane bushing
Step5 grease bar, new bushing, and new bracket,
Step6 install make sure to tighten them down pretty tight.
Step7 take for a test drive. jerk the car left and right a few time and take around a few corners.
Step8 re check the nuts to ensure proper tighten after test drive.
Step9 every oil change spray some lithium grease on the bushings.
Its really easy to change out, no need to jack up the car i'm 6-3" 160lbs and can reach both the front and rear no problem. hope this helps any questions that arise during install.
Pics are what i was going through.... the zerk fitting is that little thing on the gold bracket that has a whole so you can grease gun them, o also the bushing has a whole so the grease penetrates to the bar rather than the bushing
Last edited by SebtownRx8; 11-19-2010 at 12:59 AM. Reason: pics and more info
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oh nice
thanks =)
especially thanks for the link lol
idk if my bushings are bad though i did occur some problems after one night when i heard metal scratching around my left rear tire area
before this when i would change lanes quickly on the highway my car would feel perfect and very fun because i didnt feel any lean or any thing, also before this one night when i pushed down on my car it would not go down easily at all because the suspension was firm and it helped handling. After this night i drove the car and would feel the car lean as i made a small turn or changed lanes. Then i felt the car kind of wander if i went straight above like 40 mph. And now when i push down on the car it actually goes down then back up instead of being extremely difficult to push down.
its not as fun to drive now
i took it to a meineke and they told me nothing seemed wrong, they checked my swaybars and tie rods and said all was fine
is it possible that they didnt see a messed up bushing or could it be something else?
p.s. my car is getting repaired atm because i got rear ended and i cant check to see if the bushings are damaged or broken, i just wanted to see if you had an answer for my problems.
And if the bushings are messed up ur DIY will help a ton
also this post is aimed to anyone that can help not just sebtown. help me outtt >.<
thanks =)
especially thanks for the link lol
idk if my bushings are bad though i did occur some problems after one night when i heard metal scratching around my left rear tire area
before this when i would change lanes quickly on the highway my car would feel perfect and very fun because i didnt feel any lean or any thing, also before this one night when i pushed down on my car it would not go down easily at all because the suspension was firm and it helped handling. After this night i drove the car and would feel the car lean as i made a small turn or changed lanes. Then i felt the car kind of wander if i went straight above like 40 mph. And now when i push down on the car it actually goes down then back up instead of being extremely difficult to push down.
its not as fun to drive now
i took it to a meineke and they told me nothing seemed wrong, they checked my swaybars and tie rods and said all was fine
is it possible that they didnt see a messed up bushing or could it be something else?
p.s. my car is getting repaired atm because i got rear ended and i cant check to see if the bushings are damaged or broken, i just wanted to see if you had an answer for my problems.
And if the bushings are messed up ur DIY will help a ton
also this post is aimed to anyone that can help not just sebtown. help me outtt >.<
Last edited by pledpled12; 11-18-2010 at 11:06 PM. Reason: aimed at everyone not just original poster
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75shot55fueljets=GOBABYGO
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ya pretty much sounds like what i was going though mine was front right i'll post pics in 5 mins to show u how bad it was.
but as far as your saying i experienced louder more audible clink on bumps at 40-60 and 5-10 mph, braking left side little squeaks and a pull to the left. hope that helps. and all bout the pushing and on the car you spot on dude. i went from "WTF you drive like that" to feeling bad hitting the smallest bump. you can feel it under you *** as you drive. pics soon.
update: without the bracket btw you can actually move the sway bar a good 3 inches of play from the chassis frame.
but as far as your saying i experienced louder more audible clink on bumps at 40-60 and 5-10 mph, braking left side little squeaks and a pull to the left. hope that helps. and all bout the pushing and on the car you spot on dude. i went from "WTF you drive like that" to feeling bad hitting the smallest bump. you can feel it under you *** as you drive. pics soon.
update: without the bracket btw you can actually move the sway bar a good 3 inches of play from the chassis frame.
Last edited by SebtownRx8; 11-19-2010 at 12:15 AM.
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if you upgrade or otherwise install sway bar brackets/bushings, DEFINITELY be sure to get the bushings with the grease fitting. Then you can buy a cheap grease gun and a tube of the proper silicon lubricant for ~$25 and never have to worry about it again.
I don't know what it is about the larger aftermarket bars, but about once a year the bar starts squeeking over bumps and needs to re re-lubed. With the gun, this takes no more than 5 minutes to do all 4 corners. It would take 1-2 hours of jacking up the car, screwing with annoying bolts, etc to take down the bar and lube them the old fashioned way. Completely not worth the hassle...
I don't know what it is about the larger aftermarket bars, but about once a year the bar starts squeeking over bumps and needs to re re-lubed. With the gun, this takes no more than 5 minutes to do all 4 corners. It would take 1-2 hours of jacking up the car, screwing with annoying bolts, etc to take down the bar and lube them the old fashioned way. Completely not worth the hassle...
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